For the investor who wants to do more than listen to their advisor when picking stocks to make a bet on, the US Securities and Exchange (SEC) Edgar Internet Edgar (www.sec.gov) is a boon.

Since May, 1996, the SEC has required nearly every public company listed in the US to file quarterly earnings and other reports electronically.

I search it every day just to get the low down on what Bermuda-based companies are doing, but not saying in their public statements. The story I wrote about the tussle between ACE Ltd. and Exel Ltd. for ownership of Mid Ocean Ltd. was based entirely on Exel's and Mid Ocean's SEC filings.

The process of the purchase was painstakingly documented. It was a fascinating insight into corporate maneuverings.

The SEC site is a gold mine of information for the reporter, but it also gives the investor a lot of insight into the company they have put their money into or are thinking of buying.

For example, I received at least three overseas calls relating to stories I had written about Bermuda-based Global Crossing and I was able to refer them to the 100-odd page document the company had filed with the SEC, and put on the Edgar site, as a preliminary to issuing its initial public offering of shares. The callers were able to judge for themselves the value of the company.

The site has whimsical search engine, as it sometimes takes a while to figure out how to look for what you want. Some callers, for example, were unable to find Global Crossing on an initial lookup. But a search under `Bermuda' yielded the correct documents along with a number of other Bermuda-based, or Bermuda-registered companies.

Remember, a company registered in Bermuda may not be based here and vice versa. Exel is registered in the Cayman Islands, but is based in Bermuda.

However a search under `Bermuda' only yields a few of the companies here. You might have to search under the particular name of the company to get the relevant filings.

Another piece of advice, which I only learned after killing a few trees -- don't immediately print the document. You could end up with 130, 140 or even 200 pages of a single filing in which much of the information is repeated over and over as the company tries to stay on the right side of the ever vigilant SEC.

Rather, you can copy the text document to a convenient file on your hard drive by using the `Save as' pull down menu on your browser, or by clicking on the link to the document while holding down the right-hand button on your mouse.

On a single-buttoned Macintosh mouse, hold the control key down while you click.

I prefer to open my Word program while browsing. Then I copy the text I need from the Web document (highlight the text and copy or Control-C) and paste it into the Word program.

When I'm done, I simply print the text I've copied. Unfortunately table formatting will be messed up, but this is a strategy that can save you a lot of time and paper while browsing through any site.

The Edgar site also gives definitions of all the confusing form names companies are required to file with the SEC.

If you're sure about what you want to buy there are a lot of brokers that now give investors the ability to execute trades online very cheap. One of the first online was Ameritrade (www.ebroker.com).

The company will execute any size trade for $8 on the Internet once you set up an account with them. To set up an account you need to deposit a minimum of $2,000 in cash, securities or a combination with the company.

The deposit may be used toward the purchase of securities. The company pays a three percent interest rate on credit balances over $1,000. If you're uncomfortable with on-line trades it will cost you $12 to trade by touch-tone phone, and $18 to deal directly with a broker on the phone. For an additional $5 you can initiate limit, stop, and stop limit orders.

The Ameritrade site is part of an established Omaha brokerage complex that also operates Accutrade, K. Aufhauser, and Ceres Securities.

Charles Schwab Corp., the largest discount broker in the US, has tons of research on its Internet site. Online trading now accounts for 48 percent of Schwab's trades, up from 33 percent last year, which shows investors are becoming more used to the Internet. Check the site out at www.schwab.com.

Online trades cost a minimum of $35 and rise steadily. That's a much stiffer price.

Use a search engine to find other brokers online and you'll soon be betting the house, but don't get carried away. It's only technology working for you.

Tech Tattle is a weekly column about technology. Contact Ahmed at 295-5881 ext. 248, 238-3854, or techtattle ygazette.newsmedia.bm.