Automation allows the most extensive coverage. As the search process becomes more manual, its scope must decrease. People do not need to scan hundreds or thousands of securities to be successful. Regardless, searches of those extents are possible, but they require computers to do.
I swing trade. I use Amibroker to scan 7000 stocks every day using my scan criterias. My scans select 50 to 100 stocks every day. I review their charts to identify the good trading patterns. DT1
"...when it comes to trading, it is another ball game. Is this true for you NoiseTrader?" I agree with the above 100% -- Analysis and trading are totally different ball games -- I'm the real deal and I eat my own cooking -- I do it live in real- time and I post the trades in a Yahoo conference. You can download an Excel file with the trades I''ve been posting live and trading myself in the last quarter for my trading group. I have zero interest in the coulda shoulda and wouda BS.... I'm interested in only three things: 1) Doing more of what works and doing less of what does not work. 2) I want what I do that works to be founded in market principles...so that its robust and keeps working 3) I want to do it in a way that I can get take a high probability entry manage the trade and take partials to offset risk, and get low-risk exposure to volatility. I invite you to come trade with me for a while and see for yourself. I'll gladly send you or anyone interested my daily trading plan which details what I'm looking at and exactly what I am seeing every day. Just go to my weblog at: http://www.street-noise.net/articles/ And select the "BUY LIST" icon.