Need information about printers, viruses, photography, or scanners? While most would go directly to Google or another search engine, there is another way to find extremely useful free information on computer topics…. Just surf over to the Web site of a large company that makes the type of product that you are searching for. More often than not, these manufacturers Web sites have a ton of good, solid, useful information.
Manufacturers want you to become more familiar with their name and their products. Of course, their goal is to get you to purchase their products, but they are often willing to give you a lot of free information just to keep you coming back to their Web sites. And since they don’t want to turn you off in any way, in general, there is no hard sell, and very few in-your-face ads. Many manufacturers often offer free services, as well.
A good example is the McAfeeWeb site. McAfee Security is known for anti-virus and computer security, privacy, and utility programs like VirusScan and SpamKiller. Their Web site has a plethora of information for the average computer user. Right on the front page they have information on the current viruses that are adversely affecting computers around the world. Under that information, they have a FreeScan service. Just hit the Scan Now button and your computer will be scanned for viruses and the results listed at no charge. As with most manufacturer Web sites, there is more information, but you have to dig a little deeper to find it.
Click on the Virus Information tab and you can get help in understanding what a virus is and what it does. What is a Worm? A Trojan Horse? For excellent definitions of Virus-related terminology, visit the free Virus Glossary. To see where certain viruses have hit, look at the Virus Map. Find out which viruses are in your neighborhood at the Regional Virus Info Center. And check out when the next scheduled virus payload will strike on the Virus Calendar. All of this information is free. You can even get free virus removal tools if you find out that your computer is infected.
This is just the tip of the iceberg at the McAfee site where you can also get great virus detection and prevention tips, learn about virus hoaxes, and sign up for free newsletters. Okay, now you have gotten a ton of accurate and completely free information. McAfee has, at the same time exposed you to some of their products. After reading about viruses and finding out how dangerous they really are, you will definitely want to make sure that you purchase a good anti-virus program, and I highly recommend that you do so. Also be sure that your anti-virus software is up-to-date, so you will be completely protected. One thing is certain; your visit the McAfee Web site you will get a lot of great information on viruses and Internet security.
McAfee is just one of many manufacturers’ Web sites with free information. If you are new to digital photography, check out HPs Digital Imaging Center. Click on Getting Started for great information on digital cameras and what you need to know about them. The Lexmark Home Center has some great ideas for creating craft projects, and other cool things you can do with your printer. And this plethora of information is not just limited to computer-related products. Visit the Bausch & Lomb Web site to find out how the eye works, how it ages, and what vision concern you should have at any given age. Or surf over to the Ford Motor Company’s 100Anniversary Celebration, where you can learn about their history and manufacturing processes, as well as enjoy seeing the automobiles that created a successful company.
So, before you simply enter a few words into a search engine, think about all the free information that may be available if you just check out a few company Web sites first.
