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Although Windows XP is only "soft" on the realtime front, the multi-tasking or context switching can be significantly improved by the following setting in the registry. On Windows XP systems, where there is client-server interprocess communication, adjust Win32PrioritySeparation to be Hex 28...

Well, yes, this is "soft" realtime trading. Using an operating like Windows XP Pro is a "soft" realtime OS anyway, and "internet" network delays are nothing like hard pipes to exchanges, and so on... The meaning of "real time" is often simply "plenty fast enough". Using IB's TWS on...

Guys, come on, just admit it - for real-time equities/options trading systems nothing can beat C++. Use Java or Python is great for pilot systems, then code working system in C++. You beloved Java garbage collector will kill you with garbage collector cycles lasting seconds when load is...

EXTREME PERFORMANCE Ran across some extreme performance flags for the "server vm" in case you want to go to the trouble of installing it. Basically the "client vm" is delivered with the jre. To get the server vm more comprehensive optimizations, you have to install the jdk, and then get the...

I am a very big fan of IB. But they have over-reacted to the sub-prime crisis and made equities related intraday futures margins the same as overnight margins. This is their only screw-up in years. Now they no longer even flag "special margin conditions", and I believe they fully intend...

Well, I know ButtonTrader users have had problems. My own front-end client hasn't seen them yet. My understanding is they segregated out retail users on their server side, and this interacted with TWS API resulting in failure of acknowledgements which causes many API clients to hang. Just...

My understanding is that IB has changed their backend server assignments. This has resulted in order acknowledgement disruptions. A side-effect of this server-side change is that TWS is broken, not receiving order acknowledgements. API clients, in particular, do not receive all Order...

I've stated my case. You've stated yours. I will refrain from saying anything more about the intraday margin situation. Thanks. :) FS

Interesting. When I made my post about the "countertrend bias", I was simply illustrating how one single bias can result in strings of losses, even though the trader "knows" it may be a bad habit. But in my own IB trading, I use custom "hi tech" analysis, and semi-automatic execution support...

Huh? :)

I think it is to be expected that they don't know what we do, because they may lack the tools or desire to work on the timeframes we use. And they may also feel, as many traders do, that trading is largely "guessing". As you know, if your business is based upon "guessing" you'd better get a...

Trading is a business for me, not a hobby. Double intraday margin cost is doubling my cost of doing business at a given level of profitability or rate of return. My trading decisions are not based upon guessing, and risk control is extremely important. 'Nuff said.

You have no evidence that my trading practices constitute gambling, nor anything remotely near it. I exercise far greater continuous control over my risk than you "swingers" or whatever your trading strategy happens to be. I would tolerate up to a 50% increase in the cost of doing business...

I guarantee you wouldn't be so smug if IB just doubled *your* cost of doing business. Must make you feel good to cheerlead for IB, sir.

When I first started scalping I had to break the "countertrend" habit, which is a form of mass psychology that says "it can't go any higher, so sell" and "it can't go any lower, so buy". Guess what? It CAN, and it DOES. The Market Makers know that psychology, and they move price against...

If Risk has increased, then Overnight margins should be affected in direct proportion to the punitive changes in intraday margins. But that would cause IB to lose many more important customers, so they won't being do that, of course. That reveals the "convenient expediency" of the current...

Learning to trade is accumulating a working "toolbox" of skills, and knowledge, or "savvy". There is no single method, just an ever-increasing set of weapons, which you deploy in your "niche" area where you eventually become a relative specialist. Again, this takes time and experience...

Improving the wheel without reinventing it from scratch, is a legitimate activity. But without knowing what you're trying to improve, you'd be unlikely to succeed. And it takes time to re-invent or improve something; most startup traders can't afford to spend that time and resource. I've...

IBj, please don't PM me with this: (Did you actually remove some of your public posts?) "You may want more leverage than we are currently willing to make available. It is OK to go to a firm that will give this to you. An open, competitive, capitalistic market allows you to vote your...

So all these years you were in terrible Danger but you didn't realize it, I suppose? ha! FS