Hello,
For correctness sake: AB is NOT one man band.
There is
Marcin doing 99% of support tasks. Plus I do outsource
bookkeeping and some
other "side" tasks.
What is one-man is AmiBroker core
development.
And it will stay that way for various reasons, with main
reason
being that adding 2 more developers for core development
would
SLOW DOWN the development and the quality
would go down hill, no matter
how good these developers are.
These are facts of life. I was working in
various developer teams
in the past starting from 3 people ending at 40
developers
and adding developers only adds problems. The only
way to
work in a team in efficient way is to have *separate* programs
to develop
(they can communicate between each other).
Sligthly less efficient (but
still OK) is to have plugin approach
with well defined interface. The
plugin approach is already implemented in AB.
Programming is NOT
equivalent to homebuilding.
Programming is rather like composing music. At
least for me.
Did you see lots of music written by more than one
composer?
(even if many people appear on the "credits", usually the core
idea is the work
of one man).
Best regards,
Tomasz
Janeczko
amibroker.com
----- Original Message -----
From:
"brian_z111" <brian_z111@xxxxxxcom>
To:
<amibroker@xxxxxxxxxps.com>
Sent:
Saturday, June 21, 2008 10:56 AM
Subject: [amibroker] Re: Study Charting
dare I say bugs...
> Paul,
>
> Thanks for your
thoughtful comments.
>
>> I also assumed that many of those
who wanted/relied
>> on AB's drawing capabilities might also have
deserted us already.
>
> Dennis, Joseph, Murthyuresh and Bill are
still here.
> They strike me as being people with a good knowledge of AB
and also
> not the types to make frivilous complaints.
>
>> Believe me, the law
>> of diminishing return applies
far more rigourously in human than
>> CPUs.
>
>
> I have to agree that this is a factor but born business people thrive
> on that challenge.
>
> Small business challenges are the
same all around the developed world.
>
> Example:
>
> Friends of my wife - husband and wife 6 figure+ PA turnover every
> year - earthmoving and construction.
>
> He was on
mobile and got calls all day, every day and night of the
>
week.
> He was a one man 'operating' band - she 'did the books' and was
the
> hidden business brains.
>
> I told him "if you are
available 24/7 they will call you 24/7, if you
> are available 9 to 5
they will call you 9 to 5 and you will still do
> exactly the same
amount of business".
>
> Also - the decision to change from a
'one man band' operation to
> a 'business model' is very hard for
anyone and excruciating for some.
>
> I told him "you have to
learn to trust people and delegate and then
> you can get some fishing
time".
>
> Today his mobile is private and only for family
use.
> He has a business (sort of) manager and an office (sort of)
manager.
>
> I told him "Now you have to give your 'manager' his
own project to
> run from start to finish and give him a % of the
profit.
> If he is successful then give him the next project as well and
take
> your first holiday in 10 years" (his wife always listens
quietly).
>
> Then I said "It doesn't matter what you do the
staff will never do it
> exactly as you will do it yourself and they
will never be quite as
> good at it as you are".
>
> He
turned to me and said "Yes, but they are good enough".
>
> His
business has doubled in the last 3 years.
>
> His wife is a very
good student.
>
> brian_z
>
> --- In amibroker@xxxxxxxxxps.com,
"Paul Ho" <paultsho@xx.> wrote:
>>
>> Being a
patron of AB for more than 4 years. I would say that AB is
>> very
much an AFL centric product. The changes in the AFL engine and
>>
its capabilities has been nothing short of phenomenal. In contrast,
>> the hand drawing features of AB has hardly changed in the last 4
>> years, and probably not much has changed for much longer than
that.
>> Although not publicly stated, I presumed that it is the
direction
>> that Tomasz wants to go, and this specialization has
been very
>> successful. I can also assumed that many of those who
wanted/relied
>> on AB's drawing capabilities might also have
deserted us already. I
>> have known some of the problems Dennis has
mentioned long time ago,
>> but somehow I have never bothered even
to mentioned them, probably
>> because I developed myself more on
AFL as a trading and charting
>> tool, and hardly use the drawing
tools these day.
