http://www.siliconinvestor.com/stocktalk/msg.gsp?msgid=12508344

January 8th, 2000

<G>Per reputation, there seems to be a part of the Asian population that is rumored to like to gamble. I wonder how that ugly rumor got started?<G>

Pure rush and adrenaline. I guess that is right, but really, when I think about it, no more than anyone else, maybe.

WAY OFF TOPIC: Long ago I discussed with a trading friend of mine the possibility of a cyber trading boot. The world cyber was relatively new in everyday usage at the time.

We noted that trading stocks and bonds is much like a video game, like Super Mario Brothers trying to cross a fast flowing river by using a bunch of floating logs as stepping stones.

We pictured the following ...

1. The trader enters the trading floor, puts on a virtual reality goggle, and cyber suit, steps into a one person rubber ringed trading platform;

2. In the field of the goggle vision is a field of rising and falling solid cubes, each representing the equity or bond of a particular company, with companies in the same industry grouped close together. Rising volume and price is indicated by a rising cube, color turning severe shades of blue; falling volume and price indicated in dropping cube, colored red.

3. On top of each solid cube is a independently rising or falling translucent cube, representing the calculated fair market value. Calculation don by duper parallel processing helium cooled computer, incorporating the latest in market, commodity, labour, interest rate, competitive information, fed into company/industry specific proforma models.

4. A small field of the goggle also displays latest news from around the world, the industry and company specific (the company whose cube you are standing on).

5. As the trader steps on to a cube, his entire inventory of chips is committed to that stock or bond. As he steps off, he sold. He is free to step to the side line and hold chips (cash).

6. Coffee tube and urinal tube would be part of the design for the trading cyber suit.

7. The manager of traders sits above all the goggle and suited traders aero-cising in their respective rubber ringed trading platform.

8. At any time, the traders do not know if they are playing with chips or cash, and the supervising manager switches them on to chip or cash depending on whether the trader in question is having a hot streak.

9. At the end of each day, the traders would no longer have to go to the gym to work out anymore, as they stepped on and off rising and falling cubes all day.

10. Compensation for trader and manager will be based on that day's take and average risk (volatility) incurred.