Perhaps of relevance to this thread, but here's a copy of my note sent earlier today to the Tradestation sales guy I was speaking with a few weeks ago. Based on my research thus far and much interaction with traders elsewhere, as of right now I'm about 99% set to transfer my futures trading account from OXPS to Open-Ecry. And hearing some of the comments here about TS software issues and server downtime during peak periods only further raises concerns about TS in my view.
Anyway, here's my note to TS:
Dear NAME$
To follow-up on our initial chat a few weeks ago, while your software looks very impressive, I have decided not to pursue TS as a futures broker or platform to switch my account to. (Please feel free to pass my comments below to your supervisors or management if you like.)
Specifically, I am not impressed with the fact that TS does not offer prospective customers a chance to obtain and experiment with its software and get a "feel" for its trading environment unless we first open and fund an account -- in my view, that places an onerous and unnecessary administrative burden on prospective customers. Screen shots and movies are not the same as experimenting with a demo account and seeing if the environment and platform "works" or is best-suited for us and our trading styles.
Quite simply, I refuse to essentially "pay" for a demonstration of your platform. The approach TS takes in not allowing prospective customers to preview its software first runs contrary to most other futures brokers I've researched, and is a major factor in my decision to not open an account with you.
Please know that while I am impressed with what I can see of your software thus far, if your policy changes and you allow prospective customers to experiment with the TS platform in some sort of "demo" account, I would reconsider TS as a possible addition to my futures trading platform. But I will not open a live brokerage account simply to test-drive a trading platform.
Thanks for your assistance, and have a good weekend.