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He didn't have to help me there and then - and over the phone. In fact, he could have told me to bring my sick Apple Mac laptop to the shop, where he could have told me that it needed to wait in a queue for days even to be looked at, after which he could have presented me with a huge repair bill. Because I know nothing about computers, pretty much anyone could tell me pretty much anything about my Mac and I'd believe them - and I'd no doubt feel forced to cough up the dosh. Instead the nice computer guy Ross from Clydebank-based Just (Mac) took the time (for free) to explain over the phone how to proceed to fix my Mac Book Pro. As I said, he didn't have to help me but he did.

The alternative plan was to go to the Glasgow Apple Mac store. To do this you have to book an appointment on-line at their "Genius" bar. The first slot I could make would be tomorrow. I have not visited the Genius bar and I believe the first consultation is free. However, I can only imagine that after this there would be charges for whatever they would have told me was wrong with my Mac. And, as I've said, they could have told me that everything or anything was wrong - and charged me any odd ludicrous sum if they'd fancied.

Instead I find out from Ross that what might have happened is that when I followed a request by Apple to install some Java update yesterday (after returning from a fantabulous ski hol in Tignes), the instruction caused my Mac to hang up ie. It wouldn't start whatever I tried. I looked on numerous help forums, I found tons of postings from people with similar problems, I followed various instructions but nothing would kickstart the Mac, I read all about the people who had lost their whole life's work. I became tearful, I became shouty, I got frustrated, I hit a post-holiday patch of total bluedom. I booked my slot at the Genius bar.

Then this morning I thought I'd search for an alternative Mac repair place - and came across Just (Mac). The nice computer man Ross offered some instructions over the phone and helped me to launch a reinstall disc for the OS operating system (yes, I know what this means now). He patiently answered all my (no doubt) dim questions and took at least 20 mins out of his working day to talk me though the required button pressing. And all this for free. The Mac is still going through a re-install and this will take another 2hrs apparently but I'm hopeful this could fix the problem (and retain all my saved work on the hardrive). So here's a big thanks to the lovely Mac guy Ross.
Thanks!