Slashdot Mirror
Strong Bad Creators Interviewed
Bill Hughes writes "The folks over at ResExcellence have posted an interview with the Brothers Chapman, the two guys who create and run the Homestar Runner/Strong Bad web site." If you have not seen homestarrunner, prepare to be baffled and amused. This site has mostly justified Flash to me :)
Good to see that the slashdot community knows about this hillarious website. I discovered it just a few months ago, and have been laughing my ass off at it ever since.
So for the past few weeks homestarrunner.com has been spottily reachable at best...
A day or two ago they were back up to full speed...
And now they are slashdotted...
Just as I was going to check the latest strongbad email...
And yet somehow I'll live, even knowing an anonymous person on the internet doesn't find something particularly amusing.
Homestar Runner is being slashdotted? Just what we need... they just got through a month of having server trouble due to increasing traffic, and now with all the new viewers they're going to get by being mentioned here, looks like we'll be in for another month of slow page loads on Mondays.
That said, Strong Bad emails have quickly become a weekly tradition in the office. We all gather around every Monday to see the newest installment, and we're rarely disappointed. If the Brothers Chaps don't end up with a TV show before too long, I'll be surprised.
NO CARRIER
"Page can not be displayed"
Truly I am baffled, but not that amused.
I see you jocking me; trying to play like, u no me.
Everybody to the limit, the Cheat is to the limit.
I said, come on, fhwqwhgads!
Free music from Jack Merlot.
Homestarrunner.net. It's dot com!
Note: You can get to the forums from there, which seem to be up as well despite the main site being down.
Hu-woah-whoa-whoa! This interview shanked my jengaship!
--riney
I got hooked on Strongbad typing e-mails on his Compy 386 by first getting hooked on www.fark.com by seeing someone reference it in a post here on Slashdot.
I've a big fan of homestarruner.com When I can see it... Due to the slashdot effect. I can't! I've been trying to figure out why the site has slow and I know why! Damn slashdot affect... damm you!!!! *shakes fist and trails off*. Eitherway, Homestarrunner rules!
TROGDOR THE BURNINATOR!!!
The majesty! The burninating!
here
and here
Homestarrunner.com is a funny online flash cartoon based off of a childrens book that these two guys made in the 80's. in the last two years they have made a good few dozen animated shorts on their characters Strong Bad, Strong Sad, Strong Mad, Homestar, and some chick who I forget her name... its 2 bad you can't see it... maybe someone will be nice enough to convert them to mpeg or avi for ya :)
The e-mail is funny. Most of the other flash there simply isn't. The flash is justified, because as a graphical platform it works great. The amount of effects that can be created with vectors in a small file size are excellent. Having a Microsoft OS installed, I see no problem with installing flash because it works like it should and isn't intrusive, unlike Real One Player.
These guys could have their own southpark-esqe show on comedy central.
Then get to it, sparky.
Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
I agree... Apparently they made an update today, but, since they got slashdoted I can't read the latest email... My favorite email was the sisters... that one was pretty good, or the one titled "dragon". Whenever they come back up, I urge you all... to go see
Yeah, lemme know where I can download the Lynx plugin for Flash...
(seriously! what about AAlib? or maybe just an "external handler" that uses SDL:SVGAlib? They ought to write a Flash engine in Java---sure it's slow, but it's portable.)
--TheOrangeSquid Is it any wonder things seem so awry? We swim in a sea of confusion and don't have to think to survive
The Onion.com
The Best Page in the Universe
Something Awful
Consumption Junction
The Bastard Operator from Hell
Don't forget
*nix.org either
Reply or e-mail; don't vaguely moderate. Ex-O'Reilly/MIT employee, now a full-time Google employee.
You know what? I surf pretty indiscriminately, but aside from the occasional Yahoo(!) page, the things you're complaining about aren't even noticeable. I'd like to know what pages are so cool and important that they keep coming up on your web browser, even though they're also so unbelievably lame and annoying that you shun flash completely because of them. P.S. Everything in your life is made possible by your support of technologies that exist primarily to exploit consumers just like you.
Any sufficiently well-organized community is indistinguishable from Government.
By the way, out of the latest Strong Bad emails, I highly recommend "Dragon". Funny stuff :D
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I'd like to echo Chester's above comments. The last thing the Homestar Crew needed was a slashdotting. Anybody up for starting a tip jar to get them some new servers when their brand-new ones start smoking?
ya I think your the only one :P. You have to admit though they put alot of work into it... and it is funny at times...
Because we all know Stinko Man rocks. Everyone help keep Homestar alive, get the new Stinko Man shirt.
__________
[Big Brick Wall]
Not if your name's Sharksandwich.
