Hello fellow readers, I am unsure if such a poll was there in the past, but even if yes, time has passed and things changed. I want you to express your opinion, whether IB should create a new Trading System (Client Software) that is NOT based on Java, but a native Win32/64.Exe or a portable source code, maybe with some platform-independent library. For those of you not firm with that stuff, I want to list the advantages and disadvantages coming to my mind impartially: Advantages: - Really greatly increased performance, much faster handling of your input in the front-end (!) - Memory useage will decrease very significantly. I would expect a well coded solution at around 10Mb "VM Size", while Java-TWS currently hogs 80 - 120 MB (both important, since the yearly increase in computing power for PC's nearly came to an end or at least slowed down greatly given the past yrs) - More Options for future developments, esp. for Charting (see performance) and additional API functions - No longer depend on Java Technology, which more & more becomes obsolete for many programmers and has been disputed in the past (MSFT). - Better possibilities for debugging and tracking down errors at client's sites, possibly meaning lower support costs for IB Disadvantages: - Loss of platform independence !! (possibly, depending on solution) - May be an increased cost for IB
As stated, IB could remain platform independent by using a cross-platform library, like Qt by Trolltech. Such source code would compile (with no or minimal changes) on any of the platforms mentioned.
Finally trading software that runs just as well on a Mac... Performance is relative... and how much is memory nowadays? Besides, I find it fast enough for my trading, but then I am not a scalper. Please keep it cross platform!
So, there is a requirement for PC, Mac and Unix variants. These could be solved (as others do) by compiling platform specific (fast, efficient, clean) versions of TWS or by having a Windows specific for the majority of users a java version for everyone else.
I should have added that CPU + memory useage is especially an issue for users of mobile computers (less hardware and battery power gets depleted soon).
IB's use of Java probably extends even to backend processes, in an effort to streamline the tech and standardize. Converting TWS to another technology would probably hinder this synergy, and in my mind be a waste of effort.
I run 3 TWSs on my 512Meg laptop, they run fine. And 2GB costs nothing these days, not that you need than much to run TWS. Platform independance is great. And you can run TWS in a browser from any PC in the world.
NOT native Win32/64 but ONLY platform independent. If it's native windoz, it's guaranteed NOT TO RUN on anything else. That's how master BG builds his stuff. (If it's platform INDEPENDENT, it will run on BG's gismo's as well, often even better. ) Further, you are quite right about the Java mess. In another thread I posted about Bruce Tate's book "Beyond Java" (O'Reilly). This is a cogent analysis of the past, present and future in software. The attentive reader will not fail to recognize the grave shortcomings of Java. Savvy users, nay even widely known star Java programmers have quietly and not so quietly been abandoning ship since a couple of years now. Much better exists giving far less problems. (You get platform independence thrown in for free ) Great initiative crusher. Thanks. nononsense