I would like to add to the list of Web sites given by Jim Harris in last month's Packing Your Own Chute article. I have just sent in a provisional patent application for my new product and also want to register the product name as a trademark.

The site is www.trademark-search.com. They offer searches of US Federal registered and pending trademarks. They have a very nominal fee of $5.00 for up to 100 pages displayed to you. Any unused pages are saved for your future use. There are no connect time charges and you are not limited to one day's use. It is an honor system. You mail them a $5.00 check if you are satisfied. I sure was.

Also, the www.uspto.gov site now has a "fill-in-the-blanks" form for trademark registration. They don't have on-line submittal as yet but you end up with the required filled-in form printed out on your printer with instructions on fees and where to mail it. Very convenient.

Jim Harris is absolutely correct when he says he can't overemphasize the information available on the Internet. Anyone who is involved in product innovation, development, marketing and sales had better have Internet access or be left behind.

I have finally begun to send out prototypes of our new product now that the provisional patent application is filed. So far the initial reaction from people who have seen it is positive. It is a real challenge to try to bring even the simplest idea to market on a shoe-string budget. But we have survived for over 7 years by being resourceful. The real challenge will be to fund receivables as orders increase or if we get a sizeable order from one of our bigger accounts.

Among all the other things I am trying to get done, I have also started to learn how to put together a Web site for the business. The time is right, I believe, to sell my wares over the Internet. Anyone with advice on do's and don'ts, please email me at eltury@umich.edu or write a column for this publication. Eventually we want to do some e-commerce, but will be happy at first just showing e-visitors our products and giving them our 800-number.