Strong Bad's Technology

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(Inconsistencies: A Pom Pilot looks extremely easy to handle.)
(i dunno what kind of pom pilots you've seen....)
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*Though the Compy appears to mostly use [[Wikipedia:Enhanced Graphics Adapter|EGA]] graphics, it is capable of [[Wikipedia:SVGA|SVGA]] graphics, as indicated by [[Extra Real Dating Sim XR|Homestar Runner and Marzipan Extra Real Dating Sim XR]] in [[date]].
*Though the Compy appears to mostly use [[Wikipedia:Enhanced Graphics Adapter|EGA]] graphics, it is capable of [[Wikipedia:SVGA|SVGA]] graphics, as indicated by [[Extra Real Dating Sim XR|Homestar Runner and Marzipan Extra Real Dating Sim XR]] in [[date]].
*Though Strong Bad appears to be incapable of comprehension of today's technology, he does make note of such modern technologies as [[Wikipedia: HDTV|HD]] and [[Wikipedia: wide screen|wide screen]], implying he may actually just like the old technology better.
*Though Strong Bad appears to be incapable of comprehension of today's technology, he does make note of such modern technologies as [[Wikipedia: HDTV|HD]] and [[Wikipedia: wide screen|wide screen]], implying he may actually just like the old technology better.
 +
*Strong Bad is able to operate [[Pom Pom]]'s [[Pom Pilot]] in [[the bird]].
*Even though Strong Bad's computers use DOS, there have been [[credit card|a couple]] of [[lunch special|occasions]] where a cursor has appeared.
*Even though Strong Bad's computers use DOS, there have been [[credit card|a couple]] of [[lunch special|occasions]] where a cursor has appeared.
**In addition, his computers appear not to have [[Wikipedia: computer mouse|mice]], but still are capable of [[Wikipedia:cursor|cursors]].
**In addition, his computers appear not to have [[Wikipedia: computer mouse|mice]], but still are capable of [[Wikipedia:cursor|cursors]].

Revision as of 12:58, 26 March 2010

This article is about the running gag. For the Strong Bad Email, see technology.
"Why do all my thirty-year-old electronics keep breaking on me?!"

Strong Bad shows a strong preference for out-of-date technology. Sometimes his feelings are so strong they lead to a state of denial, in which he describes such outmoded technologies as cutting-edge. Similarly, the company Videlectrix, which Strong Bad endorses, seems to embrace a mission plan of releasing 8-bit and 16-bit "video computer games on TV" which they consider to have "good graphics". Strong Bad continually remains adamant that his computers are high tech. In animal and redesign, however, Strong Bad mocks The Cheat's use of "new computers".

