I believe many just become extremely good and they do so by studying the market in fine detail. Cornering some niche market segment with complex instruments, for example. It takes a lot of mental agility and it changes how one looks at trading. After that, coming to ET to read "Imma gonna make 1 millions in the next 2 month!!" doesn't really tickle the brain much. There has to be give and take - advice given and advice received. When it ends up being one-sided, the interest fades.
HFT has hurt only those w/o a skillset -- point/click monkeys. Those with analytical ability are *helped* by extra HFT-supplied liquidity.
OK , realize that many come here to hear what traders and financial professionals have to say. The reason is that I /we are not the aforementioned. I cant say that 20, 50 or 90 percent are in this camp but I think its a substantial %. i believe that those like GAT and SLE, to name a couple , realize that. The conversations these folks decide to have , and do have , with their striving peers are viewed by... well...how many Baron? Most, are probably secretly, grateful for this Imformation that was not available in this format 20 years ago. I take solace that I am amongst the unwashed masses contributing clicks to keep the cogs moving.. Keep talking ladies and gents.
So which one of the two is you? You've said that you're successful... and you're not selling/vending... So you're either a Piker or a Bored Troll
Yes. The focus should be on the positive, to encourage high-value members -- ideally "real names" who are verifiably active in the financial industry.
LOL. OK So all the guys who crushed it for 15+ years, year in and year out, suddenly all lost their skill set in the last few years? Whatever You sound like a noob. Nobody who ever traded pre-HFT would ever say something so stupid like "extra HFT supplied liquidity". HFT only supplies liquidity when you don't need it. The millisecond real volume comes into a stock spreads widen and liquidity disappears.
I'm not secretly grateful, I'm pretty openly grateful for the insights, answers, and history lessons from people like sle, fsu, and Bob although Bob at least getting compensated in a way for his content (hopefully!). Thanks guys.