Trading Platform Selection

Questions and discussion of Trading Blox and other platforms for non Trading Blox customers. Trading Blox customers should use the Trading Blox Support forum.
Post Reply
Griffy
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Aug 12, 2006 2:21 pm
Location: California

Trading Platform Selection

Post by Griffy »

I have seen several threads that address this issue, but none really pertain to my circumstances. I was wondering which platform out of the TS, WealthLab, and TBB would be best suited for me.

Current situation:
I have been discretionary trading for about a year now and would like to try to achieve more consistent results. Therefore I would like to start learning about mechanical trading/systems. I do not have any programming skills or know much about coding at all, although I am willing to learn. It is tough for me to learn these new things due to my day job. Also, I am not going to start with a large amount of money, probably close to 10k and then add up from there.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to which software would be best suited for a non-programmer now? I would like some user friendly software that I can start using and mess around with, and hopefully learn how to code more complex things as I go. I have a few ides that I would like to test in order to gain some insight into how they've acted in the past.

Any suggestions would be much appreicated, thanks.
ecritt
Roundtable Knight
Roundtable Knight
Posts: 134
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2004 3:44 am
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Contact:

Post by ecritt »

TS is worthless if you want to do any portfolio-level testing. Wealthlab is owned by a brokerage firm (Fidelity). I've spent the last few years interviewing and corresponding with several dozen systematic traders with respectable track-records that manage money professionally. None of them used Wealthlab. Some of them did use TradingBlox. I think that says a lot.

I use custom software, not TradingBlox; so I'm neither biased for or against it.

It takes years of full time effort to even compete at this game. Are you sure you want to take a stab at it part-time with an underfunded account?
jaym

Post by jaym »

Hi ecritt,

Out of curiosity do any of the other managers you correspond with use commercial packages?
ecritt
Roundtable Knight
Roundtable Knight
Posts: 134
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2004 3:44 am
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Contact:

Post by ecritt »

jaym wrote:Hi ecritt,

Out of curiosity do any of the other managers you correspond with use commercial packages?
As far as commercial packages, Mechanica and TradingBlox are the most common. A few use SmartQuant, or Rina/TS combo. Haven't come across anyone using Tradersstudio yet.

Many of these people are also using VB & Excel as well in day to day operations.
Griffy
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Aug 12, 2006 2:21 pm
Location: California

Post by Griffy »

Thanks for the comments so far. Anyway, ecritt, my main goal is to develop some end of day trading strategies, longer term and shorter term. I'm not even really thinking about managing money, just trading for my own account. And I will most likely start out trading stocks and possible other instruments at a later date when/if my account is large enough.
AFJ Garner
Roundtable Knight
Roundtable Knight
Posts: 2071
Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2003 3:33 pm
Location: London
Contact:

Post by AFJ Garner »

A tiny minority are lucky enough to achieve enlightenment by way of a Damascene conversion or in the sudden flash of understanding so reminiscent of the Zen tradition. Or so legend has it.

The majority of us must work long and hard on all aspects of our life and our career beofre we begin to see a murky light at the end of the tunnel.

I have found mechanical systems trading a long, slow but rewarding series of "aha" moments. Do not be in a hurry to commit your capital, take much time to learn this new trade.

With $10,000 it is difficult to see how you could use the approach of trading a well diversified portfolio using a long term system but Leonardo and others on this forum have suggested a plausible alternative for those with the guts, patience and intelligence to stalk their trading fortune on a shoestring.
BARLI
Roundtable Knight
Roundtable Knight
Posts: 650
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2004 6:01 pm
Location: USA

Post by BARLI »

Griffy, its very simple! they all give you trial period, try them all and see what's the most friendly for you! Its like anti virus software, there are cons and pros to all of them but once you get your hands dirty and see yourself then you can decide . Good luck!
hylt
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2004 4:22 pm
Location: China
Contact:

Post by hylt »

ecritt wrote:TS is worthless if you want to do any portfolio-level testing. Wealthlab is owned by a brokerage firm (Fidelity). I've spent the last few years interviewing and corresponding with several dozen systematic traders with respectable track-records that manage money professionally. None of them used Wealthlab. Some of them did use TradingBlox. I think that says a lot.

I use custom software, not TradingBlox; so I'm neither biased for or against it.

It takes years of full time effort to even compete at this game. Are you sure you want to take a stab at it part-time with an underfunded account?
Why they do not use Wealth-Lab? What's the limit or pros of Wealth-Lab? Thanks.
Griffy
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Aug 12, 2006 2:21 pm
Location: California

Post by Griffy »

This is a bit off topic, but I thought I would ask the question in here.

I am seriously considering purchasing TBB. As I mentioned before, I am not familiar with programming, but I have time and would like to learn how to code systems with the software. I noticed that TS and WL have somewhat extensive user manuals and code already avaliable online. I could not find the same with TBB. Does anyone have any recommendations about how I could go about learning the language?

All comments are appreciated.
Tim Vorst
Roundtable Fellow
Roundtable Fellow
Posts: 64
Joined: Sun Oct 10, 2004 12:47 pm
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma - USA

Post by Tim Vorst »

The Trading Blox User's Guide and Builder's Guide are really good. And may have what you are looking for. Check them out at this link:

http://www.tradingblox.com/tradingblox/ ... tation.htm

Tim Vorst
Griffy
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Aug 12, 2006 2:21 pm
Location: California

Post by Griffy »

Thanks for the response Tim. I will definantly check out those manuals.

Does anyone else have any suggestions as to any books or materials that I could study? Any comments would be beneficial since this is all new to me.
Nussgipfel
Roundtable Knight
Roundtable Knight
Posts: 115
Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2005 12:02 pm
Location: Westport

Post by Nussgipfel »

Below link will pretty much provide all you need!

http://www.tradingblox.com/tradingblox/library.htm

Kind regards,
Post Reply