Strong Bad Email #119 - animal

Dangeresque · **Joined:** Wed Sep 15, 2004 7:10 pm **Posts:** 19

I don't like the lappy. It's a bit too high-tech and the screen is too big.

And did anyone notice that during the introduction of the Lappy, it says 5 min battery + or -?

furrykef · **Posted:** Tue Nov 30, 2004 1:24 pm

Buz wrote:

furrykef wrote:

The variable-width font doesn't say much either way, and is actually pretty strange because it means he's using a graphical environment that is emulating text mode... not a particular characteristic of any OS I know of.

It could easily be [graphical OS name omitted] 3.1, many of the 3.1 programs were multitasking [insert non-graphical OS name] 5 or 6 programs which could run full-screen if you pressed alt-enter. Open a command window and try it even on your '98, XP, or (may a deity forbid) ME system.

Using fullscreen mode (which you mentioned with alt+enter) in Windows on a text mode app would give you a character display, which would most definitely not have a variable-width font. So, no, it can't easily be W*nd*ws 3.1

Speaking of...

qazwart1 wrote:

I'm actually kind of disappointed. Lappy is a bit too modern. It's almost capable of running Windows 95!

I don't think a 2 MB hard drive (bearing in mind the first hard drives for the PC, called "fixed disks" back then, were 10 megabytes) and 512 KB of RAM is anything close to capable of running Windows 95. You couldn't even run Windows 3.1 with that, I'm sure.

BALEETED · **Posted:** Tue Nov 30, 2004 5:00 pm

So, does anyone know (have a theroy) why there was Powered By The Cheat type animation, even though it was not a PBTC email?

woddfellow2 · **Posted:** Tue Nov 30, 2004 6:15 pm

furrykef wrote:

[...]
I don't think a 2 MB hard drive (bearing in mind the first hard drives for the PC, called "fixed disks" back then, were 10 megabytes) and 512 KB of RAM is anything close to capable of running Windows 95. You couldn't even run Windows 3.1 with that, I'm sure.

It's probably cabable of running Windoze 1.01 or 2.03.

JamesGecko · **Posted:** Tue Nov 30, 2004 7:40 pm

I think its a Unix/Linux type OS.
It would make sense, seeing as the past two computers have been Amiga and DOS type things.

Duck a L'Orange · **Posted:** Tue Nov 30, 2004 8:18 pm

SenorCardgage wrote:

(someone else here must have edited in vi, right?)

I attempted it once. I tried, but I just couldn't get it to do anything. It just sat there, taunting me, daring me to try to do anything useful with it. And of course, the *nix "experts" on the 'Net were of little help. You know the kind. The kind that sneer and laught at you whenever you suggest that maybe a little documentation would be helpful when you're not totally familiar with the program, especially one that's so user-unfriendly and secretly plots your untimely demise like vi.

OK, rant over. :ehsteve:

Anyway, when an X-based editor isn't an option, I usually use pico, which has the two lines at the bottom that remind you of certain useful Control commands (^X = exit, ^Y = previous page, ^V = next page, etc). The line at the bottom of Strong Bad's e-mail program kinda reminded me of that.

paxman356 · **Joined:** Thu Sep 09, 2004 8:44 pm **Posts:** 39

furrykef wrote:

I don't think a 2 MB hard drive (bearing in mind the first hard drives for the PC, called "fixed disks" back then, were 10 megabytes) ...

Yeah, my first 8088 had a 40MB harddrive. That was fun to program in PASCAL.

Puphles · **Posted:** Wed Dec 01, 2004 2:28 am

Off supject but, am I the only one who thought the first SB animal was hilarious (if a bit creepy). You know the one with Claws, Horns, Tusks, Tentacles, Power Doors, 15 Year Drivetrain Warranty, Proboscis, and Segmented Eyes. That was my fav, but da huuuuuudge was good too.

TheNintenGenius · **Posted:** Wed Dec 01, 2004 2:37 am

puphles wrote:

Off supject but, am I the only one who thought the first SB animal was hilarious (if a bit creepy). You know the one with Claws, Horns, Tusks, Tentacles, Power Doors, 15 Year Drivetrain Warranty, Proboscis, and Segmented Eyes. That was my fav, but da huuuuuudge was good too.

