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

To: Curly Q who wrote (6818)	6/3/1999 6:09:00 PM
From: Tae Spam Kim	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 13953

But the old guard is saddled with legacy systems and infrastructure. If you're Merrill, what are you going to do fire thousands of brokers? Of course not.

To: Curly Q who wrote (6818)	6/3/1999 6:47:00 PM
From: IFLY_Trader	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 13953

You understate a huge advantage the big internet companies have over their off-line competition ... and that is very valuable experience in the internet field. EGRP has already proven that they know how to run a successful high-growth internet business. (same w/AZMN ETYS AMTD) What has Merrill Lynch proven on the internet?? Just that it took them a very long time before they realized the future. Lastly, another reason that the offline b&m companies won't be automatic market leaders is because IMO, the online companies have a better brand name at this point for online transactions. Remember a few years back how well-respected Barnes and Noble was?? Now they seem like losers and market followers, having lost out to the market leader and innovative company Amazon. Ditto with E-toys and E-Group. I actually trust my money as much with E-Group as with Merrill at this point. Couldn't say that was the case 12 months ago.

To: Curly Q who wrote (6818)	6/3/1999 11:13:00 PM
From: WhySoSoon	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 13953

An analogy. What MER is doing is very similar to any major organ transplant. Trying to force some foreign object into the body. Naturally your body will try to reject it because it is not yours. What MER does is the same thing. Of course, there are chances that it will work but the unsuccessful rate is also very high. I would not touch MER with a ten foot pole because its fundamentals have changed dramatically with this flip-flop. There are simply better alternatives out there (with less risk).