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Non-Tech : E*Trade (EGRP) Suggestions (NOT FOR FLAMES!!)

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To: Bikergirl who wrote (103)5/29/1998 1:01:00 AM
From: Deeber  Read Replies (1) of 118
 
Ryan:

I am a "guest" on SI so I would appreciate if you could post this message for me on the
E*Trade (suggestions) thread. As I see you trade sub-$1 stocks, you might want to
take note of this yourself.

I have sent over 50 e-mails to E*Trade and TOO MANY hours on the phone
receiving empty promises as to a "fix" for this bug. If anyone is interested, I can send
you a copy of the messages (which includes the names of all the E*Trade customer
service staff that promised to fix this bug).

Thanks alot,
Enviro-Tek

***********

STOCKWATCH BUG FOR STOCKS UNDER $1 (LISTED AND
NON-LISTED):

1. Pick a stock, any stock, under $1 (somewhere around 0.50 is nice, just for the sake
of testing the upper/lower limits)
2. Add it to your stockwatch list
3. Set a lower limit below the current price
4. Set an upper limit above the current price
5. Show the stockwatch list

Isn't the stock pretty, sitting right between the upper and lower limit? No "L" or "U" yet
-- and E*Trade promises that if the stock should fall below the lower limit or rise
above the upper limit then you will NOTICE because of the "L" or "U" -- right?

Well, let's continue:

6. Modify the stockwatch list
7. Change the lower limit for the sub-$1 stock to something above the current price
8. Show the stockwatch list again

Notice the "L" -- just as it should be right?

9. Modify the stockwatch list
10. Change the lower limit for the sub-$1 stock to something below the current price
again
11. Show the stockwatch list

Why is that "L" still there?
Hmmm... that's strange. I wonder if there is a similar problem with the upper limit?

12. Modify the stockwatch list
13. Change the lower limit to "None" and set the upper limit to something below the
current price
14. Show the stockwatch list

Where is the "U"?
Hmmm... that's strange. I wonder what would happen if I added back a lower limit at
the same time?

15. Modify the stockwatch list
16. Add back a lower limit far below the current price (even 1/64 will do) and leave
the upper limit as is
17. Show the stockwatch list

Wow -- I thought there would be a "U" there at least since the current price is above
both the lower AND upper limits...
Hmmm... that's strange.

Dang -- I hate these stupid stockwatch lists anyway... they just depress me... I'll just
the delete the stock and forget about it...

18. Delete the stock from the stockwatch list

You know... I really NEED to keep track of that stock in case it case it moves
suddenly... I want to be able to be able to open it at lunch time and quickly see if it's
dropped to my buy point or risen to my sell point...
Maybe I should try adding it again...

19. Open a NEW stockwatch list (or at least a different one from the one you just
tried)
20. Add the symbol to the different stockwatch list
21. Add a lower limit far below the current price again
22. Add an upper limit wherever you want... it really doesn't matter
23. Show the stockwatch list

Dang!!! Where did that "L" come from? I never even set a limit that was ABOVE the
current price on this list...
You mean it REMEMBERS the old limit from the other list...?!

You want to know what's even weirder? Delete it again and then come back in 4
months... as long as that stock is under $1 that "L" will NEVER go away and that "U"
will NEVER appear no matter WHAT you do?!

This is too weird... It must just be me... Maybe I should trade blue chips... But I have
the pay the same price for trades as everyone else... SHOULDN'T I BE ABLE TO
USE A STOCKWATCH LIST FOR MY UNDER-$1 STOCKS TOO???

I guess not...

Happy trading (with someone OTHER than E*Trade I hope!),
Enviro-Tek

NOTE: The above StockWatch game may result differently if decimals (as opposed to
fractions) are used.

Upon experimentation, it appears that you CAN get the "L" to go away if you use a
decimal for the lower limit... However, E*Trade throws in an added twist for this
approach since the StockWatch Genie will automatically convert a decimal such as
0.125 to a fraction (1/8) for you! (which results in the same haunting "L" and meaning
that even demicals -- unless they are between standard fractions such as 0.02 or 0.11
-- can't save you from this E*Bug!)
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