Date:
Thu Mar 4 11:52:47 1999 GMT/BST
From:
gd_anon
>> Docproc, how are things on
the salford props doing.
Date:
Thu Mar 4 11:57:38 1999 GMT/BST
From:
gd_anon
Please post to this thread not
the old one.
Date:
Thu Mar 4 12:28:13 1999 GMT/BST
From:
The Count
THE COUNT>>>ALL
Sorry to contribute so late to
this thread. I have been digesting the
Biocompatibles statement for last
couple of hours. Forgive me if some
of what I'm saying is superfluous
as I haven't had time to read the
contributions of the last hour
or so.
Bullie, I know it was designed
to scare these highly incompetent
overpaid people to run a better
service, but I think, given the
response, we just may have something
here.
Up to my last reading, I only subscribe
for the BB, no-one has
mentioned one of the major points.
This BB is about contributions,
major and minor. I believe our
major contributors to be the best of
any BB I have read. Yes, I think
you Bullie, amongst others, would
certainly be included in this
bunch. I'll leave it to the jury to
decide if a certain 'fanged' gentleman
of the night would qualify, but
there are plenty of other heavyweight
contributors here. Along with
the less prolific contributors
and the silent majority who merely read
our contributions, we make up
a pretty sizeable family.
If we decided to take our contributions
elsewhere, I think it would
make ESI a 'sadder' place. I think
we have the technical knowhow on
this BB to do some sort of feasibility
study. If we are in with a
chance, and the figures look interesting,
you can put me in for a few
thou'!
I don't know if this idea could
even begin to take off, but I was
really pissed off last night.
As you all know, I tend to really
hold back on my language. I say we
scare the living shits out of
these incompetent w*nkers, (sounds just
like my description of fund managers
and MMs) and try to take it a
little further. Let the management
of ESI sweat a little.
I mean, one thousand people contributing
an average of £500 a time,
and there's half a million for
starters. Some could contribute more,
others less. But I think it could
be a real goer!
THE COUNT!
Date:
Thu Mar 4 12:30:53 1999 GMT/BST
From:
gd_anon
>> Count, You could interview
the young virgins (receptionist etc)
Date:
Thu Mar 4 12:33:54 1999 GMT/BST
From:
gd_anon
As Tromso, has a reading problem,
I have reposted his comments
from the old thread.
From: Tromso
hswt- This is all very interesting
but it seems rather late in the
day
to try and setup another ESI like
service, when ESI will already be in
its 3rd generation by the time
you could start. As users we only see
the tip of the iceberg for what
must be an awful lot of work by ESI.
I would certainly like to see what E-trade will be like.
If the ESI BB is on the same server
as the rest of the ESI site, it
does sound daft. Is this
really true ?
If you do want to start up another
service. I think the best hope
would be to focus on one aspect
only: the Bulletin Board.
I can imagine having a UK web site, that acted as the central bulletin
board to all the other internet
stock market services. It is worth
paying for a well maintained quality
bulletin board site to discuss
stocks and shares. You could have
both open public discussion areas
(like HS BB) and a members area
people would subscribe to (more like
ESI BB) The members area would
be the well maintained part, with only
one userid allowed (and payed for via credit card) to stop abuse. The
site could then host discussion
areas for equities, fundamental and
technical analysis, investment
software, broker services etc. There
could be members reviews of packages
(with members voting for best
packages). It would be funded
by credit card subscription to the
members bulletin board area. It
could also be funded by advertisements
and could even host support areas for investment packages etc. Access
would be via web browser, though
it should also support an offline
reader (like hswt). Some
mechanism to enable users to reference news
articles would help (eg. links
to reuters people could put in
messages). Other services could
be added later. Most members would be
expected to get real time prices,
internet trade from other sites.
This would keep the cost down
and make it easy for non-members to
upgrade to become members.
Date:
Thu Mar 4 12:33:54 1999 GMT/BST
From:
The Count
THE COUNT>>>GD_ANON
Ooooooh yesssssssssssssss purlease!
I'll take them right down to the last drop!
THE COUNT!
