Hi Meta1,
Couldn't help but reply to these...
Not true! MT4 recognizes RAW tick data just fine. You just have to force feed it. "Out of the box," so to speak...it doesn't deal with ticks. But with some pretty persuasion, it will more than happily Backtest using RAW tick data.
Not true! I use RAW tick data downloaded from Dukascopy all the time in MT4. 99% modeling quality. It adds a LOT of time to any backtest, or optimization...but can certainly be worth it...particularly if you're using a timeframe less than 1H.
Again...get a hold of some decent tick data, and you can have variable spreads...even off-line and on the weekend...throughout a backtest, or optimization...within MT4.
MT4 is certainly a bit of clunker, and I am by NO means a fan, but it can be coaxed along if you know how to do it. All kinds of "professional coders" out there, I suppose.
I completely agree that Live is where its at...does it sink, or swim...but I just wanted to point out that those three points are not accurate... in case anybody reads them and takes them as fact.
Couldn't help but reply to these...
Disliked1. MetaTrader doesn’t recognize tick-data
All the developed steps and decisions are basing on the available and historic data if you are developing a system. But the available data are not tick-data. Many developers believe that they are developing on the basis of historic real passed benchmark data. That’s not the case because MetaTrader calculates Pseudo-Ticks and how they could have been on the basis of 1minute candle with the appropriate High/Low/Open/Close...Ignored
Disliked2. All Backtests are based off the data which had been loaded by Metaquotes Server!
It doesn’t matter which Broker you got. The data in the development is based on the provided data by Metaquotes. The „correct“ data is not available at Forex-Markt but every Broker / Dealing-Desk makes his own prices or rather conveys each prices of the associated banks...Ignored
Disliked3. They work with an established Spread in Backtest
The Spread each Broker has looks, quite often, completely different and is even swayingIgnored
DislikedThe above-mentioned text is not from me, is from a professional coder.
Regards
Meta1Ignored
I completely agree that Live is where its at...does it sink, or swim...but I just wanted to point out that those three points are not accurate... in case anybody reads them and takes them as fact.