Greetings all -- I am writing a book -- Introduction to AmiBroker -- that will help some people. I expect it to be available in early 2008. It will fill in the area between zero and Quantitative Trading Systems, the book that was published earlier this year.
But no matter how good the AmiBroker documentation is (and I think it is already excellent), or how good the AFL Wizard is (it is also excellent), or how many books are read, creating profitable trading systems still requires serious effort and understanding -- coming up with ideas, translating them into AmiBroker code, testing the code, debugging the code, verifying that the code performs as intended, selecting issues to trade, backtesting the trading system, deciding on a goodness metric (and adding it as a custom metric to the performance statistics if necessary), performing out-of-sample tests, and validating the trading system. Then trading it. No matter how clever Tomasz is with the AFL Wizard, it is the responsibility of the trader him or herself to understand how the trading system works. The trading system Is computer code, and the open, high, low, close, volume series it processes Is data. I would be naive if I thought I could understand the trading system well enough to trust my money to it without understanding the computer code, its interaction with the data, and details of generation of the trading signals. The low-hanging fruit of computer-based trading systems has already been picked. Simple systems no longer work. Everyone hoping to develop a profitable mechanical trading system Must understand the language in which it is written. It makes no difference whether the platform is AmiBroker, TradeStation, MetaStock, Wealth Lab, or whatever else. Not understanding is placing trust in a black box. AmiBroker is outstanding! I have experience with most trading system platforms, am fluent in many of them, and have written one myself. AmiBroker is outstanding -- it is clearly the best platform available to us common folks today, and Tomasz is pushing it farther forward with every new release. I participate in a regular exercise class. About once a week, one of the class members complains about how hard we are being asked to work. The instructor turns, asks "Who's whining? No whining!" We are all there by choice. We are all working with AmiBroker by choice. Let's get back to a more profitable use of the discussion group. Thanks for listening, Howard www.quantitativetradingsystems.com On 5/28/07, wavemechanic <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
*There was a discussion about this on AB-TS (?) a couple of months ago. Bottom line, most can probably shorten the learning curve by first going through one of the DIY "how to do it" books on programming in C, C++, etc. In a relatively few pages, the mysteries of loops, if-then-else, etc. will become clear to most readers, allowing them to concentrate on AFL code and coding trading/charting schemes.* *Bill* ** *----- Original Message ----- * *From: "matrix10014" <** [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>*>* *To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED] <[email protected]>*>* *Sent: Monday, May 28, 2007 7:54 AM* *Subject: [amibroker] Re: once again, this AFL fights you every step of the way. Sorry, this is a badl* * * *> Homer may be a bit "negative",and could stand to soften his > approach,but there is some truth to what he says.I spent an > inordinate amount of time attempting to learn to code in AFL(looping > and scaling in/out) and simply gave up.Would a well written AFL for > Dummies go a long way? Certainly.Do I expect it or demand it? > Certainly not.With that said,I do hope that the Wizard develops to a > point where looping and scaling in/out of positions will be > available and the semi advanced users can then see the proper way to > code the more advanced functions... > > Allan > > > > --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[email protected]>*, "Randy Mueller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: >> >> Dope? Not necessarily. Annoying? Definitely. >> >> You CONSTANTLY criticize everything. The tone of your emails is > very confrontational. You're always telling us how much experience > you have, and how bad everything is. Why don't you just create your > own program and then everything will be exactly as you want it. > You've obviously got strong opinions on how things should be done, > so just do it and shut up. That way we won't have to read your > undeserved bashing of what everybody else considers to be a very > robust product with exceptional support. >> >> If you can't be more civil, I'm on board with the other user that > would like to see you just go away. >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: Homar Simpson >> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[email protected]>* >> Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2007 11:57 PM >> Subject: [amibroker] Re: once again, this AFL fights you every > step of the way. Sorry, this is a badl >> >> >> Look, Im no dope. I can see that this is a powerful and fast > platform. >> >> But every time I sit down to do the simplest thing, I spend hours >> torturing over details of the language. This is not productive. >> >> I know if I spent 10 hours a day for the next month on it, I'd > be an >> expert too. >> >> Was hoping not to have to do that >> >> --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[email protected]>*, "zebdez" <robduff@> wrote: >> > >> > I find the documentation to read just fine. Programming in an > array >> > based system is definitely different than a "bar" based > system. In >> > AFL I have found that most variables are arrays unless you > program >> > your system to explicitly work bar-by-bar in a loop. I have > done both >> > with AmiBroker and find it to an excellent platform. >> > >> > >> > --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[email protected]>*, "Homar Simpson" <x77777x@> > wrote: >> > > >> > > Maybe the poorly worded documentation, spotty examples, and > lousy >> > > debugging and error messages have something to do with it, I > pity >> > non >> > > programmers, they have no shot at all. >> > > >> > > Sorry, but either I'm suffering from early alzheimers or > this >> > product >> > > needs work. >> > > >> > > Makes microsoft docs read like Shakespear. >> > > >> > > Just trying to figure out WHAT is an array, what isnt, whats > looped >> > > ,and what isnt is more work than this is worth, By the time > I got >> > it >> > > all straight, I'd have no strength to develop a system >> > > >> > > I'm sure MANY have given up on AB for these reasons. >> > > >> > > --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[email protected]>*, "dingo" <dingo@> wrote: >> > > > >> > > > No, I'm not - its just usually the first thing you point > out to >> > > everyone to >> > > > prove it can't be your fault you're having trouble. >> > > > >> > > > I've been in the computer biz since 1964 and I initially > struggled >> > > with the >> > > > array concept but I got over the mental hurdle just and > you must. >> > > Then and >> > > > only then will you be able to get comfortable with AFL. > You need >> > to >> > > digest >> > > > the help material and spend some time on it. You're not > going to >> > get >> > > it by >> > > > osmosis. >> > > > >> > > > d >> > > > >> > > > > -----Original Message----- >> > > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]<[email protected]> * >> > > > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Homar > Simpson >> > > > > Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2007 10:27 PM >> > > > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[email protected]> *>> > > > > Subject: [amibroker] Re: once again, this AFL fights you >> > > > > every step of the way. Sorry, this is a badl >> > > > > >> > > > > Why are you taking a survey? >> > > > > >> > > > > --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED]<[email protected]> *, "dingo" <dingo@> wrote: >> > > > > > >> > > > > > You forgot to tell us how many years you've been > dealing with >> > > > > computers... >> > > > > > >> > > > > > d >> > > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > Please note that this group is for discussion between > users >> > only. >> > > > > >> > > > > To get support from AmiBroker please send an e-mail > directly to >> > > > > SUPPORT {at} amibroker.com >> > > > > >> > > > > For NEW RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENTS and other news always > check >> > DEVLOG: >> > > > > **http://www.amibroker.com/devlog/*<http://www.amibroker.com/devlog/> *>> > > > > >> > > > > For other support material please check also: >> > > > > **http://www.amibroker.com/support.html*<http://www.amibroker.com/support.html> *>> > > > > >> > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > >> > > >> > >> > > > > > Please note that this group is for discussion between users only. > > To get support from AmiBroker please send an e-mail directly to > SUPPORT {at} amibroker.com > > For NEW RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENTS and other news always check DEVLOG: > **http://www.amibroker.com/devlog/* <http://www.amibroker.com/devlog/> *> > For other support material please check also: > **http://www.amibroker.com/support.html*<http://www.amibroker.com/support.html> *> > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > **mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> *> > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.8.0/818 - Release Date: 5/25/2007 12:32 PM > >*
