per def's comments above,
1.) I can testify it. Yes, I've done so and if the bid/ask prices don't change too quickly, you'll see your orders appear immediately, on both TWS and Reuters Terminal. And the bid/ask size changes accordingly.
2.) basically agree upon. IB's stop order fills, no matter how it's implemented, are 'always' quicker and better than phone-in orders to my UnInteractive broker who introducing Refco. Won't comment on other real competitive platforms, PATS, TT, GL, etc. I think it may be a real sorry for us retail traders that IB-TT deal doesn't materialize. But maybe IB will come out with alternatives to achieve that goal. I, personally, dream for IB to offer CQG/Otto integration for futures trading. As an optional, of course, don't panic, boys who prefer simple and cost-effective execution only platform. Dream, partly because current CQG-PATSystem alliance.
3.) I have no stance to comment on this. I have no pit experience. But as a foreign trader thousands of miles away from USA, and Chicago of course, if not the combined success of e-mini's and Internet-based direct access trading as a feasible vehicle, I think I would have already given up trading any non-asian markets back on 1999, due to cost and order placing/filling/confirmation/cancellation issues. I'm anti-pit, anti the so called (traditional-style) "professionals". I'm biased, admitted. I'm consciously biased to electronic direct access trading, to level-playing-field, to transparency, efficiency and cost-effectiveness. And to real quality, of course, if reasonably affordable. From my experience 'offshore' trading HK's Hang Seng Index futures both before and after the open-outcry/electronic transformation, I cannot justify any benefit that open-outcry world claims to have. I don't think my fills during the Asian financial crisis would get any worse if then HKFE were already in its today's screen-based. A drop from around 13700 to 12580 - several unfilled 'ASK' prices even lower than 12580, and back to stabilize shortly at around 13000, all in less than half an hour. I called in, MKT of course, to cover position, when the ASK went south of 12700. About 10 minutes later, my fill confirmed at 12780, realizing a 800+ pts profit, and the market had returned to above 12900. I was, and am, satisfied with that execution. My broker was very competitive in the HKFE pit, the so called 'occupy a strategic position' in the pit. And my order was direct to the pit. Even so you see that during a real fast market pit-trading doesn't help much, especiaaly to off-floor traders. Of course it's HKFE, not CME. But I don't think things will be much different if in CME. I mention this old story because I don't think it will do any worse if HKFE were then in the current electronic system. To finish the story, that day's HSIU7 closed at 13770, one week later back to above 15000, then back and forth between 14000~15000 for one month, before its final crash to reach 6500 nearly one year later. That day is 02Sep97.