Danish != nationality
Some of the menus are pretty funny, too... check out menu 13, the Atari games menu (when the site comes back up again).
Also check out the 'techno email'. Our comp sci teacher put "Strong Bad's Techno" on his Winamp playlist... it came up while our class was saying the pledge of allegience.
(BTW, mods, this is not offtopic. Sharksandwich goes to Strong Bad based boards and tells everyone he sucks/is gay/whatever)
Danish != nationality
Only took one screen covering Shoskeles ad for me to banish Flash forever. I don't bother with websites or entertainment that rely on a technology like flash that brings nothing useful to the table. There is nothing that can be done with Flash that cannot be done with >gasp HTML, or other, existant video technology. The only thing that Flash offers is that it gives control to the advertiser, rather than the person whos computer the ad is running on.
If the plug in is not allowed to install, then the ad can't run. Quite simple really. Strong Bad simply CAN'T be worth allowing screaming advertisements. Maybe to others, not to me.
"Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I'm fucked."; ~ Donald J. Trump
Oh, support for alternate operating systems justifies software's existence? Cool! Be sure to buy my clone of Pong for the DEC Alpha when I finish it.
Oh, for the record, I have no problem with static ads. I go out of my way to make sure they can be displayed. I don't allow things to animate though, particularly Flash, which likes ot animate when I'm not looking at it.
"Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I'm fucked."; ~ Donald J. Trump
Undoubtedly, Strong Bad's email is the best part of the site, but how can you not like "A Jumping Jack Contest" or "The Luau"? Some of the 'toons are pretty funny, and they add a lot to the appreciation of Strong Bad. Some of the menus are fantastic. Not to mention some of the incredibly stupid "music videos". And check out some of the old "Marzipan's answering machine" episodes under "games". And while you're there, try out the "Dancin' Bubs" game.
There's pleny of good stuff there. You just have to dig around for it, and there's a LOT of content to dig through.
Dear Website,
Maybe if your audience had any kind of a freakin' life they would have something better to do than all rush to the computer to watch me answer my emails. Ya' gotta admit, that is pretty sad. And I live with Strong Sad, so I know pathetic, believe me.
Sincerely,
Strong Bad
___
Cogito cogito, ergo cogito sum.
I have Karma to burn. Waste another point. Please. me too. I hate Flash with passion.
'Be the change you want to see in the world' - Al Gore
Has anyone figured out what LEMKE means yet?
Is there a google cache?
Someone actually moderated this insightful?
.00001% of the market on this website, it makes me wanna kick some ass.
There's a flash viewer in java. Use that. Every time I see another niche whiner complain about language_x not being ported to his
Further, this is the world of open source, pal. You want flash on PPC Linux? Get cracking.
Even Jesus hates listening to Creed.
Today's update was actually just to inform us that there are now Stinko Man t-shirts. Not all updates are new e-mails.
-Kevin
Nice try. Don't you have a kernel to recompile?
I like big butts and I cannot lie.
I remember a few wasted hours with my friends watching the Ricky Fighters wrestle the Strong Bads.
The move names were the best part:
"N. Hang!"
"Sasori!"
Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is an open-standard alternative to Flash.
it is a W3C recommendation.
there is a partially-implemented SVG native plugin for mozilla.
Adobe has a fully functional SVG plugin.
there is a Call for Participation at the SVG Open 2003 (in canada this july).
sites like homestarrunner.com could really boost SVG acceptance. if anybody out there is looking at homestarrunner.com as a model by which to base their plans for a similar site, please consider SVG!
Use my userscript to add story images to Slashdot. There's no going back.
I nominate the Anime Email as the best SB email.
If you disagree you are a big fat idiot.
I am a viral sig. Please copy me and help me spread. Thank you.
Well, Website, it's like this. The first thing you have to do is just not worry about it and go feed the ducks. It's kind of fun and after a while it gets even better. Also, and this is very important, never install a power switch for The Cheat to use.
Strong Bad
--I was ROTFL once I started browsing around that site a few months ago!! Even solved some of the puzzles.
.
== WolfriderV6 == I'm willing to admit that *I just might* be wrong... Are you??
Slashdot has caused this:
http://www.homestarrunner.com/systemisdown.html
There is a better interview with the creators of homestar on www.centerfuse.net. Better questions, with better answers. No by much, but its still a better interview.
holy crap, this crap makes me crapfully bugged. Just when i wanted to check my e-mail again. POM POM, POM PILOT.
"BUBBLE BUBBLE"
ahhhh.... much better.....
