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Technology Stocks : 1999 Roaring Twenty Portfolio
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To: zac-1 who wrote (113)4/9/1999 5:17:00 PM
From: White Shoes  Read Replies (2) of 203
 
ZAc, begin by reading everything you can, primarily from surfing the web. This is free. Be prepared to be bogged down in geek stuff from zdnet.com or wherever. Many of us have to focus on favourite sectors like e-commerce so we can keep on top of a few things we know. But avoid getting to hung up on one gizmo. Many gizmos fail to make money. It's easy to forget the downside when you think a boat navigating tool is going to rule the planet...or what have you.

Avoid "hyping" message boards. Instead search for information about technology and the underlying trends. Must be a million places to look, but you can get free and useful info for example at www.stocksite.com.

For the ups and downs of Canadian tech companies (good and bad) try reading through the threads for BCE Emergis; Corel Corp.; Open Text Inc.; Newbridge Networks for starters... if you can stomach or stand it.

And for sheer insanity, check out the threads for bid.com (BII.TO); Net Nanny; and Sideware Systems (formerly Jot-It!), SYD-V.

Most important thing to remember is these aren't JUST STOCKS (though I guess they are in a way, since inflated paper value seems to precede business success in the tech world). There are technical issues and business issues underlying all of it. Tough to be an "instant expert".

And keep in mind the wisdom of Peter Lynch: "Don't buy disk drive companies." Kind of a metaphor for avoiding the low-margin 'commodity' trap in the techs.

Finally, try to stop thinking of 'technology' as a sector so literally. Every major economic advance has been accompanied by new technology. Shovels were a technology, so was velcro, so were new methods of building auto parts. How can an outsider know which grand scheme will change the world and make the big bucks? IT'S AN INCREDIBLY RISKY SECTOR!

Dale, speaking of Peter Lynch's maxim, I'm in the market for a new HD. Odds-on chance it'll be a Maxtor. Do they have a good reputation? Any advice? A lot of people say you can't predict by maker which drive is likely to develop bad sectors... but those same people are telling me that they have had 5 Quantum Fireballs fail on them... guess which kind I have and guess who has 2 bad sectors. I started out with a perfectly good Seagate before that. It failed because the drive physically rubbed up against the case in my computer-- the kid putting the box together was that incompetent!!!
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