TraderX
I think you are being rude. It is OK to have opinions, it is something else to flame.
However, I agree with you that not ALL trading systems work. Of course not. And yes, if the system is fully defined anyone 'should' be able to trade it.
The sad truth is people are usually not robots and can't always trade any system.
What about a system with good performance but a drawdown of 25% ? well, I would not trade such a system. But another trader might. So yes, the trader's psychology has a part in this process of loosing and failing, it is not only about the strategy [and what about my analogy of the trading floor traders with the same training, strategy and means ?].
About automated systems, again, there are automated systems used everyday. And with much more money than $100000 and they do work. not all the time, not whatever happens in the market and not without some human monitoring. There are still automated trading systems.
I understand that you refer to some silly ads in magazines selling useless black box systems or 'holy grail like' solutions. These won't work. I agree with you.
I don't think there are good automated systems available to the public that you can just switch on and make money with. And that's what you are refering to, and that's OK.
But in several firms I know there are automated systems, proprietary and not public, used to make money everyday.
Well, I am involved in several threads about this topic. Maybe I should stop. After all, fundamentally I agree with your warning to wanabe traders regarding 'systems to sale'.
However, it is not the whole truth about the topic, that's all. And again, maybe it is better to respectfully argue ideas not people. at least, that's the policy in this forum.
vpiNeo