[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: [amibroker] Report on Quotes Plus Data



PureBytes Links

Trading Reference Links

Thanks Dan, very useful summary
----- Original Message -----
From: Dan Clark
Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 9:06 AM
Subject: [amibroker] Report on Quotes Plus Data

Hi,

 

Over the last several weeks, I’ve posted questions about Quotes Plus data.   This a quick report on what’s happened so far.

 

When I started using AB again in April, I used TeleChart as my data source.   As a source and as a charting package, TeleChart had some advantages.   The TC charting had a few, minor advantages over AB.   And, the data had some good features when compared to Quotes Plus – Media General Industry Group and Sector Indexes, intraday data updates, and clean data (minimal dead tickers).

 

However, on the downside, the TC UI had loads of idiosyncrasies and is not even in the same league with AB for scanning and back testing.   And, as I became more familiar with QP3 data, TC data advantages started to disappear:

 

·         While TC intraday data updates are still an advantage, I can work around it with intraday updates from my broker – Interactive Brokers.    

 

·         With the new QP plugin, the QP data appears to be much cleaner; dead tickers are excluded.  

 

·         It turns out that TC’s implemention of Hemscott’s Media General industry/sector hierarchy doesn’t work well for me.  TC stripped off the Hemscott macroeconomic Sector Level (8 Sectors) of the hierarchy and uses the bottom two levels of the Hemscott hierarchy – Business Segment and Industry Group.   Unfortunately, TC refers to the “Business Segment” level as the “Sector” level.   IMO, the 31 TC “Sectors” provide too much granularity and are not useful as macroeconomic indicators.  

 

Quotes Plus apparently uses the Reuters Industry and Sector hierarchy which I now find more useful.

 

·         Now that I’ve gone through the process of creating my own indexes, I find that it’s an advantage.  Using “AddToComposite” I can create custom indexes that meet my needs and do not have to depend on the TC definition.  

 

·         While I don’t invest in Mutual Funds, I do like to use them sometimes as economic indicators.   With TC, they are an added cost item.  With Quotes Plus, they come as part of the standard package.

 

·         Except for Money Stream and BOP, TC provides little additional data to AB other than price and volume.  Quotes Plus has a wide variety of fundamental data and “other” data.  For example, it provides market cap data and the percent shares held by institutions – which I use in my system.

 

·         My scans run much faster with QP data.  Accessing TC’s data from AB is slower than accessing QP data.  I haven’t quantified how fast the scans run, but scans running against QP data appear to run 50 to 100% faster.

 

One final issue with TC is more emotional in nature... 

 

TC is a VERY marketing oriented company.  Although TC’s trainers seem like pretty good folks, asking a basic question to TC management get a marketing hype response.  In some cases, the answers are quite insulting.   At one point, I posted a question on forum about the Worden Studio product (a web-based product) and how it related to Telechart.   Instead of a clear answer, I got marketing hype.   When I complained that I couldn’t see any value with Worden Studio, they condescendingly stated that I just didn’t know how to use it!  

 

I’m a Data Warehouse Architect by profession (fancy name for database developer) and have developed analytical software for 34 years.    I don’t claim perfection, but I do understand a fair amount about analytical systems.   For TC management to try to explain away their products’ deficiencies by telling me that I just don’t know how to use it is extremely insulting!  What’s worse is that it displays a lack of sensitivity for customer needs and requirements.   

 

OK, flame off! 

 

Because I’m cautious, I’ll keep the TC subscription for another month or so to ensure that I haven’t missed anything.   From this point forward, Quotes Plus is my primary EOD data source.

 

I hope you’ve found this report useful.

 

Best Regards,

 

Dan.



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 other support material please check also:
http://www.amibroker.com/support.html





YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS