there are guys I know who make cash and then say they use this proprietary "edge" system. but, in reality, it was a great lucky trade. and then I know a firm that made good money 1 year in the last 9, but managed to not lose too much and raise tons more capital. they say they now have an "edge". and I even know a guy who bought 1,000 shares of GOOG after the IPO and sold near 200. he also sells books on trading and uses his GOOG trade a lot. the funny thing is the account was in his wife's name and he wanted to sell over and over and she made him wait. he doesn't tell many people that. and one last guy who lost 1 million on a trade and says he has an "edge" because he made 1 million trading as well. he never says his net is 0, just that he made 1 million.