I can't seem to remember where I found this site but Major Geeks has been extremely useful to me over the past year or so. I've had numerous problems with my computer and this site has helped me out on all of those occasions.
If you haven't clicked on the link already, Major Geeks is a site that hosts downloads which allow you to tweak and help clear up your computer. For those of you that have read my guide on spyware then you'll already know that there is a lot of crap out there and it can be a right pain to get rid of. Also, as your computer gets older, it slows down a lot. Major Geeks intends to help you cure these problems and much more by the files that they offer.
Now, I've suggested this site to people who have had problems with their computer but they immediately get turned off because the look of the site is a bit ‘dodgy' or it ‘seems a bit suspicious'. I admit that it isn't the best colour scheme out there but I bet that it saves them a lot of money since they don't have to upload as many images as say Gamespot or IGN. The colours reflect the army-like name with the greens and browns.
On the homepage, you have a list to the various sections of the site down the left, links to useful parts of the site on your left as well as other useful links at the top. In the middle of the page, you have the latest content that has been uploaded to the site which includes downloads, news, reviews of PC parts and some weird news that they like to add to the site which I will come back to later. This is extremely easy to use and you also have the search box just below the main menu if you want to find something quickly.
Some examples of the content that they offer are items such as the latest anti-virus updates for Norton and other companies. Programs such as Google Earth and Celestia which you can download for fun. Paint.Net for those of you that want to create graphics for free and BitComet for the people that want an excellent torrent program. Like I said, these are just a few examples and you can choose between freeware programs which are free to use and download or shareware programs which you need to pay to use.
You might be thinking, “How do I know that the files offered by this site are safe to use?” Answer: You don't but Major Geeks test every program that they put on their website for spyware and viruses and they recommend that you also scan the programs with your own anti-virus and spyware programs too.
As for the other parts of the website, you have a forum full of people who know what they're talking about. Topics range from problems with your internet to help on how to get the best out of your computer. These forums are probably one of the first places you should go to should something happen to your computer that you have no idea how to fix. The forum also has its own Arcade which you need to register to use but is an easy way to waste 20-30 minutes.
Major Geeks also have their own merchandise should you want to support the site and show your friends that there's more to you than they think.
My favourite part of the site is the ‘Way Off Base' news that they have. This holds all the weird news that users have submitted to the site over the years and most of it is defnitely worth looking at. Some will make you wonder how that thing could've happened, laugh until your sides hurt or could just be some video of Ronaldinho showing off his football skills. For example, this piece of news made me wonder how on earth that could've happened and it did provide a bit of light reading for me. It's all very interesting stuff.
In conclusion, Major Geeks follows the saying ‘Don't judge a book by its cover'. This book doesn't look like much but its content will capture you for months on end.
