This guide relates to researching UK companies. The directories, media and libraries are all British. However, some of the techniques may be transferable to other countries, and of course the web is international. Many of the sources here are available by traditional means (and we give those too), but in this age of technological apartheid, the web makes research both easier and more comprehensive. Even if you don't have a terminal, you probably know someone who does, or can use one in a library or cyber-café. The guide assumes that the reader knows basically how to use the web, so it only explains how to apply this to research. Obviously, it's easier to find out about a large company than a small one, and a local company than a distant one.