Understand What Your Grandkids Are Talking About
By Steve
This week, we kick off a new series by explaining the popular community app, Discord.
Welcome to the first edition of a new series in our newsletters! In these "Tech Explainer" articles, we'll be taking a friendly look at some of the modern apps, technologies, and trends you might hear about from the news or your family, but are unlikely to have used yourself. Our goal isn't to get you to use these things, but to demystify them, give you a basic understanding of what they are, and maybe even provide a new topic to chat about with your kids and grandkids.
To start, let's tackle a big one: Have you ever heard a younger family member mention they were "chatting on Discord" and found yourself wondering what, exactly, that is? You are not alone. In fact, I have downloaded the app myself, I have friends who work there, and I still don’t entirely understand it! Let's explore it together.
Tech Explainer: A Guide to Understanding Discord
So, What is Discord?The Big Idea
At its heart, Discord is a free communication app that lets groups of people talk to each other using text, voice, and video. Imagine a single app that combines a group text message, an ongoing conference call or walkie-talkie, and a video chat service like Zoom. All of this is organized into private, invitation-only "clubhouses" where communities can gather. If all of this sounds a little chaotic and confusing…it is 😬.
How It Works: Clubhouses (Servers) and Rooms (Channels)
The best way to understand Discord is to think of a digital community center or a clubhouse.
"Servers" are the Clubhouses: When you use Discord, you don't see one giant public feed like you do on Facebook. Instead, you are invited to join specific, private "servers." A server is the entire clubhouse, and it's usually dedicated to a single topic—a particular video game, a fan club for a TV show, a gardening group, or even just your extended family.
"Channels" are the Rooms Inside: Inside each clubhouse (server), there are different rooms for different topics. Discord calls these "channels." For example, a book club's server might have a text channel called #announcements for meeting times, another called #general-discussion for chatting about the book, and one called #what-to-read-next for suggesting future books. This keeps all the conversations neatly organized and easy to follow.
Voice Channels: There are also special "voice channels." These are like rooms you can pop into at any time to talk, out loud, with whoever else is in there. It's like a continuous, open conference call that members of the community can join and leave as they please. Yes, these are often time chaotic and hard to follow.
Who Uses It and Why Is It So Popular?
Discord started in 2015 as a tool for video gamers. They needed a high-quality, reliable way to talk to their teammates in real-time while playing games, and Discord's excellent voice chat was the perfect solution.
However, its popularity soon exploded beyond the gaming world. Now, you will find vibrant Discord servers for every imaginable hobby and interest. There are servers for artists who share and critique each other's work, for students who form study groups, for gardening enthusiasts who trade tips, and for families who want a private space to stay connected.
It's popular because it's a focused, private "third place" on the internet—it's not your public social media profile, and it's not work; it's a dedicated space to hang out with people who share your specific interests.
Quick Tech Tip
A key difference between a conversation in a Discord channel and a regular group text message is that the conversations are persistent and organized by topic. You can always scroll back weeks or months in a specific channel to find an old link, a photo, or a piece of information, which is much easier than trying to find something in a single, endlessly scrolling text thread.
Tech Term Demystified: 'VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)'
This is the core technology that makes Discord's voice chat (and services like Zoom or FaceTime Audio) work. VoIP is a method for taking the analog audio signal of your voice and turning it into digital data that can be sent over the Internet. It's what allows you to make "phone calls" using your internet connection instead of a traditional telephone line, and it's why the audio quality can be so clear.
Good News Byte
Many educational groups and non-profits are now using Discord to create safe, moderated communities for learning. For example, language-learning servers connect students from around the world to practice speaking with native speakers, while coding communities provide a free, friendly space for beginners to ask questions and get help from experienced programmers. It's becoming a powerful tool for free, collaborative education.
Did You Know?
The friendly-looking little robot-monster creature who serves as the mascot of Discord has a name: Wumpus. You'll often see him in the app's loading screens and on the company's website. The main robot that sends you messages and updates within the app is named Clyde.
Your Turn to Start a Conversation!
You don't need to join Discord to understand it. This week, try asking a younger family member if they use Discord and what kind of "servers" they are a part of. You might learn about a new hobby they have or a community they enjoy. It’s a great conversation starter and a wonderful window into their world.
Wishing you a week of great conversations,
Steve