Date:
Thu Mar 4 12:34:14 1999 GMT/BST
From:
DW
Only a part-timer is I, but you've
got me all exited, count me in too.
Date:
Thu Mar 4 12:34:26 1999 GMT/BST
From:
DW
Only a part-timer is I, but you've
got me all exited, count me in too.
Date:
Thu Mar 4 12:35:49 1999 GMT/BST
From:
gd_anon
>> The Count, I would warm them
up for you if you so requested
Date:
Thu Mar 4 12:38:09 1999 GMT/BST
From:
HAYSTACK
A point worth noting. Demon internet
was started by a group of friends
who put in some money at the start
to get better internet access
(before the world wide web was
invented). It was sold not long ago for
about £35 million
Date:
Thu Mar 4 12:41:14 1999 GMT/BST
From:
Tromso
hswt- Oops - the trouble with
offline readers is that you don't see
when threads are closed.
Date:
Thu Mar 4 12:42:12 1999 GMT/BST
From:
Learjet >> DocProc
hswt-
Ref setting up a company, I have
a dormant one ,has never traded its
about ten years old, your welcome
to use that FOC if it gets things up
and running.
Lj
Date:
Thu Mar 4 12:54:12 1999 GMT/BST
From:
lazygun
shame - you beat me to it lj,
i also have a dormant company which
could be used if necessary.
cheers.
L.
Date:
Thu Mar 4 13:46:41 1999 GMT/BST
From:
ButchCassidy
Is it worth having a word with
Ionic who provide us with
ShareScope?
Count me in RichardLabo@bigwig.net
Date:
Thu Mar 4 13:50:20 1999 GMT/BST
From:
dave b
Has anyone ever thought of running
the esi bb on a server somewhere
else? Then if their servers fail,
at least the bb will keep running.
This could be done in partnership
with ESI - in fact, i'd do it for
free if i could have 1 banner-ad
space on the homepage to pay for it.
(sorry if i'm going over old ground
here)
Dave
Date:
Thu Mar 4 14:01:11 1999 GMT/BST
From:
DocProc
OK. Changing the topic slightly
but sensibly I feel..........
What have we got against
1. ESI advertising on their site?
2. Us advertising on our site?
Personally, I feel that "business" it what drives everything forward.
We are thinking about competing
with ESI because their service isn't
good enough because they can't
afford to invest (or can they?) or
won't (or won't they?) because
it costs money that they haven't got
(or have they?). Easy money (Ha!)
from doing deals for E-commerce and
Advertising and Links to other
"investment" or information sites.
Are their practical limitations
like the ESI premises. Do they need to
move somewhere bigger? Why haven't
they invested in bigger, better,
faster, more reliable, more back
up and such?
Would site advertising revenue
or site sales commission on ESI link
related business really help sort
things out? If it would why haven't
ESI done it already? Hmmm?
Date:
Thu Mar 4 14:09:21 1999 GMT/BST
From:
Paul Harris
Why is the fact of the incoming
E-trade (taking over ESI) is being
somewhat overlooked here?. How
long is ESI in it's current form going
to be around?. Perhaps what we
are witnessing here (ESI) is the gentle
let down of a system that is going
to be obsolete in a month or so?.
Bet there'll be advertising on
E-trade, maybe this the precursor.
Will E-trade and CS compete, will
we benefit from that?.
What if a seperate site IS set up but E-trade knocks spots off it?.
Date:
Thu Mar 4 14:10:27 1999 GMT/BST
From:
DocProc
And.......just to be fair.........From
ESI:
Subject: Service Unavailability
Resolved
Date: Thu Mar 4 8:42:39 1999
From: Customer Support
As you are aware we have
this morning experienced a period
of server downtime. This was caused
by a corrupted file we
received during the night. Our
technical team have now
resolved the fault and have assured
as that no news stories
have been lost.
Please accept our apologies for
any inconvenience caused.
Date:
Thu Mar 4 14:11:37 1999 GMT/BST
From:
lazygun
>> bullie,
if you are collating all the e-mail's
etc, i'd appreciate you
including mine in the list too:
113422.2324@compuserve.com
cheers.
L.
