Can PostgreSQL answer near-real-time demands?

Hi All,

Well, maybe you'll like at least my reasons to ask this
question in the subject field.

I want to know:
1. Whether PostgreSQL can stand the near real-time
demands of a financial trading environment?
2. Whether there are any examples of this in actual usage?

My reasons are:
a. I have a serious financial trading project at hand,
b. I am fed up with all the snobs at commercial
database distributors in Istanbul, who happens to know
precisely not a jack sh*t about development work.

Hopefully the answer is a yes. If so, would you please tell:
i. Any examples in financial, or otherwise real-time apps?
ii. How can we put PostgreSQL under a stress test ourselves?

Such an app would clearly add to PostgreSQL's reputation,
and we would be happy to contribute some of the proceeds
to further development of PostgreSQL.

Thanks in advance, and no flames please.

--
Metin Ozsavran, BScEE MBA
Tel: +90-216-361-9555
Fax: +90-216-416-5339