There is no single winner take all system but there are many individual techniques that added together can constitute part of a trading "system". One thing that you need to consider: If you consider your trading venture a business then all of the research, analysis, and experiment that you put into developing your trading approach is part of your intellectual property. Discussing it in detail in public would be a problem. However if your business (in whole or in part) is education - selling books, courses, etc - then discussing things in public is really part of the marketing process and a valid public business activity.
Sharing broad market ideas and concepts is one thing, but to divulge an entire trading system is another. I have personally gained knowlege from books, articles, and conversations which I have fashioned into my own trading plan. I a truly thankful for that and would share the broader aspects of what I have learned with others. On the other hand, I would never just come out and divulge the intricacies of a complete trading plan. Trading is a competition pure and simple. You don't hear about athletes telling the other side what their exact strategy is. This notion of sharing everything makes no sense to me!
Dead on, this is capitalism, pure competition. Those who know nothing but whine "gimme gimme" are living in the wrong country.
Right, that's a good reason why some people talk about their strategies, but some other just feel the urge to be popular, to be recognized as "big swinging dicks", regardless of their actual trading skills. Many clueless people start "teaching" just because that makes them feel important. Humans are social animals.
Even better...share it live-realtime in one of the traders chat rooms on mIRC via private messaging. Ahem. Or, you could create a private room in ET Chat. I'd say it comes down to particulars. I have no problem saying I'm a swing trader who generally trades less active stocks, but solid companies. I don't always share the ticker symbol, however. Some of them are thin, I don't want too many people trading them the way I do. I'm sure this is the type of reason that keeps people from sharing everything. Also, you're not predisposed to help someone if there's no rapport. I think some people expect to join in, without taking the time to cultivate a relationship. André
People who expect to find profitable strategies and systems just by reading stuff on ET or elsewhere are making a mistake. First off IMHO, profitability is not a matter of strategy, entry , exit etc . but a matter of mindset. I personally don't read too much the strategy and system threads, as most of the time I am not comfortable with the approach. Anyway I always want to do things my way. It's also understandable that when it took you years to gain an edge you are not going to share it for free with strangers . Still there is plenty to learn on ET about psychology, exchanges, regulations, platforms, prop trading, hedge funds etc.
it's a matter of strategy AND a matter of mindset. you need an edge, no question about it, but you also need the right mindset to keep a total control of your emotions.
You are off-base. There are very profitable strategies that can be destroyed in a matter of days if only 10-20 more people implemented them. When dealing with semi-illiquid markets an edge can be taken away very quickly.