Dear Strongbad,
why don't you let the cheat answer any e-mails?
yeah, it rox
"Martha Stewart can lick my Scrotum......do i have a scrotum?" -- Sharon Osbourne
Hmm...I don't know...howcanyoulearntobetteradministermyweb...
DELETED!
It's dot com!
:)
(People who are fans of homestarrunner will get this.)
okay, seriously though.. I've been a fan of that site for a long time. I remember when he got his new compy 386, for chrissakes. (a pinnacle of graphics and sound)!!
also, has anyone else played the duckpond untill the next level? It's kool.
tcpa SUX!!!!
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No, really, check it out. Make sure you wait 10 seconds before leaving :-)
Isn't it way past your bedtime?
killing some time tonight, i decide to visit homestarrunner, but no go! "what could bring it down?" i wondered. "oh well, i'll check out slashdot." lo and behold, there's a link to the interview that was posted on fark yesterday that i've already seen. whooptie-doo. and slashdot users are mostly insomniacs, so homestar will be slashdotted most of the night. now i'm just f-ing bored. thanks, slashdot.
If you like the cartoons, and want to see them with more bandwidth, get yourself a T-Shirt today!h tml
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/homestarrunner/index.
I hate to be such a blatant advertisement, but bandwith can get pretty expensive, and these guys are paying for it with the profits from their online store.
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What could better commemorate the slashdotting of homestarrunner than watching sbemail43? =)
Here's a mirror of sbemail43 - "The System is Down"> =) Enjoy!
-Berj
One more System is Down link!!!!
Hooray for cache =)
-Berj
off-topic, but anyway
Strong Bad: So, I have heard you like to prance around like an idiot, is this true?
Steve Ballmer: WHOO!! Give It Up For Me!!!!! WHOO!!
Strong Bad: Well I guess that answers that question.
Oops. Got the title wrong the first time.
I can't wait until /. gets convicted of some e-crime related to the "slashdot effect", which everybody knows is just the collective power of a bunch of nerds to bring down any simple webserver.
Wow, so amazing. I almost feel special to be a part of it. Good thing I'm almost a part of it. Sickening.
Dear Slashdot,
I've noticed my website is just TOO FAST, and I'm not paying neraly enough for webhosting. Please help!
Sincerely,
Website.
Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant
Just look at that stupid website linked in the story.. If people want screaming webpages and shoshkeles, they can have them; however, Flash is just too damned intrusive and annoying to be worth the hassle for me. There might be a place for it, but I haven't seen one yet.
Anybody else have problems with Flash? Try the the Proxomitron. It's free!
just like the humble blood clot... turboporsche@telus.net
Having a Microsoft OS installed, I see no problem with installing flash because it works like it should and isn't intrusive, unlike Real One Player.
:-)
Though I do not have a Microsoft OS installed, I *do* have Flash installed -- though not Shockwave, which was never ported to Linux -- and have watched StrongBad's emails in the past.
Also, Realplayer isn't all that intrusive if you use it only via the library interface through mplayer, a convenient option available on *Linux*.
May we never see th
Write once, debug everywhere? But that's really not true, it's more like "Write Once, Debug on Blessed Platforms Everwhere (Win, Mac, Linux, Solaris)".
Stick with compiled languages.
Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant
I hate to be the cause of a Slashdot Effect at Homestarrunner.com again but...
...you people DO realize that almost ALL Strong Bad Email's have easter eggs in them at the end? Try clicking around things on the screen at the end of a SB Email movie...
;)
Can you find them all?
Shameless Plug : The Brothers Chaps like http://www.robotbastard.com - could Rob Schrab and the Chaps work together someday? Who knows...?
I swear by MacOS X. Although I use to swear *at* MacOS 9...
Here I go once again with the E-Mail.
Every week I hope it is from a female.
Awww man!! Not from a female.
-SBmail58, Trogdor
"Software is like sex; it's better when it's free." -Linus Torvalds
It would have to be ruthlessreviews.com
This is cool-Homestar Runner is getting some recognition! It was just a few days ago that I discovered him--glad I got through all his stuff before the /. wave hit.
:)
"I don't know who it is, but it probably is fhqwhgads."
I LOVE strong bad. He's my favorite.
The storylines are not groundshaking, but the characters are so beautifully animated, with such detailed personalities, that I no longer hate Flash. Go HomeStar!
Try playing the "Homestar Talker" game. It's...surprising.
Angry IT woman in big clompy boots. And talking lint!.
I think you'll find it's BALEETED!
Never confuse volume with power.
