Investing For Dummies®, 5th Edition

Chapter 19. Investigating Internet and Software Resources

In This Chapter

• Choosing investing software

• Recognizing Internet pitfalls and opportunities

• Finding the best investing Web sites

Thousands of investing software packages and Web sites claim to enable you to more easily make profitable investments. As with most other advertising claims, the reality of using your computer for investing and other tasks falls short of the promises and the hype.

Note

In this chapter, I show you ways that your computer may help you with your investing challenges and chores. Throughout this discussion, however, please remember several important caveats:

• Some highly successful investors don't use their computers (or they use them infrequently) to deal with their investments.

• You may subject yourself to information overload and spend a fair amount of money without seeing many benefits if you don't choose wisely.

• Don't believe everything you read, especially in the online world, where filters and editors are often absent. (Of course, as I discuss elsewhere in this book, filters and editors don't guarantee that you'll find quality investment advice and information when you read financial publications.)

Evaluating Investment Software

Good investment software should be user-friendly and provide quality information for making sound decisions. Software that helps you make personal investment decisions also needs to provide, if applicable, well-founded advice.

Tip

Which software is best for you depends on what you're ...