Hi, Is there any way I can put Trader Workstation and Java onto a USB key and make it work? I plan on traveling overseas soon and need to be able to trade at Internet cafes. Many times they won't allow you to install Java onto the computer unless you have administrator privileges. I've already tried directly installing both TWS and Java onto a USB key but can't get TWS to run. While IB has a Web platform, I can't trade fx from it. Thanks.
The java-based TWS can be run from the web site as well as a desktop icon. You just select "trader workstation" instead of "web trader" from the main web page drop down box. The TWS installs stuff to a directory on the C: drive as well as the C:\windows\... directory. It's the only way it'll run. If you don't have admin privileges on that comp, you're basically hosed. If you think about it, it makes sense. They can't have every customer coming through installing or running executables they don't have control over. It'd potentially compromise the system for others. I'd say just get yourself a cheap notebook comp. Dell has specials for around $500-600.
If you have someone back at home to reboot your home PC if needed, you could use a remote desktop client. LogMeIn.com. I would use a remote desktop service that has one time passwords as those internet cafes can have key loggers and such like on them.
Seriously, get your own comp and take it along. Don't do internet cafes; they're very insecure especially if you're going to a sketchy foreign country.
I would advise against doing anything sensitive, especially accessing my brokerage account on an internet cafe computer - they're full of keyloggers, programs that track activity, especially in a foreign country could be dangerous. On a side note, has anyone tried TWS on one of these new "netbook" computers...how well does it run?
Thanks, I'll probably buy an Asus EEPC (or something similar) in the next week or so. I plan on running IB TWS, Ninja Trader and some charting software. The Asus seems better than the Acer for battery life (more MaH) and a slightly larger screen (10 vs 9 inch). If anyone has a different opinion, would love to hear.
I'm running it on an Asus Eee with 1 GB RAM under Linux. Works fine, a little slow sometimes, but that could also be the Java implementation I'm using.
Another option is to put an entire operating system onto a USB flash drive or onto a CD-ROM (or both). When on the road, I mostly trade from my latop, but every now and then I find myself in certain situations where I need to use someone else's computer. Being able to boot directly from the CD or USB device allows me to use a completely different OS without having to make any changes to the person's computer that I am using. This is particularly helpful when you're out of town and staying at a friend or family member's house, and they either have some old outdated OS like Windows98 or they are the type of people who are paranoid about other people using their computer and making changes to it. Its also a lot safer and more secure, since you're not exposing yourself to any viruses or malware that might already be present on the computer you're borrowing. The only problem is that you need the ability to reboot the computer, and the computer has to have either the CD-ROM drive or the USB ports in the boot order before the hard drive is specified. This is easy enough to change in the system BIOS on a friend or family member's computer, but its hit or miss as to whether or not you'll have the ability to do it on a public computer in an internet cafe. There are lots of linux live-cd's out there to choose from, but I use Slax (www.slax.org) for linux images and VMWare for Windows images.
get yourself one of the new netbooks. I got a dell mini9, and it's great for traveling and remote trading. Full XP, and just add drive encryption for improved privacy, should you lose the netbook.