Many are quick to say that when it comes to investing little has changed in the 20 years since the crash. Who's to argue with such basic principles as buy low, sell high, don't fight the Fed, bargain hunt and take profits, dollar-cost average and diversification.
Twenty years later, however, Wall Street and the securities business are quite a bit different, particularly when it comes to technology and investment products. The Street's culture has even changed a bit.
As part of our anniversary coverage, we asked correspondents Scott Cohn, Melissa Lee and Mary Thompson to take a look at then and now.