DY> PS : Is there any service where one can purchase shares "on-line"

GN>  You can if you are a registered stockbroker... we wouldn't need
GN>  stockbrokers if we could buy our own shares (more the pity!).  But no,
GN>  I don't think there is an on-line service.  If I'm wrong, will someone
GN>  please furnish me with the details? Thanks

Frank Malcolm, 3:711/934.24 takes buy + sell orders from me
via messages to his fidonet address.  Obviously you can't
send this sort of thing routed, but you can become a point
on 3:711/934 for free, so it only costs you phone charges,
and STD is cheaper than local calls for doing something
ridiculously small like an 30-second phone call.  However, 
you have to live with a day or two's delay, or else call him
up voice.  That's certainly the cheapest way I've ever heard
of to get into online share trading.

Although you can probably get one of those internet accounts
where they charge you $3/hour, no minimum monthly charge, and
just log on every now and again, and fire off a message on the
internet.  Ponts is the only people I know of that either let
you trade on the internet, or are about to if they haven't
already.  

Then you have your trade-off to make, Frank works for SHAW and
looking at Personal Investment, SHAW is in the expensive end
of the market, whilst Ponts comes in number 2 for cheapness.
R.V. Williams (or an anagram of that) is actually number 1 now,
in terms of cheapness.  However, using Frank as my broker, I have
been able to get some historical stock data for stocks I am 
thinking of buying, which comes in useful), which is miles above
what you're likely to get from any other broker, and especially
it is miles above what you will get at Ponts.

I reckon someone like RV Williams should run a BBS, similar to
the way Ponts is setting up internet.  I can't see the thrill in 
using the Internet instead of a BBS to do your trading.

I guess it depends what you're after.  Do you think a broker has
a better idea of what to buy compared to say this echo or a
magazine?  E.g. I am happy to give advice myself, and that is to
buy Adelaide Brighton Cement, based on the fact that it is nearly
half of the price it was 18 months ago, and I expect that being a
blue chip company it will return to its 18-month high, some time
in the next 4-5 years.  When that happens, you've doubled your
money.  Then again, I was there gleefully buying Pacific Dunlop
at $3.50, to end up watching it trade at $2.67.  I think it's all
just completely mad myself.  BFN.  Paul.
@EOT:

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