After Reveiwing Most Trading Software

Discussion in 'Trading Software' started by flipflopper, Feb 12, 2008.

  1. It looks like there is no real good solution out there.

    I'm scratching my head wondering how such a huge market could be unfulfilled. Trillions of dollars are traded every day and a lot of the decision making is based on charts yet there is no good solution I have found. Below is a quick review of the software I tried.

    Ensign: I've been using this for about a year and sadly with all the problems seems to be my favorite. Fast, easy to manipulate charts, add indicators etc. Very unreliable.

    MultiCharts: A bit slow, no watchlist, hard to add symbols which makes trading news impossible. Second favorite... I really wanted this one to work since it looks so slick.

    Neoticker: Tough to adjust bar sizing (zoom in/out). Hard to add my indicators. Great watchlists, easy to add symbols, don't love the layout with the floating windows scheme.

    Esignal: Bad quote pages that ignore gaps, ranges, %off hi/low. Very easy to manipulate charts but hard to get all the alerts/indicators I need.

    MetaStock: Hard to manipulate charts easily, no watchlist, no ability to easily add symbols. Hard to add my indicators.

    I'm bummed out. I really want to upgrade but can't find anything that fits my needs/preferences.
     
  2. mokwit

    mokwit

    Been through exactly the same search/wasted time with rubbish.


    My solution: Metastock Quotecenter (standalone product that used to be the Bridge institutional product).
     
  3. Tums

    Tums

    The problem? -- Traders' needs (and wants) are as diverse as the Starbucks' coffees... and the software industry is trying to make a one-size-fits-all product to meet the traders' demands.



    There are the stock traders... who want a screener,

    there are the news traders... who want to call up symbols quickly,

    there are the forex traders... who want 25hrs days,

    there are the pairs traders... who want to make synthetic symbols,

    there are the micro scrutiny traders... who work at the tick level,

    there are the future sculpers... who want a quick order interface,

    there are the artists... who want to draw trendlines fast,

    there are the system traders... who want a programmable platform, but couldn't care less about the drawing tools,

    there are the backtesters... who want a fast optimization modelling tool, and couldn't care less about ordering interface at the moment,

    there are the index traders, who only look at ES, YM, INDU... and couldn't careless about a screener,

    there are the...




    the list goes on.
    they all want different things, but nothing is one-size-fits-all .
     
  4. I don't know what you trade but I trade futs and I use Medved Quotetracker/DTN IQ, order entry platform is NinjaTrader.

    Excellent products, extremely customizable ... very consistent, does their job very well.

    I certainly can't blame the software if a trade doesn't go my way!
    :D

    Good Luck
     
  5. slacker

    slacker

    All junk. Nothing interesting in the last 15 years. Database models, programming languages for strategies, and graphic rendering models have not advanced as well as music, games or other parts of the desktop. What is available is bloated and a resource pig.

    I don't know of any package that takes full advantage of a multi-core CPU or graphics card.

    Good luck finding something that works the way you want!

    Good trading...
     
  6. I don't think most traders needs are that different at all. How can you have a charting program that doesn't let you easily add/monitor symbols!?!??! I mean come on!!!

    I think I'm going to go with Multicharts... deal with the shortcomings and hope they that watchlist functionality soon as promised.
     
  7. Tums

    Tums

    your point is true... and i am surprised that adding a symbol is a multi-step endeavour in MultiCharts.

    But the true is also... there are the index traders, who only look at ES, YM, INDU... and couldn't careless about a screener, or adding symbol on the fly.
    (I am one of them.)
     
  8. Have you tried FibonacciTrader?
     
  9. Hi Flipflopper,

    Is your broker either TD AMERITRADE or Interactive Brokers, both of whom have APIs that provide historical data for charts?

    If so, you might want to try QuoteTrader, which is free, has charts with >30 indicators, drawing tools and studies, a DOM that supports single-click order-entry, and all order-types, routing, asset classes, etc., available via their APIs.

    Also, for FX traders, QuoteTrader just introduced a new FX Dealing Box, and expects to shortly introduce an interface to OANDA supporting historical data (ie, free FX charts and pairs dealing via QuoteTrader).
    Anyone interested in beta testing that should email tradingbeta@quote.com.


    Thanks,

    Brent
    QuoteTrader Product Management
    http://www.quote.com/quotetrader
    trading@quote.com