Monarch Computer - Butterfly Down

[Neon]

It now appears that Monarch Computer is liquidating. Their ResellerRatings.com reviews have been consistently terrible since this summer, the BBB has bad things to say, and their website has only a few clearance items left for sale.   :(

It's probably Ace's fault.

[Ace]

Well, way to go, you doofus.  Everything was going fine until you stuck your nose in the cocoon.  

Ok; yes.  I guess I could see that coming.  Watching the Monarch "Forum" boards, there was obviously something amiss.  Oblivious service non-response, deletion of posts (sic), egregious errors in production and shipping and returns and threats of lawsuits and legal intervention.  It's funny; their forum was a lot like Quantex used to be, where it was soooo  free of speech and criticism it wound up convincing anyone who wandered upon it to get away from it fast.  

Also, people would post sex site and drug related entries.  After awhile they'd remove them.  About the only response customers could expect was for one of the other members (not Monarch staff...) to offer advice or commiserate.

I got lucky; I got the pc in a reasonable few weeks time, didn't have anything serious go wrong, wound up only having to re-plug the hard drive cable, and have had it running fine.  I wasn't about to haul the thing back to Georgia anyway, so figured after delivery I'm on my own.  Price and convenience were good, and that's what I was after anyway.  Since summer, you could see they had a couple good but way overworked techies trying to fix any and everything, a very non-responsive production crew (I was met with silence on attempts to communicate, and only very terse answers if forced).  Really don't know where they broke down, but they sure are broke now.  I wouldn't have gone with them again, after doing it this time.  You know, there are other players, but they're all a bit weird and hard to compare.  Naturally, just getting the stuff and DIYing is preferable.  I just didn't want to have my head stuck in the thing or "learn as you go" on newer configurations I hadn't seen.

I don't know, maybe it wasn't Neon's fault.  It might be Pat's since he's the one who mentioned them to me in the first place.  

Actually, let's do this... I blame Scuzzy.  If he hadn't sent me the dang ASUS board and made me rebuild my first stupid Monarch maybe I would've been more in the mood to build a new pc and not order one.  Yeah.  

I also blame Johnny, because after he convinced me to yank out that battery and then reinstall it I started doing it so many times I got hooked...  That buzz of hitting the power switch and having a faint light glow, and then nothing, was so addictive.

Ace; like here, I can wait a long time for something to happen.

[Ace]

Cool; I have a "collector's item."  I'll add that to the Taurus.  And the Japanese Stratocaster.  Hmm... what else do I own that will never be made again...

Look; I can buy Nikes or ANY OTHER DANG SHOE any DANG TIME I WANT right off the DANG STINKING SHELF at Kohl's or Wherever because they're DANG NORMAL SIZED SHOES FOR DANG NORMAL SIZED FEET, DANGIT.  Just thought in case somebody was going to go there I'd be best served by a preemptive strike, this time. Normal average normal feet.  Criminy.

Yes, some of the Monarch boo-boos reminded me of Quantex weirdness, like not getting the software with the computer.  It was amazing seeing how patient most people were, waiting for a response...  After awhile NObody from Monarch entered the forum.  And apparently any phone call went nowhere slow.  I was ticked just booting the dang thing the first time and getting an error message and Windows wall.  

On my Quantex, the whole power plug was out...  It didn't even beep, initially.  And boy do you get page fault errors when the software hasn't been completely installed...

I'm not even going to mention using that contact cleaner spray... a lot...

Ace; with cars, you usually don't want the first one built.  Well, or the last.

[pat]

Hey, things happen here all the time. Links to nonexistent extinct singing reindeer, glowing tomatoes, margaritas that never get bought borrowed or drunk (drank?). You know stuff, hydrogen hyperboles, tiny reindeer, Eagles, Christmas appliance lawn ornaments. And much, much more.

Geez, pay attention would ya?

Anyway, sorry to here about your Monarch. I?m selling extended warranties, just send me some money and if you ever have computer problems go ahead and send me that and I?ll get right back to you.

