Discord client that works on Win95*, Win98 and above

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Project scope and platform constraints

  • Client targets Windows 95/98+ with some caveats (e.g., alternate OpenSSL libs, WinSock2).
  • Lacks major Discord features like voice and screen sharing; some see that as acceptable for the era, others as a key limitation.
  • Porting further back to Windows 3.1 via Win32s is blocked by missing features like thread support.

Voice/video feasibility on old hardware

  • One side argues modern VoIP stacks (Opus, WebRTC, modern video codecs) and protocols are too heavy for 90s systems.
  • Others counter with historical examples: hardware‑assisted DVD playback, NetMeeting/MSN audio/video, SIP phones on slower CPUs, and older codecs (H.261/H.263) that would be viable.
  • General consensus: technically possible with era‑appropriate codecs, but not practically useful today for normal users.

UI design and nostalgia

  • Many praise the snappy, native Win9x UI and tiny RAM footprint (64MB) compared to Electron‑based Discord/Teams using ~1GB+.
  • Some criticize copying Discord’s single‑window, “tablet‑like” layout instead of MDI or separate windows/tabs per chat, arguing desktop IM should exploit multi‑window workflows.
  • Others argue “one big window” is easier for non‑technical users who struggle with windows/tabs and that modern apps (Discord, Skype, email) optimize for that audience.

Legal, ToS, and update behavior

  • Concern that the “Discord Messenger” name and use of an unofficial client may draw trademark or ToS enforcement.
  • Several reports of bans when using third‑party clients like Ripcord or non‑official Telegram builds; advice is to test with throwaway accounts.
  • People complain about the official client’s frequent updates and startup delays; some prefer browser use for auto‑fresh versions.

Security, crypto, and old OSes online

  • Questioning whether it’s wise to expose Win9x to the modern internet; some say it’s mostly “for fun” and should stay behind firewalls.
  • One comment notes a hack to force OpenSSL to link on Windows 2000 and earlier by redirecting integer parse calls to unrelated functions, raising doubts about SSL integrity on such setups.

Centralization, privacy, and alternatives

  • Criticism that Discord is a proprietary telemetry‑heavy service; client behavior (extensive event tracking, Electron with full FS access) is seen as incompatible with libre ideals.
  • Yet many open projects use Discord due to zero‑maintenance hosting, history, RBAC, anti‑bot tools, and “normie‑friendly” UX; open alternatives (IRC, Matrix, Zulip, etc.) are viewed as harder to host or less approachable.