I know all about high frequency algorithmic trading. You're wasting your time unless you have a server co-located at the exchange, employ a mathematician to tweak the algo and trade hundreds of thousands of trades at the spread. Just saying.
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I don't do algo trading, as you say, for that you need some serious hardware and the location of your server(s) is paramount as you need 'instant' execution. Also the liquidity requirements for this kind of trading can be substantial and its usually only done with those with extremely deep pockets and or extensive lines of credits with their respective brokers/banks.
What I use is just semi-automated. I have my platform running on my desktop, laptop, tablet and mobile for trading. The software I wrote runs on my desktop (was always on a VPS) and this manages the trades i.e. placing and moving of stops, closing trades based on % profit etc.. So far from algo trading.
I've scaled back substantially over the past 24 months and part of that was the dropping of the VPS server I used as I now only trade around 3 to 5 times a month. I am now looking into setting up the VPS again but will only do so from next year as I'm now done for this year.
It's just my warped sense of humour ragging you. No offence 
The daytrader community is SA is pretty small so it's a nice surprise to hear a fellow trader.
You sound like you know what you're doing so you can't be some amateur.
I've just seen a hell of a lot of guys who've done an online forex course calling themselves traders !
The daytrader community is SA is pretty small so it's a nice surprise to hear a fellow trader.You sound like you know what you're doing so you can't be some amateur.
I've just seen a hell of a lot of guys who've done an online forex course calling themselves traders !
Cannot agree more. The community as you say is small especially when you look at those making actual money. I know about 14 odd traders of which there is 4 whom I know make some serious money, the other say they do but I doubt it. It's not an easy business as you will know.
If somebody asks me what I do I always say that I sell insurance. Once said nobody bothers asking for more details and the conversation immediately steers away from 'what do you do' as they are to scared I will try and sell them something. I even have some friends who have referred people to me for insurance as they honestly think that is what I do.
I do this as I hate discussing trading because as you say, everybody and his dog is a trader and everyone knows better or best. Been at it for about 12 years now and have been lucky to count myself amongst the small percentage who actually make money in this business.
Had a very good run the past 5 odd years so decided to hang up the proverbial gloves and not to try and ride the wave all the way to the beach. We all know the wave has to crash sometime or another so I decided best to get off while the going was good and to change my approach and strategy. So I got out, took 95% of my capital out, blew about 25% on everything I wanted (which included a decent house etc..) and invested the rest at a safe and fixed rate.
I now only trade around 5 days a month and only do so as and when required or when I have nothing else to do i.e. rainy days when I cannot fly and or play golf. An utterly boring life.
If somebody asks me what I do I always say that I sell insurance. Once said nobody bothers asking for more details and the conversation immediately steers away from 'what do you do' as they are to scared I will try and sell them something. I even have some friends who have referred people to me for insurance as they honestly think that is what I do.
I do this as I hate discussing trading because as you say, everybody and his dog is a trader and everyone knows better or best. Been at it for about 12 years now and have been lucky to count myself amongst the small percentage who actually make money in this business.
Had a very good run the past 5 odd years so decided to hang up the proverbial gloves and not to try and ride the wave all the way to the beach. We all know the wave has to crash sometime or another so I decided best to get off while the going was good and to change my approach and strategy. So I got out, took 95% of my capital out, blew about 25% on everything I wanted (which included a decent house etc..) and invested the rest at a safe and fixed rate.
I now only trade around 5 days a month and only do so as and when required or when I have nothing else to do i.e. rainy days when I cannot fly and or play golf. An utterly boring life.
true, never helps to get agitated on a forum, as they say, nobody ever walks away from a skirmish a winner