We were going to release our next beta tomorrow. However, we had some feedback from the Yanks, that basically we need to clean up the configuration page when you set up a new broker.

Right now, the entries cover both the USA and AUS (as well as other countries). The difference is in how taxes are charged by the brokers for a trade.

We had everything on one page. This was not an elegant solution since it caused trouble tickets where the USA users would ask if they had to fill in the VAT components since they didn’t apply. By breaking this interface out, we are hoping to clean up some of the confusion.

With so many trading centers around the globe, trying to get a generic interface built just didn’t work. So, we are trying to make it more specific. Pick where you are, and what you need, then set up your accounts.

So far, we have:
1. A new Trading Rules section. This tool has been completely redesigned so you can build a new rule, pick the type of financial instrument it applies to, and what markets you want to use it with.

2. A completely new interface for the Trading Notes section. These notes are now integrated into the database so you can search for the notes on your previous trades. This should make them more helpful as you review your successes and failures at the end of the week.

3. Several logical errors we found in our code. This is a constant review with every beta release. We keep pushing to ensure our code is as clean as possible by the time we release.

4. Still working on the DDE updates. Some of our testers wanted specific imports. We are working to include them as menu options for everyone. As an example, one user wanted to import their end of data from their trading site using DDE. We are working to make that choice available for everyone. If you have an existing account, you will need to enter your user name and password to pull the data.

Your feedback will help us make this tool more helpful to our users. So, please send your suggestions for version 6 Beta 9 after we release Beta 8.

We expect to release Version 6 Beta 8 within two weeks for another round of testing by our users.

Thank you all!

The Roo-Trader / OTrader team.

www.roo-trader.com
www.otrader.com.au

We are about to release Version 6 Beta 5 this weekend. The users that volunteered to test the software have been very positive.

This release will test pulling price updates. It also fixes some smaller features that we had not turn on yet. Help buttons, some menu choices, small bug fixes from previous testing, etc.

All of this means we are close to shipping our next big release. Our next beta release, Version 6 Beta 6, will be released at the end of February. Beta 6 will focus on the migration wizard to pull your Version 4 data into the new database.

Remember, if you have your paid support agreement, this is a free upgrade to you.

Thank you for all of your support these past eighteen months!

Happy Trading!

William and the OTrader/Roo-Trader Team!

Our development team has finally pushed out the first beta version of OTrader version 6.

We will put this early beta out to a few of our members to test the functionality. This first release duplicates everything version 4.2.5 currently provides to you. We need to make sure everything is smooth for our users before releasing it as our official product.

If you have a current license, you will get the update as part of your yearly support fees. In addition to all the future modifications as long as you are current.

Our goal is to release small quick updates to the code. This complete rewrite will allow us to add more functions that you have been requesting. This is the code base that we will use to build a more robust platform.

Our tentative release date is 2012-FEB-15. Like all software we may slip a week or two. But the early testing is looking good.

We have tried to clean the menu up for your use. The journal and risk management features are now integrated into the main interface. As we go forward, we need to add alerts, and more reports as well as more calculations for planning your trades before you get into the trading day.

Thank you all for your patience. This has been a 16 month project and it is finally coming to fruition. Your support has allowed us to rebuild OTrader and focus more on your needs!

Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones!

The OTrader / RooTrader Team!

Sean sent an email asking; “What happened to version 4.2.6?”

We rolled back to the previous release after testing the minor change we did to the DDE update option. We are still working on pulling Google updates and some other sites for our users.

However, instead of putting man hours into writing the software for our current version, we are putting the changes into the new version that is nearing completion. We only have so many hours in the week, so, the new software is our primary focus.

Version 4.2.5 is stable and used by our users this fall. So, the changes are not needed from a stability perspective. This was only to expand capability.

Sorry Sean, I forgot to update the blog and web pages. So, nothing but coal in my stocking this year!

Here is a photo from the Occupy Movement this month:

I am hoping this was a joke. If not, then see below.

While I can appreciate someone getting a degree in a liberal arts subject, didn’t anyone make this young lady take a class in Economics? Exactly what is the worldwide market for a degree in Hispanic, Transgender, Gay and Lesbian studies? What university took this woman’s money?

The Occupy Wall Street movement has spawned clones around the world. Unemployed adults, some families, a few Hollywood stars, all sitting in, hanging out, and complaining about the current wave of Robber Baron’s ruining their futures.

Here in Vancouver, BC, it looks like a lot of energy, with no clear message, targeting the wrong people. Cities are starting to force the protestors off of the public squares where they have been camping. Who should they be targeting?

First, who sold you this degree? If you bought a car with no engine, you would attack the automaker. If you got a $96,000 education from a university, with no clear way to repay your student loans, go protest at the university! Do they not have a stake in making sure their graduates can actually use the degree they sold them? How about a few class action law suits against the Board of Regents for allowing the school to produce worthless educations?

Second, Wall Street is a business. The finance industry operates in a regulatory environment. The governments released the tight controls from the 1930′s and built the financial system that has grown over the past several decades. The laws and meetings can all be traced back to the politicians and regulatory officials who passed the new rules. These people are NOT in Wall Street. They are all in Washington DC. Get a map and go there to protest. In the US, that means you need to talk to approximately 336 people who run the government for the people.

Third, this is a non-event. The press popularizes these gatherings like a massive wave of protest. Having gone by two sites, one in Oakland, CA and one here in Vancouver, BC, I can say, it is a small minority of disaffected people. I have seen bigger gatherings at a high school hockey game. Just be glad this isn’t a global wave of hockey fans trying to make a point. There would be a lot more blood!

Fourth, this is a sad commentary on the state of higher education. If this is a “movement”, then the universities need to get these people back in the classroom and teach them political history. Then the university should explain why they can’t get a job with the worthless degree they sold them.

Finally, while unemployment is high, capitalism is nothing but a tool, based on human nature and economic theory. Man uses tools for good or evil. Do not blame the tool for how it is used or exploited.

In defense of good old fashioned capitalism, more people are fed, clothed, and housed right now, than at any point in the history of the world. While a lot of people are still struggling, the bright shining beacon of hope is not communism, socialism, or any other failed social experiment.

The beacon of hope for the world is capitalism. With a stable financial system (this is the role for the bankers), minimal taxes (you need an incentive to work), a level playing field (this is the role of government), entrepreneurs (small business), and a strong work ethic, capitalism will allow the greatest number of people to feed their families and reach their individual dreams in life.

The Tea Party movement dwarfed this lost Occupy movement. Maybe the Occupy Movement should hire some consultants to get a clear message, and then spend some money to get there message out. Oh wait a minute…