Quote from ArchAngel:
Lots of power comes in small packages these days.
Don't know how extensive or big a CPU-sucker your "multidimensional signal processing/analysis" app is, but all the other normal trading applications combined don't pose a significant resource consumption - at least not for a 1 GHz P4M processor with 1 GB of RAM (especially when you consider that you can very easily run a sizable trading station on a mere 400 MHz P2 w/ 512 MB of RAM without ever maxing the CPU).
Of course, I'm admittedly not engaging in computing wormhole initiation energy metrics, hyperdimensional transit dynamics, reengineering DNA in reatime, or powering The Matrix while I'm on the road or sitting in a Starbucks - alas, I have to leave those idle pursuits to the teraflop machine in the den. L(
But it is pretty hard to exhaust a 1GHz/1GB config with most normal apps and you don't have to do a Quasimodo impersonation lugging around a 12+ pound PC bag
Add:
1) da software package watching (presuming that there's sufficient screen real estate for side by side comparison) at least 2 actively traded stock windows with associated level 2 windows (totalling at least 4 windows)
2) add your position monitor, profit monitor, active order entry window and system/connection to DA-server windows (at least 5 windows)
3) add your MSN Messenger or Yahoo IM, or Paltalk or Squawk box applications (each starting with about 3 windows)
4) add your browser windows (presumably for current news) from Briefing.com, Cbs.marketwatch.com or otherwise
5) add your additional charting software, where as most DA platforms charting are not preferred (Add another 4 windows minimum)
6) add your Elitetrade.com browser window (as most active commentators on these threads often are active traders during market hours)
7) add your email accounts browser application -- if you're in conversation with other contacts
8) add your other Win2000 or WinXP system status windows
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how that equals all the fictious stuff you mentioned, I'll never understand, or perhaps, this fairly common series of stacked applications all running in tandem during trading hours was never really considered by your discussion, I'll never understand---
I've seen these as basic groupings of applications by a whole host of traders from a variety of backgrounds, and thought that others were looking at these configurations as "common" instead of "in the realm of unbelievable", as your comments suggest.
so, what were you talking about, anyways?