Scanner software downloads

[Midlanders]

Hi, can anyone recommend easy to use scanner software to download please. Hubby is teaching me to use the scanner, but two of my friends are interested and they have different software to ours. 
Also a distant friend from the 'good old Black Country' would like to join in, so think it's best if we all have the same program to learn from.  Are there any easy to use Freebies available, now that would be really nice.
Mrsmidlander

[RJ_Paton]

Most scanners have their own software programs and don't transfer to other machines however most decent graphics programs can also do the job of importing from a scanner and one excellent free program is Irfanview

http://www.irfanview.com/

[robbo43]

It costs $39.95 but VueScan http://www.hamrick.com/ works with most scanners and is better than the scanning software that comes with most machines.

Robert