>>
>> Tomasz is a one man band. So I can
apprecriate and am very happy
> with
>> the product direction
he has taken. I dont think Brian's suggestion
>> of hiring a few
more programmers is the answer. Believe me, the law
>> of
diminishing return applies far more rigourously in human than
>>
CPUs. What I would like to see is that Tomasz opens up the hand
>>
drawing capability to third party contribution throuh the use of
>>
plugins, much like the AFL and data plugins. Once done, I'm sure
> that
>> people will roll their own drawing tools. Of course, existing
bugs
>> will still need to be fixed.
>>
>> --- In
amibroker@xxxxxxxxxps.com,
"brian_z111" <brian_z111@> wrote:
>> >
>> >
> And no, I can not hire 2 more programmers because then I would
>> need
>> > >to rise the cost of the program 3
times
>> > > and then everyone would scream that it is too
expensive and
> will
>> > >walk away. Then it would
mean the end of product.
>> >
>> > Since Dennis's
intent is to invite constructive comment and since
>> the
>> > forum does act as an informal customer feedback
center:
>> >
>> > the content of your reply relates
to a lot of personal and
> business
>> > decisions - not
sure if you are inviting comment on those matters?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > As a
customer:
>> >
>> > I am not certain that I am a
price buyer (once again this relates
>> to
>> >
business theory and application), probably not.
>> >
>> > The price is nice but is it the reason I buy AB?
>>
>
>> > In the first place I made a choice to make trading my
home based
>> > business (I could have chosen something else), so
that makes me a
>> > business customer I guess (albeit a
small-time one).
>> >
>> > You can't trade
professionally with anything less than approx
> $100K.
>> >
If I invested that amount with an Aussie fund I would pay around
> 2%
>> > expenses, so 2K PA is a reasonable operating
cost.
>> >
>> > When I first started my costs were
high (books, training courses
>> etc)
>> > but now I
can operate around those figures (I do my own tax and
>> only
>> > need software/data/computer/internet - but I would
have
>> > computer/internet anyway - I don't need specialist
computers for
>> > trading).
>> >
>> >
Of course that is only if we don't consider brokerage as a
> business
>> > cost - if I daytrade 100k what is my annual brokerage bill?
-
>> > mentally I lump this in with gross edge - commissions ==
net edge
>> but
>> > in business terms it is on the
books as operating costs.
>> > Software/data costs are a tiny
fraction of annual commissions.
>> >
>> > Anyone who
has operated a business, in one of the major economies
>> of
>> > the world, will know that trading costs are laughable
compared to
>> the
>> > costs of running other
businesses - most businesses in Australia
>> run
>> >
on very low net returns compared to the capital invested in the
>>
> business.
>> >
>> >
>> > Also when
I bought AB I was not a naive trader.
>> > I knew what I was doing
and had owned two other software packages
>> > prior to
AB.
>> >
>> > On that basis I would say I am a
specialist customer (perhaps
> that
>> is
>> >
AB's niche in the market).
>> >
>> > Specialists want
the software to do the things they want it to do
>> > (pretty
hard since we all want different things).
>> >
>> >
Adding all of that up I vote for:
>> >
>> > please
hire another programmer, give people more of what they
> want
>> > (give the optimizers their dual core stuff, give the
chartists
>> their
>> > snap and draw or whatever, give
the Aussies their YahooFdata etc,
>> > etc) and put the price up
- maybe even add some features
>> > to the UKB :-)
>>
>
>> > Metastock is the point of comparison for AB - it is
approx $500
> PA
>> > for EOD and from $1000 for Pro - so
AB can stand that price (of
>> > course they have 'lease' MS for
a monthly fee which allows us to
>> > pretend we are not paying
$1000 a year and so that makes it feel
>> > nicer).
>>
>
>> >
>> >
>> > Re price
buying:
>> >
>> > If I buy a cheap car I get less
features.
>> > If I pay more I get more features and better
appointments.
>> > If I buy the cheap car I still expect the
(lesser) features to
> work.
>> > If they don't I won't buy
it again at any price.
