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The biggest reason for me is access to buying power that I wouldn't have access to otherwise. And in my case, I also enjoy the support and mentoring from more-successful traders in the same office. The guys frequently help me catch myself before I step into my usual pitfalls.

Thanks, much, Bobarino--especially for the phone number to the software manager!

Anvil has an API?! I was told by the Assent tech guys that it doesn't... Can anyone confirm whether or not it is possible to program direct hooks into Anvil via an API?

This is a great thread. I'd like to add two questions: 1) Are there any prop or retail-"prop" firms in the Los Angeles area that are friendly to automatic trading systems? and 2) Of the often-proprietary order execution platforms that prop firms use, which has the most complete, most...

There was a product called "Trading with MATLAB" by Gloriosia.com. Not sure if they're still in business, but the primary purpose of their software was to allow MATLAB (.m scripts) to drive automatic trading systems on IB's TWS API.

downtickboy: As a guy who abruptly left a lucrative career in computer programming to become a full-time daytrader, I can offer you this sage advice: DO WHAT YOU LOVE AND THE MONEY WILL FOLLOW. Yes, it's a bit worn out--that saying, but it's totally true. I used to believe that the...

The same thing happened when Mercedes Benz (prior to the Daimler-Chrysler merger) started making their ML-series SUVs in Alabama. The first year of the Alabama plant's production saw the ML's with tons of defects like doors that wouldn't shut completely and an unusually-high number of vehicle...

Yao Ming is 7' 6" and 310lbs. The world's tallest living man is Bao Xishun, at 7' 8.95". China's such a big country that it has a large number of all body types.

Spending extra on high-end monitors makes perfect sense to me, since I'll get a ripping migraine if I use a crappy monitor or badly-lit workspace (glare from sunlight, usually). Anyone who's ever had a migraine knows that they'd give all their worldly possessions to avoid having them. (I...

Um, that same argument could be used by ignorant non-stock traders against the very few mega-successful stock traders to shut down the entire market. Removing/limiting free markets is a sure way to put graft and privilege at the forefront as the premier way to gain and keep wealth, removing...

Tried it, had too many problems with crashing, pages not showing up, etc. Left it installed and upgraded my trusty Firefox 1.5 to 2.0, which is fast, stable, and features a great UI. For those of you needing an IE-compatible browser for certain websites, you might want to try Maxthon, which...

Hang in there, frosty-- we here wish you the best. You mention not having a whole lot of data to backtest your newest strategy with. One thing you might try is to use data from other contracts including the other eminis and even stocks and options. Though you wouldn't expect these other...

Frosty: A bit of advice: by the very act of logging your daily trades, you are selecting anecdotal "evidence" in favor of statistical evidence in order to determine your faith (or lack thereof) in your system. In other words, you are needlessly putting your emotions on a roller-coaster by...

Would IB's conditional orders be useful? I wanted to use them for a very similar situation (to create a "synthetic" stop-limit order) but wasn't able to because I use the Java API, which doesn't support conditional orders. But the Excel DDE link to TWS does support conditional orders. You...

And if you want to work (or watch porn) in the dark, check out these awesome backlit keyboards: http://www.deckkeyboards.com I own two--even without the backlighting, the keyswitches are fantastic, making this one of the fastest and most comfortable keyboards I have ever used. We've...

Agreed, saxon22. I spend between 8 and 16 hours a day staring at computer screens, and I used to get migraine headaches on crappy monitors (usually provided by work). It got to the point where I'd bring in my own expensive monitors because my health was obviously more important to me than to...

Frosty, you might want to do the following test to see how well your simulation really approximates real-money trading: Run your live system on real money and run the exact same system on your paper account for exactly the same period. You might be surprised to find an unexpected difference...

Excellent recommendation--Dr. Pepper is my fave way to kick off the trading session. To avoid the syrupy taste, I start with a DIET Dr. Pepper (with caffeine is the white and red can, without caffeine is the white, gold and red can). Diet Dr. Pepper is one of the few diet sodas that tastes...

I second the recommendation for Samsung monitors. Been using them for years and have never had any quality/reliability issues. They also have a terrific warranty. My most recent purchase (for trading) was a Samsung SyncMaster 225BW--a beautiful 22" widescreen with a super-thin bezel and a...

Just realized that none of us really answered your original question. The advantages from using a 12c in trading are: 1) Rapid access - sure, you can use a 12c emulator, the calculator software on your PC or cell phone or PDA, or even a regular cheapo calculator. But I've found that the...