Although IB still has that Java monkey on its back, IB is miles ahead in platform independence and user information.
Take a look at their respective websites. Beats any further commentary:
Try: http://www.interactivebrokers.co.uk/en/main.php
click: SOFTWARE -> FIX-API
fred, for whatever reason you've always had an axe to grind against IB. Those "handful of retail traders" you mention above happen to pass over 400,000 trades through the system per day. As mentioned by a previous poster, TT is software, IB is a broker.