Client: “[Indian outsourcer] says he can do this site for $200.  Why should I go with you?”
Me: “Has he done any work for you in the past?”
Client: Yeah!  He did [Other Site] for me.
[I load the other site]
Me: “The entire site’s done in Flash.”
Client: “Huh?”
Me: “It’s a site for iPhone users.”
Client: “I know.  Cool, huh?”
Me: “It’s a site for iPhone users… none of whom can see it…”
Client: “Huh?”
Me: “The iPhone doesn’t support Flash.”
Client: “Well it looks fine on my PC!”
Me: “Do you have an iPhone?”
Client: “No.”
Me: “…”
Client: “Tell you what, I’m just gonna go with [Indian outsourcer].  He seems like he knows what he’s doing and I’m not sure you do.”
Me: “Have fun.”

I left the shop astonished and determined to solve it in another way, To make a long story short: I ordered a new screen via Ebay. Price: 256,98 Canadian dollars. Including shipment. That is 161,01 euros. The manual that tells in a step-by-step way how to replace the display was downloaded via Powerbookmedic.com This includes details photos on how to do the job. I guess it will take me a maximum of 3 hours, probably less. I’ll keep you all posted on how this story ends. But I guess I’m in for a very satisfying solution (fingers crossed!)

UPDATE – FRIDAY AUGUST 8TH, 2008
The screen arrived! That is rather rapid: ordered Tuesday and delivered Friday from www.screencountry.com in Canada! This evening I am invited to fly with the Dutch Airforce – in a balloon. But otherwise I would have rebuild the MacBook Pro this evening. I’ll do that tomorrow. When all works out, I am done for a bit more than 160 euros. Within a week! Via the official channels the situation would differ quite a bit: at least 750 euros and a waiting time of two – probably three – working weeks…

FINAL UPDATE:
Did it. Just a day after receiving the screen from Canada, I took the thing apart and fixed the screen. Geeting it back together was probably harder than taking it apart… Nice!

This is a pic of the MacBook Pro in it’s current state. I removed the LCD (top) from the display (right) that is also removed from the main unit (bottom, put together again). The hinges of the display with the connections can be seen at the complete right of the pic. These connections include Bluetooth, WiFi and main Logicboard connector. Internally the display has the connection for the iSight camera and the LCD-panel (naturally!)

When you look very closely, you can see that the right and left frame of the LCD-panel differ. Top and bottom also, but this is with every LCD-panel for the MacBook Pro. The displayed (and broken) LCD is a AU Optronics (matte). The one ordered from www.screencountry.com is made by LG Philips (glossy).

I’m having a e-mail conversation now with Pavel from Screencountry to see if the LG Philips-LCD (LP154WP2 TL A2)can replace the broken AU Optronics (B154PW04 V.4). Pavel never heard from the AU Optronics partnumber.

Akismet has caught 7,531 spam for you since you first installed it. Now that’s what I call a blessing. I dare not think about the effort it would have been to manually delete al that crap…

Just picking up the pace again. Like nothing happened. I just finished my presentation for tommorow. I will be talking about “The Future of Direct Marketing” on the National Marketingday that will be held at Nieuwegein, The Netherlands. Just before that I finished the recording for tonight’s PitchTalk at Het Gesprek. It will be aired around 20.30 hour. Ronnie Overgoor and I had Durk-Jan de Bruin as our guest. He is the founder of www.startpagina.nl and is now busy with www.mijnwinkel.nl A very interesting and nice talk indeed.