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Non-Tech : E*Trade (NYSE:ET) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Tom Hua who wrote (4766)	2/3/1999 9:44:00 PM
From: Patherzen	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 13953

Waterhouse is just as bad.... We apologize for the inconvenience, but Waterhouse webBroker is currently unavailable. The webBroker system software is undergoing scheduled maintenance which will help to improve performance. We anticipate full service to be restored between 9:00 p.m. and midnight EST. You can place your trades at the same commission rate you would have received on-line by calling our Extended Hours Service at 1-800-934-4450.

To: Tom Hua who wrote (4766)	2/4/1999 10:47:00 AM
From: j_b	Respond to of 13953

<<They should have backup system, and not just the constantly overloaded phone lines.>> The phone lines are the backup system. After all, if the internet connection goes down for whatever reason, there are variety of backups that could be used. Let's say the ISP is at fault - you can at least have a backup ISP. If the power goes down, you can have a UPS or generator. If the phone lines go out, you might have a mirror site in a different state (would also help in case of fire, hardware failure etc.). However, if the software goes bad, it goes bad on all servers at once. Keeping a copy of the old system on a backup machine might not work, because the data formats might be different, and therefore would not have access to the most current account information. <<How would you like it when the airplane you're on runs out of fuel at 35,000 ft? >> Not a good analogy - after all, stock trading is not life or death. However, if it's that important, I would have a parachute on, just in case. That's what happened during wartimes with fighter pilots - they knew there was a risk of the plane going down, so they had an escape plan. Same thing here - if your trading speed is that important, you should either use a broker that you know you can contact on a moments notice, or you should accept the risks as a natural result of the increased ease of access and the lower fees associated with the internet.