[Ace]

I spent many a lonely day, and night, with my can of contact cleaner peering over the remains of my loved one, First Monarch, removing a memory stick, spraying, pressing, pushing, click... nothing.  Remove spray push press click. Repeat.  Repeat.

Repeat.  Alone.  Well, obviously, my wife wasn't going to waste her time on the thing.  

Anyway, for cryin' out Pat, you get to the brink of 4,000 poasts and then you shut down shop?  Criminy, I thought you left.  About time you got your just rewards.

Oh, and we went to Don Pablo's and I had one of those big Pabloritas.  I thought of you.  Then I stopped, once I got the bottle of Pacifico after.  

Anyway, after inhaling contact cleaner, I enjoy the sulfites.  They seem to clear my head, and maybe complexion.

On my Monarch CS response form they sent after my purchase I told them they either needed to tend to the open forum or shut the thing down, because having it in that limbo was not going to cut it.  And start responding to customers.  And commend the tech guys who did go the extra mile like Leo (Leonardo) did for me, in analyzing the first Monarch and working with me on it and then responding on the 2nd cable problem.  I guess they listened to me.  Sure no griping or bad feelings going on at their site, now...

Anyway, it's Merlohhhhhhhh-t.  But the h and t are silent.  So's Buff, at the moment.  

Ac;e my Monarch's fine knock on my blue glowing Antec case lights.

[pat]

Oh well, that?s nice, you?re over there whopping it up at Don?s. I?m over at Best Buy trying to get the last on sale digital camera. Geez, I had to trip this grandmotherly looking lady just so I?d get to the counter first.

That darn Merlot gives me heartburn so I avoid it, I can?t imagine what contact cleaner does to ones metabolism, doesn?t sound good though.

Gosh that must seem like Deja Vu, what with the similarities to the Quantex shut down. Maybe someone will start up a forum to help all those folks out with support issues.

I?m off to the deep, dark interiors of Northern Michigan today. If I?m not back by some time tomorrow you?ll know I fell off the edge somewhere.

[Bill]

Speaking of falling of the edge...here's a place to try.

http://tinyurl.com/apwnx

Bill

[Bill]

No fun in that!

It was really for Ace.  I know he loves heights!

Bill

[Ace]

"you?ll hit the heights
And oh what heights we?ll hit on with the show this is it"

You know, looking at that sick idea, it appeared to me to be somewhat like a tuning fork and I wondered if the people at the end of it jumped up and down could they propel themselves to Utah off that dang thing?  Geez Louise, I'd hope not to go there, whether afraid of heights or being near someone chewing tobacco.

I mean, it's glass.  I've heard of glass ceilings, but not a floor.

Ace; ground is called solid, for a reason.

[Bill]

Actually, I think it won't be finished until the Spring of '07.  What you saw was an artist's rendering.  It's a joint venture between some Native American Tribe and a casino company.   Ticket sales are expected to raise the living standards on reservation.

And, doofus, (to borrow a phrase) it's a horseshoe...Texas style.

Bill

[Ace]

Ok; yes.  I thought it looked like a horseshoe.  Like a magnet, almost.  

I would think one could bounce up and down on its tip and very well propel oneself to Texas.  I really can't imagine venturing out there, wondering if it's going to hold...

Maybe that's the Native American gamble.  "Hey, paleface.  Why don'tcha go on out there on this fabricated horseshoe glass bottomed viewing area, whilst we here on solid ground bet whether you plummet to your imminent demise or just death."

Ace; I'd put money on me not doing it.  And not buying a Monarch computer, again.

[pat]

I?d do it, I?d walk right out there and jump up and down and look all around and have a really good time with it.

I was never in a glass bottom boat, but I did walk through the glass tunnel at Seaworld. That was pretty cool, it was like I was in the aquarium and all the fishes were watching me.

[Bill]

Thanks, Jimmy.  Have you seen Lois lately?

