Compy 386

213.250.68.6 — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 11:12:25 GMT

213.250.68.6:

[[Image:sbemail.png|thumb|right|Strong Bad checks his email.]]
[[Image:Compy logo.PNG|thumb|The Compy 386 logo.]]
The '''Compy 386''' was [[Strong Bad]]'s second computer, and in his words, "[[Strong Bad's Technology|a spectacle of graphics and sound]]." He used this machine to answer his emails after the [[Tandy 400]] was thrown out at the beginning of [[invisibility]]. This machine was built by [[Compy, Inc.]] and seemed to have [[couch patch#Easter Eggs|something against The Cheat]]. Strong Bad did 78 emails on the Compy, more than double the number of emails he checked on the Tandy (38). If you look at it [[:Image:compy_386_side_view.png|from the side]] or from the far front, you can see that the keyboard is wireless, even though all other features of the computer are of lesser technology. Every Compy 386 email had [[Easter egg]]s. Although [[lures & jigs#Easter Eggs|lures & jigs]] didn't have any Easter eggs when it was first released, they were added later.

== Quick Facts ==
'''Debut:''' [[invisibility]]

'''Interactive Feature:''' You can click on the little wheels repeatedly to change the screen contrast from black to blue and then back to black again.

'''Death:''' Destroyed by [[Bubs' shotgun]] after being infected by 423,827 [[The Virus|viruses]] in the email "[[virus]]." [[Bubs]] later sold it to [[Homestar Runner]] as seen in the [[Broken Compy Menu]]. Destroyed Compy later appeared at [[retirement A]] and [[retirement B]] lappynapping Lappy 486. Because these two old computers wanted to check last email, [[Strong Bad]] checked email with this computer, and could do it though Compy had big hole in it.

'''[[Fonts|Font]]:''' [http://simplythebest.net/fonts/fonts/commodore_64.html Commodore 64]

'''Error Screen:''' The Compy had a blue [[Strong Bad's Computer Malfunctioning|Flagrant System Error]] screen that appeared when it encountered a major problem. Resembling the Windows '9X famous [[Wikipedia:Blue Screen of Death|Blue Screen Of Death]], it gave Strong Bad some vague information as to what went wrong. This screen appeared in "[[50 emails]]," when [[Homestar Runner|Homestar]]'s many failed attempts to [[DELETED|delete]] an email crashed the system. It later appeared in "[[virus]]," after Strong Bad learned that the Compy was infected with 423,827 [[The Virus|viruses]]. It also was mentioned in [[Biz Cas Fri 3]], but not seen.
{{clear}}

== Programs ==
Some of the programs Strong Bad had on the Compy 386, most of which were started by typing the filename only after the prompt:
*'''strongbad_email.exe''' (emails 41-118, except [[anything|email 78 (anything)]] (see below) and [[mile|email 87 (mile)]], which The Cheat answers)
*'''Message [[Thyme]]''' ([[marzipan]] - an IM similar to AOL Instant Messenger)
*'''[[take-a-break.exe|take_a_break.exe]]''' ([[huttah!]] - a relaxing animated beach scene)
*'''spellchecka.exe''' ([[autobiography]] - checks the spelling of the email Strong Bad is reading)
*'''print_of_it.exe''' ([[autobiography]] - prints out the email Strong Bad is reading)
*'''M4RZ1P4N''', '''bu-hubs''', '''undabite''', '''no-neck''', '''dacheese''', '''mr.smith''' ([[big white face]] - These bring up pixellated pictures of [[Marzipan]], [[Bubs]], [[Homestar Runner]], [[Strong Mad]], [[The Cheat]], and [[The Poopsmith]] respectively. Each of these is run by typing '''run "M4RZ1P4N"''' etc.)
*'''[[b/w]]''' ([[big white face]] - converts display to a black-and-white Macintosh; run by typing '''run "b/w"''')
*'''fightsong''' ([[mascot]] - plays the [[Crazy Go Nuts University]] fight song: run by typing '''run "fightsong"''')
*In [[funny]], Strong Bad accidentally types:
**'''stongbad_email.exe''' (File not found)
*'''sb_enail.com''' ([[anything]], which is answered by Homestar Runner who actually uses this prompt to get an email)
*'''[[Extra Real Dating Sim XR|hsramerdsxr.exe]]''' ([[date]] - Dating simulator; run by typing '''run "hsramerdsxr.exe"''')
*In [[couch patch]]:
**Strong Bad tries these unaccepted prompts:
***'''print out million dollar bill.exe''' (Bad command or file name)
***'''no for real, print me out a million dollar bill, man.exe''' (Syntax error)
***'''um, this time really print me out a million dollars bill.nofoolin'''' (Cut it out, you.)
***'''make homestar's head explode.exe''' (No can do.)
**'''print out million dollar bill, please.exe''' - This one is accepted and the computer prints out an [[Wikipedia:ASCII art|ASCII art]] million dollar bill.
*'''[[Edgar|Edgarware.exe]]''' - runs Edgarware virus scanner

== The Real Computer ==
[[Image:Puppet_Compy.PNG|thumb|The Compy (or at least an Apple II monitor and a Dell keyboard) appearing in [[Puppet Time]].]]
Like the Tandy 400, this was an almost-reference to a real computer. There was a [[Wikipedia:Intel 80386|386 processor]] made by [[Wikipedia:Intel|Intel]], which was very popular in its day, but there was no company called "Compy" that made a 386 version of their computer. The "386" logo in "[[invisibility]]" is most likely a reference to the real-life logo of [[Wikipedia:IBM|IBM]], though the Compy 386 is running [[DOS]] (programs are .exe), the blue startup screen is a reference to the [[Wikipedia:IBM Personal Computer XT|IBM PC-XT]].

The design of the computer itself seems to be a take on the old [[Wikipedia:Compaq|Compaq]] Deskpro 386, which has a similar monitor and keyboard. It also seems to spoof the [[Wikipedia:IBM Personal System/2|IBM Personal System/2 Model 25]] due to its generation and that the PC is integrated with the monitor. However, the monitor in the [[Puppet Time]] movie is an old [[Wikipedia:Apple II family|Apple]] II monitor. The keyboard is a recent model of the [[Wikipedia:Dell, Inc.|Dell]] QuietKey keyboard that came with earlier Dell computers.

Interestingly, both the exploded Compy 386 and [[Tandy 400]] contain identical gears and fans, despite being built by different manufacturers and being different generations of computer.

==Variations==
<gallery>
Image:compy_386_side_view.png|Side view seen in [[fingers]] (with "fingers" edited out)
Image:End_compy.png|Slightly Shotgunned
Image:flagrant_system_error.PNG|Flagrant system error
Image:Powered_Compy.PNG|The Compy appearing in [[Powered by The Cheat]] form in [[mile]], under the name "Compa".
Image:invisibility.PNG|Compy 386 Version 1.5 Screen logo from [[invisibility]].
Image:sbemail159b.png|Automatic hole-formatting.
Image:Compy Skeleton.png|Fully restored, with a [[Bad Graphics Ghost#Compy Skeleton|dancing skeleton]]
Image:Ghostly Old Comps.png|Ghostly (with [[Tandy 400|Tandy]])
</gallery>

{{start box}}
{{Succession box | before = [[Tandy 400]] | title = [[Strong Bad Email|Strong Bad Emails]] | years = 41 - 118, 159 | after = [[Lappy 486]]}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:Computers]]
[[Category:Pseudocharacters]]

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Compy 386