Date:
Thu Mar 4 14:14:46 1999 GMT/BST
From:
Bullshare
As a result of this thread, I
have had two conversations with Julian
Costley (CEO)of ESI. Suffice o
say he is aware and understands our
concerns about the current set
up.
Because of the impending tie up
with E trade he is not publicly able
to comment upon future plans.
I will not say any more at this
stage, but Julian Costley will be
making an announcement later on
today on the Esi Announcement Section,
which will report our conversation
and agreed strategy, which I hope
you all find a step forward .
I will post my response to his
announcement later on today.
Bullie
Date:
Thu Mar 4 14:14:50 1999 GMT/BST
From:
JimH >> Bullie
Don't forget me......I'm not going
to be the one to turn out the
lights!!!
jim@the-halls.com
Date:
Thu Mar 4 14:15:14 1999 GMT/BST
From:
Greg
Good point, here's mine just in
case (you should get the count to lend
you one of his virgins to collate
all that)
gregw10@hotmail.com
Date:
Thu Mar 4 14:16:49 1999 GMT/BST
From:
leica >> Paul Harris
That's a good point PH.
Does anybody know when etrade is going to be
up and running? Perhaps
they're no longer investing in the current
site because all their money is
going on a new all-singing all-dancing
trading site?
Date:
Thu Mar 4 14:31:58 1999 GMT/BST
From:
sm >> GD-ANON
As you have said one can set up
the system at low cost, but the
srevice will be poor. It will
be the same thing or worse as the
present ESI sevice. ESI is unwilling(so
far) to invest to improve the
infrastructure/com. systems/servers.
If we are going to do something
the equipment selected must cater
for the demand/the number of users/
no. of hits etc. -unless of the
number of users and the usage is
limited.
I was checking on ADSL (www.covad.com),
the throughput is 1.5 Mbps but
as the losses will be high on
the twisted pair, the server must be
located close to an exchange.
The other problem would be that, the end
user will also have to have a
router.
sm
Date:
Thu Mar 4 14:37:15 1999 GMT/BST
From:
gd_anon
>>sm , what i said was you could
aquire the technical infrastructure
for around £50k, these figures
were calculated on the back of a pizza
box and were not meant in any shape or form to form part of a business
plan.
Date:
Thu Mar 4 14:52:35 1999 GMT/BST
From:
wildrover >> Bullie
You rebel, there's ESI with a
cosy little number pulling in a few quid
every month from mug punters (US)
and you throw a spanner in the
works.
It gets my vote and a few quid
if it turns out to be feasible, I can't
profess technical know how, but
I am available for the odd bayoneting
of awkward customers or competitors
if required.
Cheers
wildrover
Date:
Thu Mar 4 15:02:09 1999 GMT/BST
From:
SHORT SHIFT >> Bullie
I would love to get involved.
Need something to focus my mind since
selling out at the end of '98
Will also help to finance if we
can assess feasability.
SS
Date:
Thu Mar 4 15:12:59 1999 GMT/BST
From:
DILLY >> all
I'm in.
dilly49@hotmail.com
Date:
Thu Mar 4 15:41:21 1999 GMT/BST
From:
Gomore
hswt- This is definately a great
& viable idea. I especially like
Bullie's idea of linking up with
a online trading co. So deperately
needed here, surely its not beyond
the our resources & abilities to
provide or co-host/finance a really
good & 'proper' online trading
site offering short & long
positions,and the rest, at competitive
prices, like in the US and have
a great BB with it. I don't feel
confident the E trade is going
to provide what is needed here.
Count me in for this project
gary@4sure.freeserve.co.uk
Date:
Thu Mar 4 16:26:25 1999 GMT/BST
From:
packer
hswt- Count me in.
essarem@hotmail.com
Date:
Thu Mar 4 16:41:57 1999 GMT/BST
From:
gd_anon
>> Bullshare,
Re: As a result of this thread,
I have had two conversations with
JulianCostley (CEO)of ESI. Suffice
to say he is aware and understands
our concerns about the current
set up.
