Quote from GrafSheinin:
Could somebody explain me please (dumb beginner) why you use 3 or 4 monitors for trading. I'll appreciate any sources and information.
Thank you
Without a multiple monitor setup regardless if its via one computer or two computers...
Your going to be doing a lot more clicking (minimizing/maximizing programs) as you move from one particular task to another task.
Further, most traders have at least (a minimum) of 3 programs that are open and actively being used while trading.
One way to reduce your number of monitors is to have very large monitors.
However, some traders (including me) will see it as an eye sore or distraction to be viewing 3-5 seperate software programs on one monitor at the same time.
By the way...computers and monitors are so cheap these days...
If someone can't afford a multiple monitor setup for those that should be using a multiple monitor setup...
They shouldn't be trading.
I'm also not saying that trading can't be done via one computer/one monitor.
I'm saying that one computer/one monitor traders are more likely to have interruptions in their trading when something goes wrong with their hardware in comparison to those using either a multiple computer (like two computers) with two monitors on each computer.
Simple rule...have a backup of everything or a backup of your most critical stuff.
Backup monitor, backup computer, backup ISP, backup hard-drive, backup broker
et cetera to protect your money while in the middle of a trade or to continue trading when you have hardware problems.
Nothing is 100% and why take the chance with your money on the line in the middle of a trade ???
Example...last week one of my monitors started having some major problems in the middle of a mutiple contract futures trade...
I simply turned off the monitor and continue trading because I have a multiple monitor setup via two laptops (primary systems) and a desktop (backup)...
Each laptop has an external flat screen monitor.
Later...when my trading day had completed...I took that monitor back to the store where I purchased it and they gave me a brand new one since the monitor was still fresh out of the box (purchased a few weeks ago).
Now...lets pretend I was in the middle of a trade while using one computer/one monitor setup and that monitor went to a blank screen.
NihabaAshi