>> >
>> > (if an existing
feature doesn't work this has a far more negative
>> > effect on
customers than not having the feature they want in the
>> > first
place? - psychologists claim that one negative experience
> far
>> > outweigns many positive experiences - also it is human
nature to
>> buy
>> > the cheaper model and then
complain because it doesn't have the
>> > features they didn't
pay for - that will never change).
>> >
>> >
>> > Re: walking away
>> >
>> > When it
comes time for you to buy a new car what do you do Tomasz?
>> >
>> > Are you going to stick to a brand, out of loyalty, if a
competing
>> > model has better reliability, features and
appointments at the
> same
>> > price?
>> >
>> > How about availability, delivery and service?
>>
>
>> > What motivates you to buy a product and then rebuy it
over and
> over?
>> >
>> > Also you will find
your needs change with time - as the kids grow
>> the
>>
> house and the cars get bigger and after they go you and your wife
>> can
>> > have an office each (they used to be the
kids rooms).
>> >
>> > So, perhaps people will walk
away if their needs change and/or AB
>> is
>> > no
loner meeting their needs.
>> >
>> > - better ask
your wife, about the car, before you buy though -
> it
>>
> always pays to get a second opinion ;-)
>> >
>>
>
>> >
>> > Re: what do customers
want?
>> >
>> > We want it all - don't
you?
>> >
>> > That will never change
either.
>> >
>> > The more that companies meet those
'impossible' needs the more
>> > customers they get.
>>
>
>> > For example - who goes to Starbucks to pick up a
coffee, then
> goes
>> to
>> > Wendys to pick up
a donut and takes them to the burger shop to
> put
>> >
them together for a nice breakfast if they can get a nice burger,
>>
> coffee and donut at Maccas (plus a free paper to read as
well)?
>> >
>> > - better get a second opinion from
the kids on that one too ;-)
>> >
>> >
>>
>
>> > Hope my perspective offered some helpful
feedback.
>> >
>> > Regards,
>> >
>> > brian_z
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > --- In amibroker@xxxxxxxxxps.com,
"Tomasz Janeczko" <groups@>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>
>> > > Hello,
>> > >
>> > >
You people don't seem to realise that I am THE ONLY PERSON who
>>
> works on AmiBroker code.
>> > > The day has only 24 hours
and one person has only two hands.
>> > > Now if even few
people ouf of 8000 users submit "ideas"
> everyday,
>> >
no matter what I do I can not implement
>> > > them
IMMEDIATELLY.
>> > >
>> > > And no, I can not
hire 2 more programmers because then I would
>> need
>>
> to rise the cost of the program 3 times
>> > > and then
everyone would scream that it is too expensive and
> will
>>
> walk away. Then it would mean the end of product.
>> > >
>> > > So, considering that I am the ONLY DEVELOPER of
AmiBroker and
>> wrote
>> > everything from scratch
with my own hands, I can say that:
>> > > a) I am doing more
than anyone in this business to make
> customers
>> >
happy
>> > > b) I am implementing MORE features/user
requests/ideas than
>> anyone
>> > else in this
business
>> > > c) I am going an extra mile with responding
PERSONALLY on the
>> > public mailing list to many of your
posts.
>> > >
>> > > I can not do MORE than I
am doing now. It is physically
>> impossible
>> > for
anyone.
>> > >
>> > > So, if I tell you that I
am going to check things, I will do
>> that,
>> > but
this is all subject to TIME and PHYSICAL ABILITY constraints.
>> >
>
>> > > Pushing the string does not help at all. It makes
things worse.
>> > >
>> > > Best
regards,
>> > > Tomasz Janeczko
>> > >
amibroker.com
>> > > ----- Original Message -----
>>
> > From: wavemechanic
>> > > To: AmiBroker, User
>> > > Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 2:47 PM
>> >
> Subject: Re: [amibroker] Study Charting dare I say bugs...
>>
> >
>> > >
>> > > Dennis:
>>
> >
>> > > I completely agree with your overall
assessment and know that
>> at
>> > least several users
also completely or partially agree but may or
>> may
>>
> not respond - so you are not alone. Much has been said through
>
the
>> > years on the Yahoo board/AB website/support mail about
>> > bugs, "clunkiness", and desired/necessary features.
