Several, execution for one. Another example, preceeding the aforementioned would be a process by which the current market environment is "measured." Obviously there are more depending on the level of sophistication of your algo(s).
to be more specific, i'm speaking of something a proprietary equities scalper would use as a front end. so much as I know, i don't believe any proprietary equities scalpers (or traders) who are aligned with a prop shop use a front end compatible with this. (for example, no prop shop I know uses IB, or ninja for that matter, but i'm not really speaking of futures, only stocks)
A front end like Ninja or IB cannot provide an edge. Only an algo can provide an edge. Algos are front end independent, only the programmig language is different. At any rate, there are grey and white box trading platforms for any kind of trading that do not require any programming. They are expensive and not sold to everyone and everywhere. They provide an edge if you know how to use them properly.
ib and ninja just prevent a certain style because of costs; agreed there is no edge. speaking of costs, expensive and inaccessible? not for long.... again, this thread isn't about "please tell me where i can find a equities specific grey box program that has a user friendly gui , that actually connects to a proprietary front end like anvil/laser/sterling" its about what the above would do to the average proprietary scalpers profitability if it were a. released to only a few b. available to everyone.
Scalpers as a group are losers anyway so I don't understand what the point is. If only 5% of scalpers makes money this can be attributed to selection bias. It does not reflect significance of any kind of forces or edges on the market. There are a few edges out there but whether available to everyone or not will not change the facts, if you understand what I mean....
it should be noted i never said it didn't exist. i initially say theres always been a barrier to entry regarding access to these tools: costs, lack of programming skills, inflexible gui/doesn't work well (or at all) with what you are using.
I see your point. Finally, someone who actually answered the question by making a prediction as to what would happen to the ave scalpers profitability if released to everyone or not. thanks for the reply (hopefully your response doesn't side track the entire thread since I can only imagine how it my prey on someone's insecurities about their own trading a.k.a "scalping is profitable, scalping isn't profitable, no its random ect ect blah blah")
grey box automation for scalpers in my opinion is necessary now, the mkt is too fast and automated not too use it, black boxs are too rigid , check out www.cyborgtrading.com its a grey box app that runs on top of front ends like sterling. You dont need to know anything about programming and you can build simple strategies like your previous 15 cent one to extremely complex strategies that would not be possible manually.
Interesting, I will take a serious look at it but can you tell me of hand, what can you do with this system you cannot do with Tradestation, Metatrader or Ninjatrader, for example?
From what it seems like... I guess the OP wants to develop a model that is (goes up against) the High Frequency Systems... Interesting...