In brief: It's now possible to run a barebones version of Discord on legacy Microsoft operating systems including Windows 98 (and even Windows 95, if you're willing to jump through a few extra hoops). Discord Messenger, from developer iProgramInCpp, is a free Discord-compatible messaging client that works across nearly three decades of Windows versions. It is officially supported back to Windows 2000 although as the dev recently highlighted on X, it technically works on even older versions as well. Its motto: It's time to ditch MSN and Yahoo.There are a few caveats to note before jumping in. For starters, using a third-party client like Discord Messenger goes against the company's terms of service. As such, they would be well within their right to disable accounts for using the program. The odds of that happening are probably low, but the risk is real and something to keep in mind.Discord running on Windows XPWhile much of Discord's core functionality is already present in the client, several other key features are still missing. Unimplemented (but planned) features includes dark mode, changing your nickname, muting channels, supporting user notes, assigning a custom status, and entering voice channels.As of now, there are no plans for other basic functions like sending friend requests, creating DM channels, and logging in using QR codes. The dev also has no plans to allow users to enter servers, as doing so would likely trigger Discord's anti-spam system and result in an automatic ban. // Related StoriesThose willing to accept the risks and limitations can grab all of the necessary files and installation instructions over on GitHub. There is also a Discord server about the client where you can chat with like-minded enthusiasts.For many, I suspect this will be less about practicality and more about tinkering with something that was never intended to run on such an old platform. It is simply neat that someone invested the time and effort into such a project, just because they were curious.