To me, it was defiintely one of the funniest, especially when it tried to talk. da huuudge is still pretty awesome, though. Otherwise, I like the fanglyfish (but only for the Homestar lure) and I guess Sterrence is OK.

woddfellow2 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 01, 2004 2:56 am

Duck a L'Orange wrote:

SenorCardgage wrote:

(someone else here must have edited in vi, right?)

I attempted it once. I tried, but I just couldn't get it to do anything. It just sat there, taunting me, daring me to try to do anything useful with it. And of course, the *nix "experts" on the 'Net were of little help. You know the kind. The kind that sneer and laught at you whenever you suggest that maybe a little documentation would be helpful when you're not totally familiar with the program, especially one that's so user-unfriendly and secretly plots your untimely demise like vi.

OK, rant over. :ehsteve:

Anyway, when an X-based editor isn't an option, I usually use pico, which has the two lines at the bottom that remind you of certain useful Control commands (^X = exit, ^Y = previous page, ^V = next page, etc). The line at the bottom of Strong Bad's e-mail program kinda reminded me of that.

I've edited in Vim. I just load it, press INSERT, write the document, then I press ESC and type ":save whatever.txt" (without the quotation marks). Then I just exit by typing ":qa!" (w/o""). Actually, those are almost the only commands I know.

Anyway, here's what I liked about animal

Da Huuuuuudge
Sterrance
Lappy 486 (without it, it would seem like an average email)

mangadood · **Joined:** Sat Oct 30, 2004 6:58 am **Posts:** 8

It is a time of desolation: brother against brother: babies havin' babies.
BEST EMAIL EVER!!!

furrykef · **Posted:** Wed Dec 01, 2004 3:45 am

JamesGecko wrote:

I think its a Unix/Linux type OS.
It would make sense, seeing as the past two computers have been Amiga and DOS type things.

I doubt it, since it was only an e-mail ago that Strong Bad thought the "Strong ba" in his e-mail was "getting eaten... by some... Linux, or something".

TheTinyGiant · **Joined:** Sat Nov 27, 2004 7:48 pm **Posts:** 459

I wan'st sure what the + was for, in the 5 minutes. + or - what?

As with 10 MB/512 kb ram......the 2nd computer I ever used, I think (can't remember the first so well, even if that was the first....I was like 5) was a 486DX 33 mhz, but more importantly it had 85 MB hard drive and 4 MB RAM, which is similar to a 10 MB HD and 512 kb ram. Small hard drive there for Strong Bad. Now, remember the laptop is 42 pounds and has a battery life of 5 minutes; neither of those make sense, so of course 512kb and 2MB are ok! The computer is relatively simple, and hence it's around the same level as some of our pocket organizers with 512k.

And as for Powered by :cheat:

, I might've said this somewhere else- it's just in Strong Bad's imagination. Just like when he does stuff or talks about stuff, I mean he doesn't actually turn into the animals right? He sort of "sees" them. And so it doesn't matter the animation style it's portrayyed in- his imagination is open-ended. Teh Cheat's animation style fits the fanglyfish well- christmas lights, custom lure. But mostly it's probably because SB's imagining, and because we haven't seen Powered by The Cheat for a while and TBC wanted to give us a treat.
Did anyone notice that Homestar's mouth moves differently now? Kind of like old-timey?

MikeT61 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 01, 2004 6:37 am

Not that anyone asked, either...

I like Lappy. But I'm curious about how it got plugged in when there was no time for it to have happened.

I liked the huuuuuudge way better than I liked Sterrance. At least until the huuuuuudge started blowing bubbles out its... whatever it was.

The big plot points that this leaves open:

1) Will the Cheat leave, having been rejected in favor of a character that exists only in Strong Bad's imagination?

2) Will we see "on location" e-mails, including perhaps one where the battery runs out?

3) Is there really a future role for Sterrance or the Fanglyfish? Will the huuuudge move to Sweet Cuppin' Cakes Land? (Eh, Steve! You get your sassy-frass out of my berled holiday huuuuuudge!)

furrykef · **Posted:** Wed Dec 01, 2004 6:43 am

Everettimmy62 wrote:

I wan'st sure what the + was for, in the 5 minutes. + or - what?

"Plus or minus" is often used colloquially to mean "approximately", not necessarily plus or minus any particular number.

MikeT61 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 01, 2004 6:51 am

Has anyone else pondered this phrase?