Hey dere, you took the site down, great jerob! - Coach Z
Oddly engough I found out about this site as a result of of the Sircam virus. I got an "e-mail" from strongbad to which I replied (before knowing that it sends e-mails from your address book) to get a Virus scanner, to which Strong Bad's auto reply, replied back in the Strong Bad fashion to which I told him to go F himself. I then got a reply from the creator asking for more information about the virus. I now check the site every week. They are the only flash site that has something new every so often. Unlike oh...Joecartoon?
I dunno, maybe read a book instead of sending useless emails DELETED!!!
-- Erich
Slashdot reader since 1997
I'm a long-time Homestar Runner fan...some of my friends/family are downright addicts. My sister even talks like Strong Bad now. Here's a few tips for the unitiated.
/. poll on blogs, but got no reply. I'm glad the mass of geekdom has caught on to H*R at last.
Yes, Strong Bad's emails are the chief draw..only because they're so regularly (weekly, usually) updated--and Strong Bad is such a compelling character. A cross between Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and Butthead, is how I like to think of him....in a Mexican wrestling outfit.
HOWEVER, if you're new, scroll to the bottom and start with the EARLIEST emails. There's a history and culture on this website. There are motifs and inside jokes (e.g. fhqwhgads, tape-leg, etc.) that are too precious and key to enjoying a lot of what follows. It's really worth it. I'd put the "anime" and "dragon" emails right up against "weird dream" or "flag day" any day.
In general, starting with older cartoons gives you a better sense of how things developed. But, the beauty of the website is that you're so richly rewarded for just exploring.
And while it's not that funny, look through the yearbook to learn the cast of characters.
There are MANY funny bits besides the emails. The holiday cartoons..esp. the Halloween ones, are some of my favorites. The characters dressed up in costume..often obscure pop culture figures..is hilarious. Sure, there's some duds...often they're just more strange than funny...but even these can be an enjoyable is surreal distraction.
AS FOR EASTER EGGS: They are there IN SPADES, and often as funny if not more so than the open material. Here's a decent, albeit geocities, website dedicated to uncovering them. They've found most..but even I've stumbled across some undocumented ones...
I'm really really happy for these guys that they've been slashdotted. I've bought stuff from their store to support their impressive creative talents. Just a few months ago, I made a reference to Strong Bad's emails in
It's all about "Techno" and "Invisibility" man.
I'm sure you'd like it if only positive opinions were ever posted. Then the world would be a lot better, wouldnt it? No? Posting only positive opinions makes you "full of shit"? Perhaps you are an idiot.
-- 'The' Lord and Master Bitman On High, Master Of All
Awiiiiiiiiight!
"I hate work, even when other people do it." -Mark Twain
In responce to your sig.
few libertarians would claim that there was no need for a military, as a matter of fact military is one of the few things that its almost universaly agreed the goverment should handle. The internet came from a military project, which we can assume would have happend in a much more libertarian state.
I think its about as likely that libertarians would be willing to share resoures that had already been put in place, so its just as likely that the large military network would have exspanded out to become the internet.
There! may I use the internet now?
404 File Not Found. The HomeStarRunner website has obviously been baleeted...er, delteated.
Besides Strong Bad, you might find Stickdeath amusing. That is, if you enjoy watching stick figures getting killed.
Finding God in a Dog
Slashdot > Fark
Criminy, they post several HR/SB links a week and the site stays up.
"Lawyers are for sucks."
- Doug McKenzie
Dude, seriously what the hell is wrong with you? Yes some sites have seriously retartded concatenations bt homestarruner is NOT one of them. Here's a dime, dumbass, go buy yourself a new new goddamn brain.
To the moderators, please don't feel to0 bad about modding this one down.(I'm waiting..tap tap tap).I've got the karma to burn and frankly I'd rather waste a little here and there than put up with the occacasional retarded slashdotter. Oh yeah, the Anonymous Coward checkox? Nah. Fuck it.
Quod scripsi, scripsi.
Look the guys name is "-- 'The' Lord and Master Bitman On High, Master Of All ", which automaticly sucks just on the basis of calling himself "Master Of All". These are the kind of people who end up being "The Gimp" from Pulp Fiction in real life.
Just press tab and it will highlight and cycle through any clickable link. Seems a lot easier than guessing where to click.
Ignoring the repetition and that 'The' is in quotations as if its a nickname, yeah, this guy totally sucks because his sig is obviously a direct statement of what he believes to be an absolute truth, just like all the other sigs.
-- 'The' Lord and Master Bitman On High, Master Of All
awesome and thanks for posting this, you know i'll read anything those guys say. Heck, every monday my girlfriend leaves me a viocemail with a strongbad accent, just so i know its monday, nad we look forward to watching the funniest site on the web together. heck, its the only reason i could justify my 21 inch monitor... --jimmy