Because of
> the
>> > type of problems that you mentioned
(I am also indicator mode
>> > oriented), I use the EOD version
of AB and then only at "half
>> > throttle" because my
applications and programming needs are not
> as
>> >
extensive as that of a number of other AB users. Like you, I use
>>
> broker supplied and personal software for RT streaming and
>
charting
>> > studies (no "shoe" fits all). These issues,
however, are not
>> > restricted to AB as evidenced by a recent
review on another board
>> > where the user compared
AB/Metastock/Tradestation/Blocks and
> ended
>> up
>> > (as I understand) with a Blocks package that includes
>> > charting/streaming data/EOD data/backtesting/useful
standard
>> > features - so things are evolving.
>> >
>
>> > > Bill
>> > > ----- Original Message
-----
>> > > From: Dennis Brown
>> > > To: amibroker@xxxxxxxxxps.com
>> > > Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 12:12 AM
>> >
> Subject: [amibroker] Study Charting dare I say bugs...
>> >
>
>> > >
>> > > Friends,
>> >
>
>> > > AmiBroker is a wonderful program for many things.
In fact
> I
>> > use only
>> > > a
fraction of its total capability for my trading style. I
>> >
trade only
>> > > single ticker (futures) real time and write
whole trading
>> > systems just
>> > > in AFL in
indicator mode. This is actually more like the
>> > traditional
>> > > chart trading that is offered by many
brokers.
>> > >
>> > > I would expect that AB,
which supports all these functions
> as
>> a
>>
> very
>> > > basic operating mode would be at least as
good as other
>> > charting
>> > >
programs.
>> > >
>> > > However, even though
the fundamental operations are there
>> (and
>> > I
think
>> > > potentially better), the interface (either design
or
>> > implementation
>> > > bugs --I don't know
which) has made it hard for me to use
>> this
>> >
product
>> > > for drawing even basic lines on the charts
while trading.
> In
>> > fact, I
>> > >
need a second chart from my broker's application open to
> the
>> > same
>> > > ticker just so I can draw lines
where I want them even
> though
>> > AB would
>>
> > be superior at this if it were not for the bugs. This has
>> been
>> > going
>> > > on with me
for over a year now and it is costing me.
>> > >
>>
> > I have other trading friends that I have recommended try AB
>> in
>> > the
>> > > last week, and I
am embarrassed to think what they will say
>> to
>> >
me when
>> > > they figure out that these basic features don't
work
>> properly.
>> > I have
>> > >
actually refrained from recommending AB to them for quite a
>> >
while --
>> > > hoping these things would be fixed
first.
>> > >
>> > > I don't know how many
other traders are frustrated by the
>> same
>> > bugs,
>> > > but if you are, please join the conversation so that
Tomasz
>> > knows that
>> > > this is important
to you also and perhaps we can get some
>> > higher
>>
> > priority on getting the study charting to work properly.
>>
> >
>> > > Here is a short list of my frustrating bugs
--there are
>> others
>> > on the
>> >
> suggestions and bug lists, but I am only pointing out the
>>
ones
>> > that
>> > > cost profits by either
making it very slow to do a simple
>> > operation
>>
> > that makes one lose the trade opportunity, or creates
>>
> frustration and
>> > > emotion which takes one out of the
trading "Zone", or makes
>> the
>> > line
>>
> > drawn correctly to become inaccurate causing one to miss
>
the
>> > trigger
>> > > point for a trade. If I
have missed any that you feel are
>> > costing you
>>
> > profits (not the nice to have pretty things) than please
>
add
>> > them to
>> > > the
conversation.
>> > >
>> > > #726. Handles from
a selected study line are not
> respected.
>> > Often
>> > > several lines are anchored or pass through the same
pivot
>> > points.
>> > > Price levels, Trend
lines, Forks, Fibs, etc., often use a
>> > common pivot
>> > > point. However, as a trade progresses, new pivots
become
>> more
>> > > important and the lines need
to be adjusted in real time.
