My wife had a work related crisis that she needed my help with so I ended up missing it. Did you see the thread "What's the catch?" (http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8135&perpage=6&pagenumber=1)? It had some interesting comments on system development. I am very slowly getting to know eSignal's new development language (based on Javascript). Have you decided on a platform to develop your system?
It's an excellent thread. It seems many guys who've been around the block share their system experiences there. I think I'm gonna try WealthLab.
There's a lot of good feedback on WealthLab. Do you need the developers version to do intraday analysis? There's a WealthLab group on Yahoo (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wealth-Lab/messages) that seems to have some activity. One of the advantages of WealthLab, like TradeStation (although certainly less so), is the amount of resources available. The eSignal system development resources are relatively slim but growing (and service is great - I've had a couple of indicators that I was interested in and they quickly programmed them for me). TradeStation is something I'm keeping an open mind about but they have such a bad reputation for system quirks and poor customer service that I'm in no rush, particularly as things improve with eSignal and IB.
i mainly scalp stocks all day. Trade options every once in awhile. Never done e-minis but have started reading about them. How long you been a trader?
I'm over in Contra Costa County. Been back to my native SF Bay Area after 14 years in NYC as a floor trader, having traded stock-index futures on the NYBT and gold and silver on the COMEX for legendary commodity fund manager, Paul Tudor Jones. Am currently using Pro-Trader's "Gr8t-Trade" electronic platform from my home via a high-speed DSL line. Was introduced to Pro-Trader via the boys up in Redmond, Washington at Innovative Trading. If you are new to the ECN trading game, they are very good about answering your questions with no strings attached. Very thorough and professional.
[Do you need the developers version to do intraday analysis? There's a wealthlab group on Yahoo (groups.yahoo.com/group/Wealth-Lab/messages) that seems to have some activity.] Our Yahoo! Group is growing slowly, but most activity still takes place on our own forum: http://www.wealth-lab.com/cgi-bin/WealthLab.DLL/categories Cheers, Dion Kurczek Wealth-Lab, Inc.
If anyone is interested I know that there is a decent Andover office in SF that is wanting to expand (I guess who isn't). If anyone is interested in checking it out or talking furthur about it just PM me and I can give you some people to contact about rates or anything else. They are wanting to get some traders in there that like to share ideas to build a good environment that should help everyone.