Contents

Appearances

  • Strong Bad Sings — Strong Bad appears to think that a record holds more than a CD, as the announcer states that the collection is available on 3 records or 7 CDs. Also, he claims that it's available on 8-tracks, which have not been seen in stores since the eighties.
    • An 8-track tape could also have more songs than a record, depending how long the songs are and if the record is 33, 45, or 78 rpm.
  • Several occasions — The only telephone that Strong Bad ever seems to answer is a seventies telephone, with the only buttons to press being those used for dialing. Since the eighties, speed dial and redial have been standard on all phones.
    • Although the headpiece should be attached to the base, Strong Bad's appears to be disconnected from the base.
  • Almost every Strong Bad Email until independent — Strong Bad uses outdated computers, and praised the Compy 386 and Lappy 486 as state-of-the-art computers with awesome features. The Paper, as well, appears to come from a tractor-fed dot matrix printer. In home use, such printers are now nearly non-existent.
  • Almost every Strong Bad Email until independent — The operating system that Strong Bad uses on the Tandy 400 resembles that of ProDOS, while the Compy 386 and Lappy 486 resemble that of DOS, both of which have been replaced with GUI operating systems in most modern home computers.
  • Almost every Strong Bad Email — Strong Bad's computer desk appears to have a case of either floppies or diskettes. Floppies were discontinued entirely when diskettes came out, and diskettes are almost extinct.
  • Email duck pond — Strong Bad says that the Atari version of Duck Pond has state-of-the-art graphics.
  • Email gimmicks — Despite Strong Sad's claim that he could replace the Tandy 400 with a comparable computer "at a yard sale for, like, fifteen dollars," Strong Bad asserts that he "liked that computer". He evidently disregards Strong Sad's encouragement to get a modern computer when he chooses the Compy 386.
    • Despite the accurate price description by Strong Sad, he still asks to borrow 900 dollars, most of which was presumably not spent on a new computer.
  • Email weird dream — Strong Bad is unaware of how to use The Cheat's iMac's Mac OS.
  • Email lures & jigs — Strong Bad refers to Fishing Challenge '91 as "the pinnacle of graphics".
  • Email 50 emails (Easter Egg) — Old Timey Strong Bad used a "telegramophone" (more commonly a telegraph), although by the 1930s they had been almost completely replaced by the telephone.
  • Email websiteStrong Bad's Website is similar to many other outdated ones created during the '90s.
  • Strong Bad is in Jail Cartoon (Easter Egg) — Strong Bad and The Cheat constructed a working telephone from the canister marked "eww" in the cardboard box prison.
    • However, the tin can phone is still able to call Marzipan's Answering Machine, when it should only be able to talk to another can.
  • Email video games — Strong Bad considers the NES-style RhinoFeeder to be on a brand new and super-photorealistic system.
    • He also thinks that the individual red pixel that represents the player in Secret Collect. looks "kinda like [him]".
  • Email haircut — Strong Bad edits a Polaroid picture of Strong Mad with a marker, claiming that he's using a light pen to edit a scanned picture.
    • Here, he also refers to the tech as "Cutting art, state-of-the-edge".
  • Teen Girl Squad Issue 9 — Strong Bad is irate that Babbages has no Turbografx games (which today are next to impossible to find outside of Nintendo's Virtual Console system).
  • Real-Live E-Mails — Strong Bad is unaware of the term "burning DVDs" and sets fire to a spindle of them using the BMW Lighter.
  • Biz Cas Fri 3 — Strong Bad fails to back up his files, and then seems to think he can do so by keeping some of the ashes of his exploded computer.
    • Strong Bad's computer is unable to open the 3-gigabyte attachment entitled "catonfire_fallingfromanairplane.exe" and thus explodes.
  • Email extra plug — Not only are the 'lectric boots low tech, taking up all the house's electricity, but the TV that Strong Sad, Homestar and Strong Mad are watching is very old and outdated.
  • Email lunch special — The walkie talkies that Strong Bad and The Cheat use are highly outdated.
  • Email lady...ing — Strong Bad uses a Laserdisc and sings a brief, nostalgic tribute to the medium, saying that "everything is better on Laserdisc".
  • Email animal — Strong Bad scoffs at The Cheat for using new computers.
  • Email long pants — Strong Bad deems the email "too long" and proceeds to edit it with a white-out pen, which he calls a "light pen" with "expensive electrons". When the plan backfires on him, though, he refers to it as "stupid made-up technology that I made up".
  • Email highschool — Baby Strong Bad wishes the video games of his earlier era were "better".
  • Email portrait — Strong Bad is shown holding a "re-eally o-o-ld ce-e-ll phone".
  • Email technology — A whole email on the subject; Strong Bad makes numerous references to older technologies being state-of-the-art. He also claims that he prefers early floppy disks over diskettes, erroneously stating that "they have more memory". He uses a screensaver for the Lappy, whose LCD screen does not require one.
  • Email alternate universe — The Game Boy that Strong Bad uses to make his high tech "alternate universe portal" is an original monochrome model, which is highly outdated and no longer produced.
  • Email senior prom — Strong Bad pretends to get a message on his "answering machine" from "Delilelia", when it's actually a clock radio with a paper reading "an answering machine (trust me)" taped to it. Strong Bad himself provides "Delilelia's" voice.
  • Email isp — Strong Bad's computer, besides having a ridiculously slow Internet connection, uses an icon of a 5-1/4-inch floppy disk on its download-progress screen.
    • Strong Bad claims his internet connection potentially runs at "1200 baud" – while it is impossible to say how fast this really is without knowing the standard the modem uses to connect, describing the speed in baud typically was only used with older modems (1980s and earlier), so the modem is probably encoding around 2 or 3 bits per symbol, thus achieving transfer rate of either 2.4kbps or 3.6kbps. Note however that no ITU-T standard transferred at 1200 baud, jumping from 600 baud in V.22 to 2400 baud in its successor, V.32. It is possible, however, for a 2400 baud or higher modem to run at only 1200 baud if it is on a low-quality phone line.
  • Email redesign — Strong Bad thinks that the LCD monitor on The Cheat's new computer had the backside sliced off, and he refers to the wireless mouse as a "plastic bar of soap". He also believes that the scroll ticker replacement for the NO LOAFING sign has "advanced animation".
  • Email road trip — Strong Bad believes the 8-Track cassette player to be "forwards-compatible" with CDs.
  • Email trading cards — Strong Bad considers the title screen of the 1982 Videlectrix video game C.H.E.A.T. "the day they invented good graphics".
  • Email the movies — Strong Bad watches the movie Karate Car, which is entirely ASCII art.
  • Email the paper — As the printer and The Paper malfunction, Strong Bad cries, "Why do all my 30-year-old electronics keep breaking on me?"
  • Everything Else, Volume 3 — Strong Bad does not understand why his "used copy of a 20-year-old video game" malfunctions.
  • Email rated — Strong Bad watches scrambled cable with the picture distorted. He also claims his email is a car phone instead of a cell phone.
  • SBCG4AP Dev Blog — Strong Bad comments that in the 1995 PC game Lost Eden, "the dinosaurs look REAL!"
  • Homestar Ruiner — Strong Bad keeps a "7-track player" in his bedroom, and comments that its "lack of a play button was [its] downfall".
  • Baddest of the Bands — Strong Bad uses a film camera to take pictures, and he admits when looking at the Cool Tapes banner that "[he's] supposed to be the one that's into outdated media and electronics."
  • 8-Bit is Enough — Strong Bad owns a 7-track player, which seems to be a precursor to an 8-track player. Strong Bad remarks on how it has "awesome sound quality", even though it doesn't seem to support any kind of known media.
  • Hremail 7 — In this 2009 toon, set in 2001, Strong Bad apparently has never heard of emails or the Internet until Homestar Runner and Strong Sad explain them to him. He then takes Homestar's old computer, the Tandy 400, from his trash can, believing it to be "top of the line", and uses it to start answering emails (with some initial difficulties).

