I fail to see the benefit. So xyz algo is buying. Then pqr algo starts selling to price being at a level thanks to xyz. Or, xyz is buying because it wants to spoof and start selling even harder. I dont need some fancy software to teel me someone/thing is buying or selling. The numbers do that job well enough thanks. Also, I may not be trading is the same time frame as HFT, gain making it pointless. Just my thoughts.
I believe any data that comes through the program while you run it is saved so you can go back through previous days.
I fail to see what that has to do with anything, especially the usefulness of such a tool. All I am saying is that the usefulness is clearly a question of time frame that one is operating in. Unless you too are a HFT, then the product will be of little value. Further more, if you are HFT, then the tool is even more useless as it is delivered over the internet, meaning that any information will suffer from such latency that the information derived will be obsolete as soon as you see it. The sarcasm of your reply suggests I may have offended you, for which I apologise. I can only assume you therefore have some personal connection with this software which I was unaware of from your initial post. All the best.
Why write off a tool that you've never tried? Do you trade indexes? If so, have you noticed how all day long indexes cycle back and forth, typically between volume events? These events are the HFT guys. The more details you have about these events, the better decision you can make. You can trade 5 min bars and still gain useful information from this tool. I have no personal connection, just wanted to set the record straight for a piece of software that I consider to be useful.
I do not need to try cigarettes to understand they will be detrimental to my well being. Indeed I have noticed the phenomena you mention. However I would disagree they are a cause of HFT. They are a cause of the psychology of participants of which we are all familiar with. If it helps, my experience of HFT in the industry is that it is mostly used as an execution method than in a strategy per se. GetCo, Brevan Howard et al. tend to employ traditional traders and convert their ideas in to a HFT platform. The trader then monitors the strategy. Indeed many prime brokers also offer a variety of HFT algo's for execution of large buy-side flow. The only HFT strategies that tend to used as a strategy in it's own right are market making and statistical arbitrage. Irene Aldridge has written extensively on the subject, and I'd highly recommend her texts should you have time. The bottom line is that far too many people are 'scared' of HFT. It is becoming the scape goat of too many. It would seem the authors of this software are cashing in on this fear, uncertainty and doubt. Just my opinion of course.