C-

[pat]

So who/what is this Halifax connection anyway, some super secret spoof, er I mean spook? A spy who never came in from the cold? Perhaps, a covert agent of who?s who and what?s what? Or some other purveyor of stealthy, underground, undercover, clandestine, activities?

Inquiring minds need to know.

[scuzzy]

I have some serious concerns with this project. If it is in fact designed to hold 71 fully loaded Boeing 747s, then how will there be enough room left for anybody to walk out on it? And will the planes be required to use shoe covers? Has anyone considered the echo caused by 71 Boeing 747s?

And why is it called a bridge? A bridge spans from point A to point B, not point A to point A. That just doesn't make sense. "Hey kids! Guess what? We're gonna go to the Grand Canyon and walk around in a big circle! When we're done we'll be right back where we started!"

What if Ace decides to walk on it? That's the ultimate load test. Of course, we'll never know since they don't make shoe covers large enough to fit him. They'd have to staple several large shoe covers together, but then the staples would scratch the glass.

You know, after Ace eats a couple burritos, it would have to sustain winds considerably greater than 100 MPH. If the walkway is fully glass encased, that's another reason not to allow Ace there.

Scuzzy; I hope they didn't design the walkway using Windows based software.

[Neon]

Puget Custom Computers has stepped up to offer free labor on repairs for any Monarch system owners who need warranty service.

[Ace]

Well, I think that's unecessarily unnecessarily uneccesarily shoot awfully critical.  I mean, Monarch decides to streamline their website and remove a lot of pictures and mention and availability of products, and these guys are all over them for that.  It's not like they're "gone"... I mean, they're there, they just shut the blinds and locked the door.   Heck, I do that every night.

And it's just mean to remove those flattering testimonials; do they realize how long it took me to write those dang things and send them in?!  Dangit.  I didn't mind doing it, though, in return for the expert technical advice I got from Monarch when my newly crafted butterfly wouldn't load Windows when I first got it and they guided me expertly by recommending
"Plug the stupid cable back in, you moron.  Then leave us alone."  

I still think Monarch is open for business, no matter what the naysayers say.  I bet you can get spare video card fan or case screws or box for software still, from their site.  You just have to look, and be patient.  Heck, it's the holidays and they're probably just really busy putting stuff together or taking it apart or testing it or sending out resumes or whatever.

I think I looked at the Puget site when I was deciding what to order.  I'm sure they're a sound company, just by the name.  But if something doesn't work I'm still coming to you guys first.  No way are you getting out of your obligation to me and my computer that easy, try as you might.

And don't even think about moving this dang place again; you know I'll find you.  It'll take awhile, and probably help, but I will find you.

Ace; eventually.

[pat]

If we moved the place, I?m sure you?d be the first to know. I mean really, who do you think is going to pack up all the stuff and load it all up. And somebody has to clean up all the rooms after.

Slacker.

[Ace]

I don't know, whom?  

Here we go again; people start poasts and don't finish them... It's like Mark Twain said; there's truths, half truths and partial poasts.  Well, and parcel posts, as I did go to the Post Office (sic) on the Day When Everyone Goes To The Dang Post Office Day.  No, I wasn't sick.  I was ok.

You know, the Northern Michiana Rolling Fields of Michigan blew up yesterday with that gas line explosion.  That's one big hole in the ground outside of Union.  Guess there's an opening for an "Apprentice Trencher."  Besides the 80 foot opening, there.

Oh, and this place can't move, since I have it on my "Favorites" plus the hot key on my black Logitech keyboard.

Ace; you can't get fired at work if you have your name outside your office, either.

[pat]

Silly boy, not whom, you.

I guess one must be careful where one sticks a shovel. After seeing that I suppose you should be careful where you hang that nameplate.

[Bill]

If you don't know whom, its 'cause he hasn't been here in quite a while.  Just stopped poasting and turned into a guest.

Might be easier to just move the room and leave the door where it is, opening into the blackness, without the neon lights.
Then his Favorites would at least take him to the door.