I agree with all you said. I am not a fan of stop orders, but I can say this because I sit in front of the screen all day and have more control than some do. If you are trading on the side and you can't be watching the screen they are a valuable tool to protect yourself. I like stop limits better than stops. They may not get that total guarantee of a fill if your price hits, but you don't' have to worry about your order turning into a market order. I think using or not using them is all a matter of a person's situation.
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