On average, firefox crashes on me 2 - 3 times / week while I'm running the web-based streaming quotes application from another broker. I been using TWS for about 2 weeks now, haven't had 1 crash yet.
I don't really see many complaining about TWS "crashing". I think most of the complaints are the dreaded "pink outs", with associated data drops. I also think that a lot of these are ISP issues. What happens, imho, is that TWS will experience some data delays and dropouts when communicating with its servers. Then it responds by giving you the "not connected" indication. TWS must constantly have good data transfer with the IB servers. It doesn't just sit there waiting for you to click an action for it to do. These are the main complaints I have noticed with IB/TWS: 1. The constant introducing of new features and TWS upgrades. With a program of this size and complexity, the testing/debug/release cycle should probably be once a year, not once every month or two. 2. Data dropouts and connection problems. This is a tough one. There could be problems with your computer, TWS, your ISP, or IB servers. Hard to run down, but a lot of complaints hit after recent upgrades. Probably not a coincidence. EDIT: Just noticed the "Build 871 Fix" thread. Looks like recent problems for some were definitely an IB problem. 3. Customer service. IB is definitely understaffed in this regard, but that is how they offer such low commission. 4. Banking policies. IB is very tight and careful WRT approving funds. All that being said, I have been with IB for years. Best broker I have ever had. I have never had trouble with IB CS and my TWS problems are rare. The only thing that sometimes is a hassle, is upgrading my trading systems after a TWS/API interface change. Good trading to all.
I've never had a pinkout either that was IB's fault, every time i've had a pinkout was because my router crashed.
While TWS crashes occur only once a month or so with me, when they do happen I always think 'Have they noticed it?'. Surely IBcan't monitor every instrument on every market. And not Â@knowing if bells ring, if whistles blow or sirens sound whenÂ@a crash occurs, it's an eneasy feeling.Â@Do I just wait, reboot,Â@call? Wouldn't it be nice if there were a function where we could notify IB of a crash just as soon as it happens. If it's not a local problem, they would have tons of notices bringing it to their immediate attention. Just an 'e-mail hotline' address would do. Just a thought.
I know for a fact that my pink outs are not a router or ISP issue, and IB has acknowledged both on this forum and on a TS chat that there was 1) a mass disconnect issue that was caused by their servers (which they fixed a couple of weeks ago) and 2) a sporadic disconnect issue caused by their servers that is affecting a smaller group of users and which has still not been resolved. I don't fault IB for having technical issues. Everybody has them and planning for them is part of the game. I do fault them for taking so long to fix the problem and making users figure out for themselves that a problem exists rather than notifying users immediately when IB becomes aware of a problem that could cause their customers to lose money. The system status shows that there are no problems reported at this time (which is clearly not true). I really don't think that I'm holding them to an unreasonable standard.
Jango - Now that the problem has been repaired, are you still going to hang with IB or did you find an attractive alternative broker ?
Yeah, the pinkouts and the 9:30PST server drops are pretty annoying. I know it's IB on the pinkouts as I have a T1 and a fiber connection to my home.
Hi. I'm not aware that the server problem has been fixed yet. The TWS fix in 871 is a separate issue. I'm pretty much decided on Mirus Futures with an RCG account.
My answer, to this thread's title, "why do people complain about IB TWS crashing so much?", is that public complaints about TWS crashes are in fact extremely rare; and that they occur only in isolated situations rather than as part of any pattern; so that the premise of this thread's title is fundamentally misleading and flawed.
Doesn't sound like a separate issue to me. What am I missing? http://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/software/releaseNotes/TWS_Notes_871.php?ib_entity=#871_fix