14 DAY TRIAL // There goes the neighborhood! Leading chip manufacturer Intel has decided to launch a new website that is meant to provide support to first-time computer users. Simply dubbed PC.com, this website provides general information about how a desktop or a portable computer system is built, works and can be maintained. There are three main areas on the site, entitled "Learn", "Ask" and "Shop", each one trying to help users understand or deal with any issue regarding a computer system.
The concept behind this website is not something we haven't seen before, as there are a considerable number of websites or forums that do exactly the same thing: provide information about how computer systems or other technology devices work. Since most people take pleasure in helping other users get along with their computers, all they need to do is ask and they will receive an impressive number of answers, especially if what we're talking about is a forum thread. The only thing wrong with this solution is that you have to choose which is the answer that best fits your problem.
What Intel apparently is trying to do with this PC.com website is to provide answers and even genuine lessons coming from computer experts. Compared to the forums, this is by far a much better solution, as people will generally trust the opinion of an expert over that of a self-claimed computer wiz. The other good thing is that you get only one answer and you don't need choose from a number of other similar or different solutions. Naturally, since the site is powered by Intel, the suggestions at the "Shop" area are all based on Intel's solutions.
Although the initiative is laudable, some might not appreciate it and thus deem it as nothing more than a marketing scheme, meant to make users acquire more Intel-based products. Regardless of that, if the site becomes a hit, it will compete with other advisory pages that also provide information regarding issues with computer systems.