You're coming across as a spoiled customer. An "if Steve Jobs were" statement, really? Sometimes I fail to understand why Apple consumers feel so entitled. I think it's more acceptable for less technically-inclined consumers to feel like Apple should be kissing their feet, but I expect that tech people (who read and submit to HN, at least) know better than to put quotation marks around Apple's Genius employees.
I mean, I'm sorry you had a bad experience, but you could've inflicted less pain on yourself by doing your own last-minute backup on the first indication that it was difficult to get a hold of Apple Support. I'm sure you have your reasons why you chose not to, but dude you waited two weeks. In that window, you could have backed up your drive so that you'd be free of worries when Apple finally comes around to replacing your hard drive!
I mean, I'm sorry you had a bad experience, but you could've inflicted less pain on yourself by doing your own last-minute backup on the first indication that it was difficult to get a hold of Apple Support. I'm sure you have your reasons why you chose not to, but dude you waited two weeks. In that window, you could have backed up your drive so that you'd be free of worries when Apple finally comes around to replacing your hard drive!