Fun Facts

  • Most of the graphics that Strong Bad refers to as "good" are from an Atari 2600, NES, or Super NES, which is what made the first H*R cartoon.
  • Strong Bad needed to call tech support in order to remove the "light pen" markings from the Lappy's screen.
  • The DOS command "dir/p", the command used on the Compy 386 Email Menu, would display the contents of the current directory and pause after displaying each info screen.

Inconsistencies

  • Though the Compy appears to mostly use EGA graphics, it is capable of SVGA graphics, as indicated by Homestar Runner and Marzipan Extra Real Dating Sim XR in date.
  • Though Strong Bad appears to be incapable of comprehension of today's technology, he does make note of such modern technologies as HD and wide screen, implying he may actually just like the old technology better.
  • Strong Bad is able to operate Pom Pom's Pom Pilot in the bird.
  • Even though Strong Bad's computers use DOS, there have been a couple of occasions where a cursor has appeared.
    • In addition, his computers appear not to have mice, but still are capable of cursors.
  • Strong Bad is connected to the internet via a modem, as shown in isp. Thus, he should not be able to use the phone to speak with tech support while downloading from the internet, unless he has multiple phone lines.
  • Though Strong Bad usually prefers video game systems such as the Atari 2600 and Intellivision, he knows how to operate a Wii.
  • He is aware of cell phones, as seen in rated and virus.
  • It may appear he is enticed into old computers due to Compy, inc. is sending him catalogs from twenty years ago, with a sticker over it of the current year, as seen in Compy Catalog.
    • Incidentally, although the catalog is technically marked "1986", it advertises the rather recent looking Compé.
  • Although Strong Bad seemingly prefers old computers, the Compé appears to be a rather recent model.

Strong Bad's Computers etc.

Besides his outdated computers, Strong Bad uses several other low-tech implements. He so often uses these, it is almost impossible to find an implement of technology that Strong Bad has that is not outdated.

Computers

  • Tandy 400 — Strong Bad's first computer. He used it to check emails 1-40. It exploded due to random malfunction.
  • Compy 386 — Strong Bad's second computer. He used it to check emails 41-118. He was so distraught when Bubs shot it in virus, he was unable to compose himself enough to yell and argue with Bubs.
  • Lappy 486 — Strong Bad's third computer. He used it to check emails 119-201, excluding from work. He claimed that it is portable, weighing in at 42 pounds. Also used to appear in female form. Strong Bad destroyed it using a USB self destruct button.
  • Block — Its only appearance is in other days. Strong Bad uses it to check his Polish emails. Although it appears to be in the same room as his other computer, it is never visible on his desk.
  • Corpy NT6 — This is Strong Bad's computer at the office. It is obviously outdated as it runs on DOS like SB's home computers, and is unable to open a 3GB attachment.
  • Zappy XT6 — Strong Bad's computer in the future, which apparently runs on DOS like his other computers. Its only appearance is in the DVD exclusive email "Accent".
  • Compé — Strong Bad's current computer, as of 2009. It has full color graphics, which Strong Bad mistakes for a "full color photo taped to [his] computer screen". It resembles an old Apple model and costs as semi-hefty $800 (quite a lot for an old model in this day and age).

Software

  • Edgar The Virus Hunter — Strong Bad's virus protection software was programmed by only one person, is apparently never maintained, and also seems to only have a scan function.
  • Edga Jr. — A simple piece of software that automatically deletes emails with more than one paragraph.
  • Edgar's Baby's Daddy — Another simple application that removes and archives all emails with the sender named "Homestar Runner".
  • Grandmaw Edgar's Corporate Firewall Get-Arounder — A piece of "Cheatware" that allows programs such as strongbad_email.exe to connect to the internet despite being blocked by a firewall.
  • The Operating System — Although this is often overlooked, the operating system Strong Bad runs is DOS, which is almost never used in modern day life.
  • Computer Error Alerts — These include "Flagrant System Error", "Computer over", "Flamboyant System Error", and "Teal Screen of Near Death (TSoND)".

Other

  • The Paper — The Paper is apparently a tractor-feed dot matrix printer that for some reason can never be seen on top of Strong Bad's computer, even though it always feeds from the top of the screen. It seemed to be malfunctioning in the email more armies, and, as predicted in montage, The Paper called it quits in email #173, the paper, where it was replaced with an inkjet printer.
  • The "light pen" — Used in haircut to edit the hairstyle of a "scanned" picture of Strong Mad. A different style of light pen later used in long pants to make the email shorter.
  • Floppy Disk Container — Strong Bad still uses floppy disks to store information and games. It was revealed in technology that he preferred the older 5¼" floppy disks to the newer 3½" diskettes, claiming (incorrectly) that the 5¼" disks hold more memory.
  • Telebision — An older TV, circa the '70s, complete with knobs and dials.
  • Cakkalate — Strong Bad's simple solar calculator that is "the future of technology" since it is wireless (according to him).

See Also

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