Platform for Mac

Hi everyone

First of all I would like to thank all you who share your experience and systems, without you I would never have had the guts to throw myself into the Forex marked.

I have been working on my own system (derived from Demark) and am presently backtesting it manually on my Oanda platform. However I would love to be able to backtest further back in history than Oanda allows me to. So my question is, if there is any platform that runs on Mac, that allows me to retrieve historical chards (with all the normal timeframes and tools)? Or is there no way arround and I have to buy a PC and run Metatrader or equvalent?

Thanx in advance
Klaus

I feel for you - similar situation as I'm an Oanda customer. Do you by chance have a new Intel based Mac? If so, you can buy Parallels software which allows you to run Windows on it. If you're on a PowerPC based chip, don't bother with Virtual PC - too slow to be practical for trading. Otherwise, they may not be many options. You can try out the charts at dailyfx.com or at:

http://www.investoolsct.com/currency/free_charts.asp

But they don't have nearly the detail and functionality as MetaTrader.

I love my setup - an Intel based Mac (17" IMac, 1 gig of RAM) with a 20" LCD monitor as a second screen. On the main screen is OANDA and my web browser. On the second screen is the Parallels installation with Windows 2000 - running MetaTrader.

Macs may not be for everyone, but this gives me great flexibility.

So the commercial was right about Mac not being for fun only ... they also go to work! PCs are boring ... they're all about work work work!

Do yourself a favor, get a cheap PC such as a $500 HP or Gateway at Best Buy, CompUSA etc. I, too have a iMac G5 and eMachine for trading. Having a PC opens the door for more flexibility. I use the iMac for fun stuff.

No unfortunately I only have the PowerPC version with 20" screen, so I think I'll have to invest in a second computer.

Your setup sounds wonderful, I would love to stay on Mac since I use it commercially for my work as designer.

Thanks again.

I think you are right, I'll stay on my G5 for work and get an affordable PC for trading.

Thanks for your reply
Klaus

Why is a mac so much better for designing? I can do the same stuff in photoshop with a pc.

Theres not that big a difference in the capabilties of Mac and PC, especially when you talk about photo editing programs like Photoshop, RAWshooter etc.

However when we talk about more design specific programs like FormZ, MAYA, SolidThinking, then I think there is quite a difference in the efficiency of the overall workflow. I simply can produce more since I moved to Mac.

You could make a whole list of advatages and disadvantages, but in the end Im sure it's more a question of preference than of pure functionality.

Have a nice day
Klaus

If you are in the industry, macs are clearly the choice ....and yes I do use both plaforms and am stuck with a PC as my primary work station. let's not get into platform semantics but stick with ...what are the options, so to speak, for mac users????

Thanks,

JP

Because my Macs were unable to run FXCM's platform, I bought my first PC in early 2004... strictly for trading. Virtual PC--at least the older versions of it--was clunky and never gave full functionality of the software designed for Windows-based programs, so I bought a really scaled down desktop with the bare minimum required to do what I needed.

Except for a brief exposure to my father's PC in 1997, I had only ever used Macs. The "stiffness" and unimaginative layout of the earlier Windows system really turned me off. I loved the intuitive nature of the "drag and drop" Mac OS.

But I was pleasantly surprised when I began using my new PC with Windows XP, and found some attributes and functions that, I had to admit, would really enhance and improve upon the Mac OS. Now I envision a computer that merges the best of the two operating systems. That would be something I'd definitely purchase.

I still love my Macs, though. They just feel so much better to touch, and they help stir up my imagination when it comes to my "creative" work. Aesthetically, they're far superior as well... at least that's my opinion.

So... having said all that... I think you would be very wise, Klaus, to invest in a PC that will allow you to not only use the programs you need for your trading, but that will also permit you to see what you've been missing elsewhere in the big wide world of computing (more than you'd likely guess). A friend and world-renowned photographer, Vincent Versace, switched from Apples to PCs, so it is being done by the brightest and the best! There's a bit of a learning curve, but it's well worth the effort.

I'll close with some advice from an old Alka Seltzer commercial...

"Try it. You'll like it!"



Trade well.


Fiona

It should also be noted that the new macs can be ordered with both mac and windows OS (and not just the emulation but the actual OS.)

Good Luck