I chose Windows. For me, the choice was simple, and partly a matter of elimination:
- Not mobile (I"m not going to try to trade from tiny charts on a phone.)
- Not Mac, not Linux (nothing wrong with these, but I don't I don't run them for anything else. If I did, I would have been fine with them.)
So that just leaves Windows, which is what I do everything on, and web, which would be fine and would have the advantage of not being tied to my location..
I still chose Windows, because I think it's going to be a more reliable platform, at least now. This is a more conservative choice, putting current solidity first. It's also slightly at odds with a condition of the poll, "even if your platform doesn't currently support it." Leaving aside current practicality, I think that a web platform is theoretically a better choice in an ideal world because it is available anywhere, but we're not in an ideal world, are we?
In ten years, I don't know what my choice would be. Maybe computing would no longer take place mainly on the desktop, which is probably the long-term direction we're heading in, so maybe I would choose differently.
Bob.
When one door closes, another opens.
-- Cervantes, Don Quixote
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I could write a book about how Windows 10 (which is the only Microsfot OS left being supported) is the most bloated OS that there is, with features and processes users don't really need and overusing PC resources.
You have no control over what happens to your PC. Updates get installed when Microsoft wants, not when users want.
I selected Linux although there's no real trading market for it because of its stability and the granular control that users have over the OS.
I don't think Web can be considered a serious interface for trading live. If you want just to check quotes or display nice charts, no problem.
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I own a Mac laptop as well as a Windows PC. Yes my broker is available for my Mac however Ninjatrader is not unless you use some stupid app called "parallels".... same thing if you use TC2000. I had nothing but problems with "Parallels" thus because my Mac is newer, it has the ability to use a program they have called "bootcamp" which essentially partitions the hard drive on the Mac so that when it boots up you can choose either Windows or the Mac OS. Yes it did mean purchasing a separate Windows operating license however in my view it was worth it. If these companies would have separate software to just run on Mac, I would stick with Mac only.
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I have windows as my main PC (home) a 3 monitor setup which is nice when trading at home.
Sometimes when I am out and about it would be nice to check the market and I almost always carry a Linux laptop with me.
Personally, There is a way another every platform using dual boots or VM. I think the next best thing would be to look at ARM processors (x86) and see the first platform to run that.
Apple M1 chipset started rolling the ball already and windows is falling behind. I would love to see those chip set be put in a small desktop form as well.
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Web enabled cross-desktop apps is taking by storm financial world, openfin is one of many of these examples. Soon OS platform will be not a big concern, as google doing too great job with chromium project.
My biggest thought is--I would appreciate a Rithmic mobile platform, not for charting or anything related to reading the market..rather, just for order management/entry/deleting. I would like this to access my orders on my mobile device (w cellular data) in case my desktop internet connection goes down. Fortunately, Rithmic OCO orders are kept server-side so this is not a huge deal. Or I can tether my desktop to my cell phone and use it as a failover internet connection. But sometimes a very simple, clean mobile solution just for order management/entry can be nice. CQG has such mobile apps.
I like the idea of browser-based solutions but I'm not familiar with these, and I wonder if these are written with the same capabilities that modern desktop platforms have (such as IRT, Sierra, NT8, MotiveWave).
I believe MotiveWave runs natively on linux (and windows), which seems nice. FWIW.
I really enjoy my Linux desktop. Just using my Manjaro distro is absolutely beautiful and runs buttery smooth. Took a bit of nerding out to learn it but I'm glad I did. I use Motivewave and Tastyworks and web platform with Tradestation on my Linux.
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Broker: AMP, ADMIS, Gain, Charles Schwab. Data: CQG, Open-eCry
Trading: Emini ES
Posts: 6 since Jun 2013
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I would like to use a Linux-based platform; I do not want to be associated with Microsoft in any way shape or form, as I am of the opinion that Bill Gates is an extremely dangerous psychopath & a megalomaniac.
Leave it to an OS discussion to start a flame war.
Personally, I am platform agnostic, but some people tend to get really emotional on the subject. If you cannot trust a Microsoft OS, then you may want to get off the grid altogether.
For OS, it is Windows for me, and I've used all platforms listed. Windows 2000 was the best, lightest, and fastest of any operating system for a long time, but I can't have that any more.
Windows 10 Pro runs all of my platforms just fine and is not bloated, although I do my own builds. If you are buying retail, then you have to deal with that. Live trading, I have a 2 vCPU on Windows 10 VM and CPU utilization runs at about 10-15% (about 11 live algo trading systems).
For those concerned, you can control the updates to Windows 10. As a part of my normal trading week, I will run updates after close of market Friday or open of markets Sunday. Or just delay. If you need details, it is really dead simple...send me a DM.
Having a Mac for Mac's sake and running Parallels....basically running a virtual machine....I could do that on any machine for a lot less than a Mac.
Moving to Python systems at some time in the future will allow me to be platform agnostic for trading. Then I will just run a Windows or Linux server with a pretty front end to watch the robots trade on my behalf, wherever I am.
~vmodus
Enjoy everything!
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It's a hodge podge world. For example, say I want to run Windows / NT on a VM in Chicago. I'm choosing Windows because that's what you need to run NT, but for all I know the VM is running on a Linux box.
If only Sierra Chart would exist for linux... Sadly, Linux has too few users for it to be worth compilling and providing support for, so sadly we are all stuck with windows.
Yes, i know VM exists, but it just not worth the hassle if you already have windows.
I'm dual booting Windows 10 and Fedora 33
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Use Tastyworks. They have a Linux trading platform. I use Ninjatrader in a VM on Linux.
It is the only thing I use windows for as I feel quite similar.
I’m using Sierra Chart on Mac with Parallels and of course Windows 10. I will be removing Win10 and Parallels for CodeWeavers Crossover to run Sierra Chart. Advantage is not having to install the complete Win10 OS.
