My friend had a web-scrapping project before (area far from trading) and helped me to connect two brokers for automatic basket order. That was successful for IB. Also as soon as broker change website, it will be a trouble without DOM. Yours are correct in some sense. At least only one screen in C# handles two brokers simutaneously so that we do NOT need to spend much time for both API. Sooner or later we expect connection to roughly 5 or 10 brokers (and for many countries) If you are able to order (basket) to IB by Python and API, then it is possible to exchange ours with yours.
I thought it was obvious that this user is either a bot, a complete retard, or just putting out content to stir discontent. I wonder why everyone is feeding this person. The best way to improve the quality of this site, imho, is to ignore those who purposely derail valuable contributions and content and only a cursory check makes it pretty apparent that OP has very little to nothing to add to this site of value. P.S: I came to this conclusion only after a few days on this site and before putting OP on ignore.
At least Bloomberg is known to provide universal trading for many brokers, if I heard correctly. No one except Bloomberg can do it? I mean there might be new technology for universal connection, even except selenium and Bloomberg too. You can ignore this thread if you think API is the ONLY choice for basket order.
At least I should not addicted to ONE broker for life-long. A) For example one can freely switch from IB to other brokers, such as 1)Robinhood 2)Lightspeed as soon as they offer better and economical commission. That is why one can select broker any time. B) Furthermore, if Sanders charge new huge trading tax after presidency, then one should be able to switch to other country (lower tax and commission) at any time. Some country charges more tax than US, and some charges less than US. Those A) and B) are why we need a universal trading system, hopefully worldwide. Is there any other worldwide selection except recent web (HTML5)? If so, tell me now.
Some of us are really bored at times. 1) Robinhood isn't free, you get worse fills. 2) You STILL have to write a scraper for Lightspeed's website, unless you haven't realized this yet. Broker's web interfaces are terrible as I learned recently with IB (TWS was down for everyone for almost an hour), almost unusable. The idea that anyone even half-serious would use a poorly functioning website with an iffy scraper with REAL money is ridiculous. Are you planning to every day update the scraping code for all brokers? That's a full-time job. You might be thinking of selling it as a software but I doubt there will be many takers. B) Why is it B? Shouldn't it be "3)"? Taxes are not related to brokers, you clearly have never invested or traded before. If you want to trade Bangladeshi stocks, then yes, you have to switch but I'm quite sure no-one else but you wants to do that. I already told you about FIX, it can do what you ask. But since you didn't understand me you just continued talking, why? Just go and do already, enough of chatter.
With relatively short experience in NYSE, I may have a wrong idea about what is going on. If the FIX allows us to trade most brokers in the world, then it should be welcomed than selenium, of course. Anyway no one knows definite final answer for the universal trading system. Neglect my another (proposed) choice of selenium if you wish. I guess there will be a NEW (universal) technology within the next five years or so. Let us think about a new choice for the future. At least I won't spend lots of time for EACH APIs for every individual brokers. (Some cheap broker does NOT provide their API !!!) Tax may be crucial. (For example UK charges 0.5% while some country charges 0.3% for transaction ONLY with NO annual income tax) Also some country charges by annual income tax like 1040 US Federal tax. / I mean lots of trading logic CANNOT be survived in another country with another tax system. Suppose one country charges >200K for overall total tax from 30 to 80 (50 years) to frequent trader, then it might be better to fly to other country with less tax. At lest I won't fly to UK.
I assume you "filled me in" on content I cannot see from OP. The idea alone of anyone interested in Bloomberg without understanding what Bloomberg does and what products it sells sounds dubious at best. Tradebook comes to mind but it is nothing but an agency model that simply routes orders to brokers a trader has to establish a relationship with in the first place. I heard that Bloomberg also operates a brokerage subsidiary but I have never used it hence cannot comment on it. I used Tradebook a while ago when I had a subscription but only did so because my previous firm's own execution algos were so lousy.
The definite final answer for the universal trading system! Sounds like a religion. 1. UK CFDs are not taxed, no small-time trader trades UK stocks. 2. Most brokers don't care about where you are when it comes to taxation, you are taxed based on your residency or corporate residency. Unless you're from the US, then you're taxed the same no-matter where you are. You just sound very confused and your last paragraphs don't really make any sense. Do you even have a solid trading plan that is shown to produce profit every year?
Last sentence might be all that matters. ******************* For example. 1) In the country like 0.5% UK 2) in the country like 0.3% 3) in the country like 0.1% Probably 1) My logic is under water 2) My logic is above the water 3) My logic is a lot above the water ************** Meanwhile in the country (like US charging income tax), my logic is probably above the water with tax bracket 20% or less. I doubt it will be successful in the long run under the bracket of 38%. (or 39.6% as shown in https://www.irs.com/articles/2015-federal-tax-rates-personal-exemptions-and-standard-deductions)
I found one bad news for selenium. If we use CTRL+mouse ↑ to see a enlarged size letter in Explorer screen, then selenium is NOT working currently. Furthermore, some broker does NOT support chrome/firefox however all(?) brokers support Microsoft Explorer.