maybe they're trying to save money by focusing on the product? thats what they claim on their website for not having a contact number i have started using Amibroker and their website isn't the greatest but the support is pretty good, i got an answer within 24 hrs on a Saturday. the software does look pretty good and its pretty much what i'm looking for in terms of backtesting. its just a pain to learn the coding language but its part of the game i guess
Lightspeed has some hft functionalty, albeit coding required (as usual) - does amnibroker do this as well?
Try Confidant (on iPad). It's a comprehensive backtesting tool that is super easy to use, and has full customization power without the programming.
I feel that the high price of these software packages are absolute highway robbery for the retail trader. That goes triple-time for a software package that doesn't offer a full capability demonstration (ahem AmiBroker, yes were looking at you AmiQuotes) Charging a monthly fee for a software package that DOESN'T provide data is a scam, plain and simple. If you are versed in any of the object orientated programming languages or a linux vet go with the open-source variety. Or with a little ingenuity you can use a 'demo' forever, heh heh heh. Have you ever asked yourself why they charge these extreme prices for software? It's because a sucker is born every minute. I have no problems paying for SERVICE, (i.e a data feed, online server usage, vpn, shells, etc) however paying for software that is most likely a smorgasbord of once upon a time open source code is against my morals and ethics. There is usually ALWAYS a good, free, open-source equivalent for whatever you are attempting to do on your computer. (with the few rare, justified, exceptions like reasonably priced powerful software, donation ware, etc) Being a retail trader I don't have the funds to pay the silly asking prices of the wares on offer. Besides, if I were to purchase/rent any software when it comes to trading I would accept no substitute and only get the best (Bloomberg or Reuters, but that takes you out of retail in effect) Oh yeah, and protrader 3 (which has good free forever demo accounts right now) is kinda like a MT4 for stocks/futures, and has a good back tester. Not to mention you can import the MQL indicators from MT4 and program in either C# or MQL which gives it a hell of a lot of potential even though its in its infancy. Not to mention it looks DAMN good with a newer interface (not like win98 looking ghetto AIQ, Sierra Charts, etc. that make you blind with their bright white GUI) Bottom line; hack the planet! paying for overpriced software is a chump's game! Open Source, Free, Or DIE!
By the way, I remember reading that buying stocks that have been down for 3 consecutive days is a winning strategy in the long run (close of day 2 is lower than close of day1, and close of day 3 is lower than close of day 2), so the backtest should give you good results.