I definately learned to trade at Worldco. I can honestly say that I've been able to consistently take money out of the market trading 1000 share lots, even in this sideways market. It took a good eight months of off/on trading but it finnally paid off.
Even though Worldco technology might suck, it does make you better b/c once begin using a real platform b/c you find things are so much easier. Kind of like in Major League Baseball when the batter on deck is swinging 2 bats.
The problem I find with prop. firms is that if they are true prop. then they would not require money, that is called retail. True prop. is where you are splitting your profits and putting nothing down. If you are putting something down, that's retail; a trader can get great commissions along with 100% payout. You can't pretend to be prop. but be retail. I like being a prop. trader and I will continue doing so, my manager offered to slash my rates again if I stay @ Worldco, stay tuned.
I think the sideways market you see will continue like this for quite some time. Institutions are afraid to do anything as are retail investors. Once again the SEC is hiking fares, we find politicians screwing with our markets by continuing with this Iraq nonsense.
To the person who was interested in Brokerage America, they are still around, in fact there was a cover story on them in this month's edition of
www.tradersmagazine.com
What can I say, I like the whole trading business and I beleive the strong will survive as with anything else. My advice to anyone starting out is do your homework, if you're looking for leverage and 100% payout you can open a retail trading account, if your looking for straight prop. then you can find that as well, just make sure you can distinguish between the two and you know which is which when looking for that trading job.
I can say that I've received price improvement from the specialist, but many times he will sit on the order and if I wanted out fast I'd have to go market. All depends on the Specialist and the stock being traded. It would be nice to see the NYSE turn into one giant ECN w/out the specialist and his bag of tricks. Let's make the markets fair for everyone and I beleive that day will come. Nasdaq is already trading some listed securities.
This is a great industry to be in and to anyone who is thinking of throwing in the towel, I say don't. If you have to get a 2nd job, do it. Trading is a great career and I beleive people can learn to be good traders, it isn't all natural ability. I'm always amazed at how people think they can make easy money in this business while spending no time at all. I doubt I would be able to defend a person as a lawyer or be able to fly an 747 airplane, so how can any of those people expect to pick up trading in a few short weeks or months? You must invest in yourself.
Thank you for your time.

BMW