J-trader Demo

I recently downloaded the j-trader demo and tried using it . I found it very"big and clumsy" compared to IB platform. I am an intraday nq trader using only limit and stop orders . NOTHING FANCY. for those people familiar with jtrader will it be an improvement over what I use now(IB)? Thank you.

 

larrybf: "will it (J-Trader) be an improvement over what I use now(IB)?"

I have access to both platforms. I prefer J-Trader but I understand how you'd feel that it could be "big and clumsy". It does take up too much space.

The bottom line is that I've had far too many problems with IB's TWS and I've not had the same issues (lagging quotes, hung orders, or no fills) with the J-Trader platform. To fair, though, J-Trader has frozen a few times. IB seems to lock up less.

Overall, J-Trader performs much more reliably and effectively, IMHO.

 

Tymjr- can the trading screen be resized and adjusted for j-trader. I didnt try to change any of the settings. i forgot to try.

 

larrybf: "can the trading screen be resized and adjusted?"

Yup. The only things I haven't been able to resize are the login and DOM windows.

 

Tymjr- THANKS MUCHO. Any recomendations for a jtrader broker?

 

larrybf: "Any recomendations for a jtrader broker?"

Not really. Most of my Mini trading is done through PMB, right now, though.

 

I failed to mention that, according to a tech I’ve spoken with, J-Trader is connected directly to Globex2 via the FIX API while IB's TWS is not directly connected. This may not be accurate but it certainly syncs up with my experiences with IB’s platform. How much those milliseconds affect your trading or whether this is true, on a broker-by-broker basis, I cannot say. I would recommend you check out this issue for yourself, though.

If you stay with IB, do yourself a big favor and get another broker for offsets, when, not if, IB has a systemic problem. I’m not singling out IB. Every broker has downtime, but IB’s trade desk can be murder in an emergency. Having multiple accounts has saved my ass numerous times.

 

that's also what I understood from JTrader's doc. I can hardly believe it ('cause you could ruin yourself with a mistake, if allowed by the software) but that's what they claim.
IB has a direct connection too, but you must first relay your order through IB system, if I understood their platform well. I could be wrong.

tntneo

 

tntneo: “'cause you could ruin yourself with a mistake, if allowed by the software…”

What is it that you are referring to, neo? I would imagine that there must be some sort of risk control built into the software.

 

yes, tymjr, JTrader must check with the broker your margin limits etc.. because my understanding is, when you talk directly to Globex with FIX this information is not available there. So your program must check ANYWAY your broker, otherwise there is something I don't get.
If not, I guess you could ask for 1000 contracts and I don't see how globex would know you can afford it or not. Actually I remember such an order going through from a firm a few months ago, a typo, the order was supposed to be 'work out' and it went straight sending futures way down on no news no technical no nothing.
At least it was reported that way, we'll never know what really happened. (maybe someone remembers : order origin was Japan who wanted to sell stocks, the firm wanted to hedge with futures but it went full blast instead of slowly accumulating shorts). anyway.

if someone knows more about how JTrader Patsystems can talk direct with Globex, still checking (or not) your account, and what does globex check when being talked from their FIX interface... It is just curiosity because I still see no difference in quotes between IB and CME quotes or eSignal. maybe I am lucky.
of course, I do know there is an internet delay for all 3 (!) to my machine, but it costs so much more to remove that delay anyway (hardware, software etc...).

tntneo