Chasing Warren Buffett via the Web

Let's start with the facts: Warren Buffett, a.k.a. The Sage of Omaha, is the fourth-richest man in America, according to Forbes magazine, having amassed a fortune estimated at $28 billion.

Yes, he's dropped from the No. 2 spot, and he trails software moguls Bill Gates, Larry Ellison and Paul Allen. But give the guy credit. Buffett began growing his pile back in 1956, starting with just $100. His billions came not from launching a steroid-pumped software company, but from playing the market. Moreover, unlike some other legendary market players, Buffett didn't amass his wealth through white-knuckle speculation or ruthless leveraged buyouts, or LBOs. Rather, he used tried-and-true value investing principles.

Over the years, Buffett's made money for thousands of others as well. Stock in his flagship company, Berkshire Hathaway, has been an incredibly consistent performer. If you'd bought it roughly five years ago, your money would have doubled since then, even after factoring in the Crash of 2000. Little wonder that following the recent gathering of Berkshire Hathaway shareholders -- they call themselves Berkies -- Buffett's reputation now seems to be at an all-time high (see a series of articles on Berkshire's recent shareholder meeting by TSC Contributing Editor Christopher S. Edmonds). ...