I did an Internet search, and I came up with a lot of stuff where people are posting asking about times for concerts or events. Even found:

"so much work to do. You know, the Times ran an article last week..."

The only meaningful hits were asking "Do you know the times?" in reference to Paul's letter to the Thessalonians, which states,

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

Was Homestar viewing the scary Strong Bad monstrosity as a sign of the Apocalypse?

Tiggera · **Posted:** Wed Dec 01, 2004 6:59 am

I just thought Homestar was asking what time it was.

MikeT61 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 01, 2004 7:56 am

I thought so too, at first, but when Strong Bad repeated it and said that he wouldn't have a good answer for the question, it suggested there was something more to it.

I thought it might be a movie quote, so I did a search. And, as I said, what I found was a bit spooky...

unknownwarrior33 · **Joined:** Thu Nov 04, 2004 11:40 pm **Posts:** 34

Wow...how...depressing. That's something Strong Sad would say. But I digress. The red-speckled thing was a little too gross, but the huuuuuudge was funny, if only for its strange name creation. And I think he should have stayed with the fangly fish.

As for :cheatgrin:

I hope they expand on the fight, but I doubt TBC would get rid of one of their most popular characters. Who knows, maybe we'll hear a new version of "The Cheat is Not Dead".

Da Huuuuuudge · **Joined:** Wed Dec 01, 2004 10:56 pm **Posts:** 1

In case anyone can't tell, I liked Da Huuuuuudge. I gotta say kudos to TBC for keeping on trying to please everyone! It really is just amazing to me how different everyone's opinions are. "I love Lappy!" "Lappy sucks, it's too modern." Yeesh, I just think it's freakin' hilarious... I guess we won't ALL be happy, but still.

And I loved The Paper. "Enough already, Strong Bad!"

Naked_Lunch · **Posted:** Wed Dec 01, 2004 11:39 pm

Solid email. The beginning intro sequence is defintely the highlight along with Sterrence (I want one!). And how the heck can people criticize Lappy for being "too modern?" 5 mb hard drive? I have ASCII games that take up more space than that. 8/10

Cheatking12 · **Joined:** Thu Dec 02, 2004 12:23 am **Posts:** 1

I doth think that virus was better

AngelKitty4OU · **Posted:** Thu Dec 02, 2004 3:03 am

Awesome, awesome, awesome. Now I'm gonna have to run by the thrift shop and buy me a Lappy of my own.

Loved the animals. I want a Sterrance! And a Huuuuuuudge! And a Fangly fish! But not so much that red thing...

Well, could this email signal the beginning of a divorce between :sb:

and

? Maybe The Cheat will team up with :hr:

...no, THAT'S crazy. Then again, who knows? Maybe that will be the topic of the next full-length cartoon.

Shopiom · **Posted:** Thu Dec 02, 2004 3:10 am

I hope I can eventually get used to the Lappy. I miss the ol' Compy. :((

ramrod · **Posted:** Thu Dec 02, 2004 3:29 am

This was one great email. It will take some time to adjust to the Lappy, just as it took some time to get used to the Compy.

SenorCardgage · **Posted:** Thu Dec 02, 2004 3:53 am

Duck a L'Orange wrote:

maybe a little documentation would be helpful

Don't tell me you don't like man pages! Best documentation ever!

woddfellow2 wrote:

I've edited in Vim.

I've never used vim, but I heard it is a more recent, nicer, more user-friendly version of the original, evil vi. (although still not much better)

Cwapface · **Posted:** Thu Dec 02, 2004 4:34 am

If anyones misses the Compy, it's still alive in the FAQ of the site.

paxman356 · **Joined:** Thu Sep 09, 2004 8:44 pm **Posts:** 39

AngelKitty4OU wrote:

Well, could this email signal the beginning of a divorce between :sb:

and

? Maybe The Cheat will team up with :hr:

...no, THAT'S crazy. Then again, who knows? Maybe that will be the topic of the next full-length cartoon.

Well, Strongbad is always kicking him, so what's a little verbal abuse, right? I think the Cheat will bounce back.

Beyond the Grave · **Posted:** Thu Dec 02, 2004 4:50 pm

I like the new lappy 486 Strong Bad could have done better but we will see how this goes.

InvaderTK · **Posted:** Thu Dec 02, 2004 4:57 pm

I liked this e-mail. Da Huuuuuudge bought it for me.

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