Five million downloads of its Windows PC client later, CrossLoop is bringing its screen-sharing app to the Mac.

The growing computer support community is a peer-to-peer screen sharing app that lets a remote IT specialist or a friend take over your computer to fix a problem or give you a tutorial.

More than 100 million minutes worth of sessions have been shared through the service since November 2006, with shared minutes growing at a 210 percent annual rate.

A vast majority of the help sessions on CrossLoop are done for free, but 14,414 semi-professional "helpers" charge for their services, collecting about $55-60 per session.

For instance, $50 can get you help switching from a PC to a Mac.

CrossLoop takes a 15 percent cut for hosting a directory of helpers, providing the software, keeping track of session lengths, and handling payments.

It stands to reason that peer-to-peer product support will continue to grow in popularity as time passes, now more than ever with the expansion into the Apple market.

If consumers can find someone on CrossLoop to fix their machine faster and cheaper than the local Boca Raton computer repair shop, it is a no-brainer... or is it?

If the computer is completely dead or you can't get on the Internet, then CrossLoop won't do you any good. You're also putting your computer - and with it your time, money and livelihood - into the hands of a stranger who may not be a professional.

Of course, there are times when you just need a little guidance from your family's designated tech support expert. In such situations, it's hard to dispute the application's merits.