> It
>> > is easy
>> > > to select a study just by clicking on it in a spot
where it
>> is
>> > unique,
>> > > and
the handles will appear along the line. However,
> unlike
>>
> any other
>> > > charting program I have ever used,
clicking and dragging on
>> > the
>> > > visible
handle will not usually work properly if any other
>> > study
>> > > crosses very close to that handle. The problem is that
AB
>> will
>> > grab
>> > > the
earliest drawn study and not the selected one --it will
>>
un-
>> > select
>> > > the one you selected and
select the oldest one and drag it
>> > instead.
>> >
> After playing around for a few valuable seconds trying to
>>
grab
>> > the
>> > > right line, I end up having
to move the whole line away
> from
>> > its
>>
> > current location and reposition all its handles. Very
>>
> frustrating and
>> > > takes the time and concentration
away from the trading
> action.
>> > >
>> >
> #728. Horizontal price levels do not stay horizontal. The
>>
> horizontal
>> > > lines (price levels) do not snap to a
bar with the magnet
>> mode
>> > on.
>> >
> They just are placed at the cursor level. However, if you
>>
> click on
>> > > the line, it jumps to an angled line that
snaps to the bar
> on
>> > the left
>> > >
side of the screen. Its operation is just bizarre and
> causes
>> > errors
>> > > in placement of the price
level after the fact.
> Completely
>> > > unacceptable
behavior for trading.
>> > >
>> > > #890. Study
handles change when off screen. Lets say you
>> have
>>
> the
>> > > magnet on and are zoomed out and draw a trend
line between
>> two
>> > peaks.
>> > >
Next you zoom in on the trading action so that only the
> right
>> > hand
>> > > handle is visible on the chart.
Now say the prices have
>> > advanced to a
>> > >
new peak and you need to adjust the right handle to the new
>> >
peak (this
>> > > is a very common occurrence). Most of the
time, that
> handle
>> > that is
>> > >
off screen jumps to a new bar position and is no longer on
>> the
>> > peak
>> > > you selected. Of course that
changes the slope of the
> trend
>> > line to
>>
> > the wrong one, but you never know it when trading and you
>
end
>> > up
>> > > placing bad breakout trades
because the line is in the
> wrong
>> > place
>>
> > now. Completely unacceptable behavior for trading.
>> >
>
>> > > #990. Drag shadow is on the wrong bar. When
dragging a
>> study,
>> > there
>> > >
is a thin "shadow" line that shows which bar you have
> dragged
>> > the
>> > > handles to. However, when the
mouse is released, the study
>> > gets moved
>> >
> to a different bar than the one indicated by the shadow.
>>
This
>> > wastes
>> > > valuable time with two or
three attempts to figure out
> which
>> > wrong bar
>> > > to put the shadow on to get the study to go where you
want
>> it.
>> > This
>> > > is an
annoyance.
>> > >
>> > > And here is one more
that I just found today. If I draw
>> trend
>> > lines
>> > > on a one minute bar snapped to peaks, then switch to a
5
>> minute
>> > view,
>> > > the trend
lines are shown on the wrong 5 minute bars. And
>> > heaven help
>> > > me if I select the line in that view, because it will
snap
> to
>> > these
>> > > wrong
bars.
>> > >
>> > > There you have my short
list. Please speak up if these
>> issues
>> > affect
>> > > you.
>> > >
>> > > Best
regards,
>> > > Dennis
>> > >
>> >
>
>> > >
>> > >
------------------------------------
>> > >
>> > > 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/
>>
> >
>> > > For other support material please check
also:
>> > > http://www.amibroker.com/support.html
>>
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
----------------------------------------------------------
>
--
>> --
>> > --------
>> > >
>>
> >
>> > >
>> > > No virus found in this
incoming message.
>> > > Checked by AVG.
>> > >
Version: 8.0.100 / Virus Database: 270.4.1/1510 - Release
>> Date:
>> > 6/19/2008 3:21 PM
>> > >
>>
>
>>
>
>
>
>
------------------------------------
>
> 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/
>
> For other support material please check also:
> http://www.amibroker.com/support.html
>
Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>