But there are some annoying issues in their client-software:

a) if you suffer an Internet drop-down and restart, eSignal doesn’t auto-reconnect in all cases (sometimes it does, sometimes it don’t)

b) Using eSignal (not the API) for downloading previous days Times&Sales for ES-future (which can be 40 Mb or more) will sometimes take longer than its time-out level and stops unfinished. And in cases that you get the whole day, saving it to disk will block eSignal for 30 seconds or longer, from doing other more important things as updating charts. So no multi-threading design here.

c) Downloading historical T&S through the API will block eSignal from drawing charts as well. Which is strange as the API uses the Data-manager, and shouldn’t have anything to do with eSignal. So no multi-treading/multi-account design of the DataManager as well.

d) Stopping the API connection, with some T&S requests will dump eSignal as it has no time to cleanup the T&S-storage.

All in all: I think the Data-Manager and its API interface badly needs a redesign to a professional multi-threaded piece of software.

However, don't misunderstand me, eSignal is not all bad. On the POSITIVE side, they've got live customer service; and they're pretty nice, too! And they also speak pretty good English. And, also, on the POSITIVE side, they don't direct your calls to India. It doesn't really matter that at night they're closed, or that during the day their customer service is unable to answer any questions from non-beginners.

Also, on the POSITIVE side, with eSignal you get lots of historical data, and there are lots of indicators that you can choose from. eSignal wants to please mainly newbies who believe the more indicators they're able to try out, the better the charting software is.

It doesn't really matter that the software is BUGGY. It doesn't really matter that every attempt to log in is complex or complicated, and that there is an eSignal "data manager" in addition to the charting software that you need to worry about.

The "data manager" is a combination of spyware and secondary components that becomes an obstuctionist should you want to run eSignal on two computers at the same time. Because when you install eSignal, you end up installing a few other things in addition to the program itself. The so called "data manager" runs in the background and spies upon you.

Additionally, eSignal installs a so called "broker plugin" which is another spyware or secondary component that watches your interaction with your broker, and attemts to route your orders through eSignal. Because when you install eSignal, you install a few other things in addition to the program itself. The so called "broker plugin" software runs in the background and spies upon you.

It doesn't really matter that eSignal is more concerned about your using their software on TWO computers at the same time, than your ability to sign in and out with ease. It doesn't really matter that you can never log in or out, without having to close your charts. It doesn't really matter that the software never remembers your portfolio settings. It doesn't really matter that the software never remembers your chart settings. It doesn't really matter that the eSignal software user UNfriendly. It doesn't really matter that the eSignal software is enormously complex. It doesn't really matter that the resulting charts are highly inaccurate. It doesn't really matter that you can't get any help files if your platform is Windows Vista.

In comparison, a somewhat similar charting software known as QuoteTracker is a dream. It's a dream because you take it for granted that, when you use QuoteTracker, logging in and out is easy. Because you take it for granted that, with QuoteTracker, you can log in or out without closing your charts. You take it for granted that QuoteTracker remembers all of your portfolio. You take it for granted that QuoteTracker remembers your chart settings. You take it for granted that QuoteTracker is user friendly. You take it for granted that in QuoteTracker, the resulting charts are highly accurate.

It's too bad that eSignal refuses your log in, if -- as an eSignal customer -- you attempt to log in to QuoteTracker. Why? I don't really know. Perhaps because, with Quotetracker, eSignal can't spy upon you!

The previous poster was right. eSignal and eSignal's latest software version are GREAT -- if you want QUANTITY rather than quality!

Or, if you want to pay for SPYWARE!

Or, if you want to LOSE money!

I hope this helps.