I am puzzled but many threads lately. Did anyone expect to have IB offer free level 2 ? Or should they offer level two as a fee based service ? Does level 2 help anyone in the elitetrader community ? If so why not just shell out the price at any old RT broker ? I mean if the level 2 is so great why not jut go where it's offered ? Oh yes the commission is not quite 1c per share. If you trade 200-300 a hit it will hurt to pay up with a RT broker, plus the $250-350 will surely kill your monthly P/L. IB is first and foremost a futures broker. I try to understand this dilema of traders out there, but it seems most are struggling out there and looking for silver bullets. I also have noticed the recent threads offering seminars and all sort of lerning vennues to level 2 traders. This is a sure sign that the Bull market is over as well as Daytrading as we knew it. Sept 25k is coming so better just trade futures with IB or get a job and save up to 25-30k. I mean all the "young turks" out there a year or two "real world" won't kill you, I am sure. Don't get me wrong here I am for learnig and self education , it just seems that large contingent of posters here are banging their heads in the wall..Please hold your flames a bit as I am not against traders. I may be just "doctor - giving you a dose of a bitter pill you may need to swallow". For the record I have IB account for stocks and futures and both unfunded as I am leaving my options open. Honestly I just think plety of traders are grossly unfunded and the markets are a bitch to trade lately. Don't give away your funds for 'snake oil' seminars or magic bullet software. There are none !!!