Seems kinda late in the day to
me, I think that ESI have walked all
over us for to long, I am sick
of the excuses and none existant
customer services that eminate
from ESI. I posted a thread a while
back asked why SLA's cant be introduced,
perhaps if ESI had listened
to its "CUSTOMERS" sooner, than
the anger that has built up over this
period of time could have been
resolved. From a personal point of
view I would be happy to stick
with ESI if they provided me with the
tools that I need to invest, however
as they do not I now feel I have
to consider other options, As
far as i am concerned this BB is my
office, and like any office when
you outgrow it you move on.
Gaz
Date:
Thu Mar 4 16:48:54 1999 GMT/BST
From:
Julian Costley >> All
ESI Extends Customer Invitation
I am very conscious that, in the
lead up to our planned new
information and broking service,
we have been giving a lower level of
service quality than our customers
expect and deserve.
As you can imagine we have enhancements
in hand that will
significantly improve our reliability
and performance. For reasons of
confidentiality I feel it's inappropriate
to share all the details on
the web and yet I understand that
knowing more of the facts would give
comfort and help to maintain the
goodwill we've worked hard to achieve
over the last few years.
To solve the problem I would like to extend a personal invitation to a
small group of ESI users to visit
our offices and facilities in
Cambridge and to see and hear
first hand what we have in store. These
guests will be bound by non-disclosure
agreements but will I'm sure,
on behalf of each customer, be
able to provide ample assurance to
others that we're well on the
road to providing the market's leading
on-line investment service supported
by a comprehensive and highly
integrated market information
service.
For the event to be credible it's
essential that our customers work
together to select the group.
I will, therefore, leave it to the BB
to come forward with the appropriate
names. Once agreed, Tami Bourke
our Head of Customer Services
Group at tami@esi.co.uk will co-ordinate
the meeting.
We look forward to seeing you and
making the visit informative,
reassuring and fun.
With kind regards,
Julian Costley
Chief Executive, ESI & E*TRADE
UK Limited
Date:
Thu Mar 4 16:53:05 1999 GMT/BST
From:
lazygun
well, i guess it's down to nominations
for guests. I personally would
like to visit ESI, since they
are only just down the road from me, if
no-one objects?
anyone else?
( also might be an idea to have
a list of q's / issues we'd like
answers to - albeit limited by
the non-disclosure comments made by
Julian above)
cheers.
L.
Date:
Thu Mar 4 16:53:32 1999 GMT/BST
From:
gd_anon
I think i will take a day off
work for this one.
gaz
Date:
Thu Mar 4 16:53:38 1999 GMT/BST
From:
Dangerous
Well, I'm up for it.
I'm in Cambridge, computer literate
(a software engineer), and I'm
looking to find a new internet
stock broker, now that Stocktrade have
made their recent changes.
I think I have a reasonable idea
of the pulse of the BB, and would be
happy to represent fellow ESIers.
Dangerous
Date:
Thu Mar 4 17:05:20 1999 GMT/BST
From:
Tim >> Lazygun
Also just down the road in Cambs
and would like to join you. Email me
at Timj_1@Yahoo.com
Tim
Date:
Thu Mar 4 17:10:09 1999 GMT/BST
From:
lazygun
>> bullie,
since you've already been talking
to Julian Costley, I imagine you
would very much like to visit
as well.
If no-one objects, I would like
to start a fresh thread with current
list of nominations for ESI's
guests entitled : "ESI visitors -
nominations/issues"
cheers.
L.
Date:
Thu Mar 4 17:12:21 1999 GMT/BST
From:
Viking
I would be interested in any planned
visit and could probably add
value from a technical perspective.
andrew.donaldson@unitedkingdom.ncr.com
Date:
Thu Mar 4 17:17:38 1999 GMT/BST
From:
Dave S
Please forgive an aside from the
main thrust of this thread, I notice
that flashing adverts are now
beginning to intrude even on the
stockwatch pages. I don't want
a Lexus whatever, and I don't want it
constantly flashing at me !
Date:
Thu Mar 4 17:28:16 1999 GMT/BST
From:
HAYSTACK
I don't mind adverts. You can
ignore them. There are adverts
everywhere on the internet. We
all use Yahoo etc. and see the adverts.
Like any highway the www has billboards.
Seeing adverts doesn't stop
people from buying newspapers.
