Mine as well. It's like a torture test for a whole minute. I've nothing like that with any other software. I can open a browser with 30 tabs up without issues in seconds.
This is because TWS has become slower with every version. Old TWS launched much faster. I feel they keep adding things, like the "fancier" login screen without doing any optimisation at all. Seems performance is never a topic in QA.
Things probably went even downhill after they sold off Timberhill. Timberhill traders supposedly used TWS. I think it was originally written for them. So I guess they no longer have real traders in house to give them the correct feedback.
I don't know. I only use Gateway (version 981), not TWS. I start it on Sunday evening and it keeps running until Saturday morning. No need to re-logon during the week.
No, it's an iMac, no M1. It's the latest build, otherwise TWS crashes (or did a few weeks ago) cause of the new OS. I do have M1 on my laptop, but I don't trade on a laptop if I can help it.
Java was fine for 2001. Only real choice back then was C/C++ or Java. With the C based solution tying you down to a specific platform. Browser technology was not up to the job back then.
You could try NinjaTrader8 using the TWS Gateway API. You can use your IB Data with it too. But then you still have the issue of intermittently poor data for some tickers. With NT8 you could take Kinietick data feed. That way you have good data, good platform and good fees/commissions. Another alternative is DAS Trader for IB. You use their platform and their data feed. DAS is not great for charting in my option, but it's super for day trading and scalping.