i have not traded since 2006, I'm getting back in. I had used Tradestation and want to start using automatic execution using strategies again. Ninja did not hve automatic trading then. Does anyone have any opinions on using either of these platforms and are there any others. Looking at ease of use and cost. Tradestation is pretty locked down and I will be setting this up for a friend. Tradestation would cost an extra $100 per month to allow him to watch the platform trading. What about Ninja. thanks
If you're looking for an open and inexpensive trading platform that supports both automatic and discretionary trading, check out TradeLink. TradeLink is * 100% free and open source. * Supports 10+ brokers and 3 data feeds * tick-based so you can build strategies and apps that use bid/ask * support for standard things like bars, 100+ indicators, etc. * super fast, 300,000 ticks/second historical backtesting * low latency, 50microsecond messaging * 10,000+ downloads and active user community more info at website http://tradelink.googlecode.com
here is list of securities types supported across various brokers : http://code.google.com/p/tradelink/wiki/ProviderFeatureMatrix
Thanks, I am downloading EZ trader and Ninja from ProActive right now. I will take a look at them over the week. I used to use ProActive before I went with trade station in 2006. Eztrader charges $0.7 per RT for use and Ninja cost $60 per month. I need to be able to run the programs at 2 different locations and Tradestation wants $99 for that privilege. EZtrader can run at 2 locations but only 1 logged in at a time but Ninja both of us can be logged in.
Sierra Charts is fine really. C++ is easier to program in than Easy Language once you get past the learning curve...
I spent HOURS and HOURS working on these bs retail platforms. Hit a wall (in terms of features missing) with each and every one, cost me me maybe 6-8 months of development time and countless fees. I'd see my PnL rise, sure, but at great cost to productivity towards the later stages. Honestly, honestly: just write your own in C++ or Java or whatever. Takes longer, but the effort pays off. Software development takes time, there's no denying it. But freedom in the form of source buys you more avenues of "growth" that the effort ends up paying off.
What I need this for is my friend always trades T-notes, 2 years ago he made $400,000 then got out. Now he says its right to trade again. So he wants me to set it up to trade automatically. I have the program and had experience with trade station but he will only trade 6-20 trade a month. I will set it up for him by=ut he wants to have the ability to watch the program run and shut it down from his location. Unless one pays trade station $200 per month its not possible but Ninja trader it can be done, only one of us is allowed to be connected at a time which is ok. I was told I could trade automatically with EZ trader but I cant find out how and the brokerage house provided next to nothing in the way of information but to say it was possible. The only I can find is with a trade station signal, not on its own. I know Ninja trader can work by itself to do what we want with a minimum of fuss. It can import EZ language files and work off them.
This is the truth. In fact, the EL "bars" system gets in the way of data analysis and order placement than anything else. The market is moving in microseconds, and the retail guy is sitting around with several milliseconds before even seeing the order and these bar-based systems want you to hang around until the next 1-minute interval to put on a basic trade? It borders on lunacy, and the slippage is high enough to ruin a lot of otherwise doable, manageable retail trades.