These 'messages' subsidise the various
services. The internet will become
more commercial and less the
province of the hobbyist. It is
a fantastic vehicle for many things.
In the long term it will be dominated
by business. Even censorship
will come eventually, like it
or not, any ISPs not using censorship
will not find anyone to connect
to as any node they connect to will
also be excluded.
Date:
Thu Mar 4 18:21:22 1999 GMT/BST
From:
Bullshare
During my discussions with Julian
Costley today, he did say he would
love to do a presentation to all
subscribers, but because of the
sensitive nature of the proposals
prior to E trade commencing, it was
agreed that a small group of 6
Esi Bbers go and talk to the Directors
and key personnel to see where
they are at!!
The plan is to visit in the week
commencing 15/3/99, the 17th or 18th
look the most likely at present.
Much of the work today to get us
to the point of meeting with Esi has
involved much behind the scenes
discussion with Esi bbers and grateful
thanks to them.
Personally I feel that the visitors
must be a fair representaion of
the board, but mainly have the
support of all concerned. What I am
sure we don't want and nor do
Esi want is visitors going along and
being sucked into accepting everything
that is put before them.
Because of previous issues raised
between Esi and the board, I would
propose Greystone as one of the
visitors( he is an IT manager), but
that must be decided by all you
lot. Of course I would like to go ,
but again its up to you its your
board. Thirdly I would like to
nominate AJB,for many many reasons,
but primarily he is a crafty sod
and a forensic accountant.
So thats that bit.
Now for our own Company. How do
we go forward. I think in respect to
Esi and their genuine desire to
want to help, it would be wrong to
continue this topic on their server!!!.
It is proposed to move this thread,
its contents and future postings
onto a new BB on the BBBugle site.
Greystone and his helpers will let
us have details later. If the
idea looks commercially viable, which
from both private discussions
and the public airing, looks now very
very possible, it would be best
to set up a Private Club Bb to take it
off line completely from the public
gaze. Perhaps yahoo or such like.
The mechanics of all this do not
bare thinking about!!!
The visitors to Esi will
be veted first as Esi want to ensure no
brokers,mms, competitors or media
are included. The visitors will
have to sign a non disclosure
clause.
So what next. Well names and agreement
for visitors. Then we will need
to know what you want asked.
I hope all this is a help, and
hopefully at the end of the day we
should end with a better service
for all from Esi and/or our own
Company.!!
Date:
Thu Mar 4 19:16:31 1999 GMT/BST
From:
boveq
Wow!!, you go away for a couple
of days and look what happens......
I will always look at something
that can increase service, so count me
in
boveq@clara.co.uk
Date:
Thu Mar 4 19:47:49 1999 GMT/BST
From:
NODDY
Count me in
mike.cleverley@bbc.co.uk
Date:
Thu Mar 4 20:03:14 1999 GMT/BST
From:
David House
Hurrah. me at d1house@aol.com
Date:
Thu Mar 4 20:23:09 1999 GMT/BST
From:
lazygun
bullshare - sorry looks like i
preempted you a bit earlier - i put a
thread up asking for nominations
for the visit. apologies of this was
a bit premature. your suggestions
are good choices.
however, I would of course still
like to be one of the other three
visitors.
regards
L.
Date:
Thu Mar 4 20:44:37 1999 GMT/BST
From:
Bullshare
This is going to be mistake
I know( i am short of time already), but
if anyone wants to discuss the
various matters mentioned today, in
confidence, then leave your e
mail address and I will contact you..
Obviously after 17/18 march
I cannot comment about things at Esi that
are confidential.
bullie
Date:
Thu Mar 4 20:55:33 1999 GMT/BST
From:
Bullshare
I should rephrase my posting.
If anyone has a point they want to make
in confidence then leave your
e mail. Hopefully later tonight there
will be a public forum up and
running for open topics, courtesy of the
Bbbugle team.
Date:
Thu Mar 4 20:58:16 1999 GMT/BST
From:
loss leader
I'm interested (and Cambridge
based) ... at present it is BB rather
than ESI which is core value for
me. I would support it whereever it
went.
phewkin@cest.org.uk