Virtually Free April 18, 2000March 25, 2012 Things seem to have settled down — or settled up. But on Saturday I got this expressive missive from someone who wrote, simply, “I want my mommy!” I don’t know, but he sounded like a guy of about 40. Tomorrow, if all goes according to plan, you will be the first people in the world to have the opportunity to link to a new Internet broker that offers free trading. It is definitely not for everyone, and I will be neither endorsing nor recommending it. But it is interesting to contemplate: a brokerage firm with no people, no telephones, no paper. OK, a few people. But none you can talk to. Yet, unlike traditional brokerages, this one will be always available, with “real-time updating,” meaning you can always see the status of your account (not last night’s status, the real status) . . . and watch the progress of your trades as they are being made, much as you can track a FedEx package, only faster. A virtual broker, virtually free. The last thing I think people should do, even with zero commissions, is trade a lot. (Anyone ever hear of taxes? Spreads? Addiction?) But offered the chance to be the first to give people a look at it, I couldn’t resist. It’s interesting. Kind of like being offered a first look at some state-of-the-art casino. You don’t have to book a room and gamble all night to be fascinated. Anyway: come back tomorrow and be the first on your block to take a look.