It's kind of interesting these days to listen to what people have to say about the Internet. On the one hand, many are quick to volunteer how dead the medium is. After all, not only did the dot coms implode on Wall Street, but the share prices haven't exactly come back. Which, they will tell you, is proof the Web isn't viable.

Then ask those same people if they used the Web in the past week. They look at you like you've completely lost your mind, and reply, "Yes, of course. I was on twice today." Now there's a disconnect if there ever was one.

At this point, the information side of the Web has clearly outdone the profit and loss side of the medium. The materials handling industry is the perfect example of that. As the special supplement that starts on page 37 shows, buying materials handling equipment online is still in the early stages. But getting materials handling information online is clearly a well established practice. And here at Modern Materials Handling , we've got some new options for you.

Just last month, we did a Webcast on managing the high-integrity supply chain. And even though you may have missed it live, you can still get it in archived form at mmh.com. You'll be able to hear and see everything that was said and presented that day.

In case you haven't tried a Webcast yet, think of it as a radio broadcast over the Internet. Four speakers, two of them end users, offer their take on high-integrity warehousing and what it can do. PowerPoint slides accompany the audio. Go click on the button on our home page and see what you're missing.

When you do that, you may well notice that our site looks a bit different than it has. We just made some major changes. New features include a much broader range of news than what we've been able to deliver. There's also a live stock ticker with some of the key public companies in materials handling highlighted. A live opinion poll gives you results as soon as you vote. The new search engine is powered by Google. And of course, we continue to include online much of what appears in print as well as our monthly Web only features with their exclusive can't-find-it-anywhere-else information. Check it out.

What's new on the Web doesn't stop there. Mark October 17 and 18 on your calendar now. On those two days we will be featuring our first ever SupplyChainLinkExpo.

This Web-only event will be presented by MMH and the other magazines in the Supply Chain Group here. The event will have big name keynote speakers and roundtable discussions, daily news feeds, and exhibitors from all aspects of the supply chain.

Unlike static virtual shows that are out there, this one is a true two-day event. It will be alive with audio, video, must have content, and leading-edge feedback mechanisms that will get you the follow-up information you need. Think of it as a trade show without the expenses.

You can register for it right now at www.supplychainlinkexpo.com. Watch these pages and our Web site for more details as we get closer to the event.