REDI pluses: Automatic Updates (even though updates are few and far between); the clock is in exchange time
REDI minuses: Overloaded servers; rude and abrupt support personnel; plain jane interface; laughable charting; really annoying intraday pop-up messages; limited hotkey functionality
Let me respond to some of your comments. SLK(RED+) is the largest direct access software provider . REDI+ is really for trading groups and hedge funds, so traders should go to their introducing brokers help desk first,. We have one risk manager for every 25 people , so we can always give support. There is no excuse for rude behavior, but if the REDI+systems go down(all systems do once in a while), the phones will get jammed up. I suggest you call your introducing broker first, if they don't have a
good support staff, go somewhere else. REDI+ is mainly an order execution system.
Overloaded servers-in the past this has been a problem during heavy volume days, however, REDI+ has improved capacity. Some of the overload is not REDI+(I know many traders who use other platforms including REAL TICK, CYBERTRADER etc.) . The NYSE & NASDAQ will slow down during peak trading times and most traders will complain about the software they are using, not
knowing that the problems may be at NASDAQ or the NYSE or internet related. The internet on the east coast of the US "jams up" between 3:45 PM & 4:00 PM EST. Why? Everyone is sending orders to the exchanges at this time. The net was not designed specifically for trading , so as net infrastructure is upgraded and improved, hopefully these issues will be resolved.
Laughable charting-AGREED! LOL
annoying intraday pop-up messages-at least REDI is telling you that NASDAQ is slow, SOES is down etc. You can't please everyone.
limited hotkey functionality - I have hot kets set up for REDI,ISLD, & Market orders. I would agree with you that platforms like the WATCHER may be better for NASDAQ scalpers, but not everyone trades with hot keys and since REDI is now pro-active and spreads are .01 wide, Hot Keys are not as important as they once were. If you want a true EDAT system that is all Hot Keys , there are better systems.
REDI is not the best at everything, but a very good all in one order execution platform for NASDAQ/AMEX/NYSE. We have traders who trade 100,000 + shares a day on REDI, with very few complaints.
Gene Weissman
Lieber & Weissman Sec., LLC
gweissman@stocktrade.net