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To: Linda Kaplan who wrote (8815)	2/25/1998 9:10:00 PM
From: Sowbug	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 213173

Linda, have you tried quote.com? They offer real-time quote portfolios running in Java. Thus, in theory, it should work at native Mac speeds.

To: Linda Kaplan who wrote (8815)	2/26/1998 12:01:00 AM
From: Dirk Dawson	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 213173

Linda, I agree connection speed is important, but the processor speed is, too. I really need someone who knows about this. Connection speed is everything, unless the software doesn't work. Push your cable company and pay for the speed. I only wish I knew enough (and had more money), I'd day trade when the servers are willing. With a cable modem, it's really about waiting for the server to respond. Dirk

To: Linda Kaplan who wrote (8815)	2/26/1998 8:52:00 AM
From: rhet0ric	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 213173

When dealing with day trading you need as fast as you can get. I agree connection speed is important, but the processor speed is, too. Yes, processor matters, but only to a point. The processor only needs to be fast enough to process the data coming over the connection, and display it on the screen. My guess is that you only need about a 120MHz processor to do that, even on the fastest connection. I had a P120 on a fast T-1, and Web pages loaded instantly. And I've seen a P233 on a 56k that was slow as a dog. If you want "as fast as you can get" I would recommend the following, in priority sequence: 1. A fast connection. ISDN, ADSL, or T-1 (if in an office). As someone mentioned, cable modems are dicey, because as more users plug in, bandwidth decreases proportionately. 2. A good ISP. (I noticed you're on AOL. That alone could account for the 2-3 second lag you're experiencing. AOL is a proprietary network with gateways into the Internet. This architecture slows everything down. Better to use something like Earthlink, AT&T, MCI, etc. Anything but AOL). 3. A decent processor. Again, 120MHz+ should suffice. This isn't that important a factor, believe me. 4. Lots of real memory, like 48MB+. Turn virtual memory off. (If you're giving Virtual PC 120MB on a PowerBook, then I think you have to be using virtual memory. But VPC can only access something like 48MB. And virtual memory is much slower than real memory. There are other optimization tricks with VPC, too, like booting directly into it, and not the finder. I can tell you more if you like). 5. A fast graphics card. Notebook computers generally have slow graphics cards. This affects how quickly the screen draws. We have two Macs with 601/100s in the office, one with a slow graphics card and 48MB of RAM, and another with a fast graphics card and 90MB of RAM. It's amazing how much faster the latter computer is. Good luck, and let me know how it goes. rhet0ric