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Re: to be or not to be



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<DIV><FONT size=2>A simple clearing up of a misstatement by Ton (whom I respect 
for his contributions to the group), if I may. The Department of Justice is part 
of the Executive Branch of the United States government. The Federal Court in 
which the trial is taking place in part of the Judicial Branch of the United 
States government. The Department of Justice is the public prosecutor in this 
trial, and Microsoft is the defendant.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Having said that, it is the Judge (not the DOJ) who was 
written a Findings of Fact, which is his legal document summarizing the 
allegations that were proven to be true on the basis of evidence presented by 
&gt;both&lt; sides in the trial. It is the Judge who will determine what, if 
any, penalties that will be applied to Microsoft, but that is the cart before 
the horse. The only roles for the DOJ have been to prosecute the trial and to 
possibly agree to an out-of-court settlement.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>After the evidentiary portion of the trial was completed, 
there are 3 steps :</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>1. the Judge's Findings of Fact,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>2. the Judge's&nbsp;Findings of Law, stating which, if any, 
specific laws were broken by Microsoft (the trial could stop with this 
step),</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>3. the Judge's ruling on how Microsoft will be punished if it 
is determined that laws were broken.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>The domestic and world press can't present an accurate picture 
of this entire proceeding if an detailed script were handed to them. That's 
unfortunate, because shareholders like Ton are largely misinformed about almost 
all details of the trial. But Ton's rights as a shareholder do not supersede the 
rights of people and companies who have been victimized by Microsoft's business 
practices.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>As far as the final outcome is concerned, don't be surprised 
if Microsoft cuts a deal with the Department of Justice. At least in this way it 
has some control over the outcome. If it refuses to do so, the matter is 
entirely in the hands of the judge, over whom Microsoft has no influence 
whatsoever, nor does the DOJ have any influence over the judge. This entire 
matter can remain in the courts, assuming that Microsoft makes continual 
appeals, until most of us are in the grave, but that would not help its stock 
price as Wall Street would begin to sense that too much management 
attention&nbsp;is being diverted from running the business. Look at the actions 
of the tobacco companies and their stocks if you want a model of a losing cause 
stretched beyond all rational sensibilities.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Contrary to the experience of the breakup of the telephone 
companies, the breakup of Microsoft (who knows if that will happen) will not 
necessarily produce the same outcome as far as investors are concerned. A 
Microsoft divided cannot use its monopoly position is one arena to create a 
monopoly position in other arenas, which is precisely what it did with abusive 
use of its OS license to create a near monopoly in office suite applications and 
to work toward a near monopoly in internet browsers, in effect setting itself up 
to control the internet revolution for its personal benefit. In every way 
possible Microsoft has served to restrict my choices as a consumer. To Ton's 
benefit, the DOJ's ineptitude in the last case that Microsoft lost to the DOJ is 
the reason that we are in an even worse situation today.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Microsoft should consider itself lucky that some its 
executives and low-level managers are not in jail today for the perjured 
testimony that they gave in the trial. In one instance they falsified videotapes 
as proof of an assertion they had made in court that Windows and IE could not be 
separated within causing the OS to malfunction. That they falsified the evidence 
was discovered almost immediately. This made a mockery of ethical behavior, 
which is something that respects fair and reasonable conduct, and it made clear 
Microsoft's disdain of what testimony under oath means. Microsoft deserves a 
financial penalty of huge proportion&nbsp;to make sure that it will not repeat 
such conduct in the future, because it would be suicide to do so for its 
shareholders, which includes its own executives and employees. Wall Street 
institutions are major shareholders of Microsoft equities, who would not 
tolerate the future possibility of risking their investment to "loose cannon on 
the deck" actions of irresponsible managers inside the company. Bill Gates will 
find that he is no longer the wealthiest man in the US if Microsoft continues to 
behave abusively and illegally in the marketplace.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>I respect companies who succeed by virtue of the technical 
superiority of their ideas and their products. I do not find an ally in 
companies who attempt to destroy the products of other companies not by their 
own superiority but by their breaking of laws to further their business ends. 
But I have no prediction for Microsoft's fate, and no one else knows what it 
will be either. Certainly not the press nor the rumor mills of Wall Street. 
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Joe</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE 
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><B>-----Original Message-----</B><BR><B>From: 
  </B>A.J. Maas &lt;<A 
  href="mailto:anthmaas@xxxxxxxxx";>anthmaas@xxxxxxxxx</A>&gt;<BR><B>To: 
  </B>Metastock-List &lt;<A 
  href="mailto:metastock@xxxxxxxxxxxxx";>metastock@xxxxxxxxxxxxx</A>&gt;<BR><B>Date: 
  </B>Sunday, January 16, 2000 08:07 AM<BR><B>Subject: </B>Re: to be or not to 
  be<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>
  <DIV><FONT size=2>
  <DIV><FONT size=2>A last note on this subject:</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=2>There are several rumours going on that the DOJ will give 
  out his FINAL&nbsp;findings report</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=2>and FINAL ruling somewhere in the next month, eg Febr 
  2000.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=2>At that time of publicing&nbsp;of the Final report and the 
  DOJ's Final&nbsp;ruling, the Microsoft share</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=2>and </FONT><FONT size=2>any&nbsp;</FONT><FONT size=2>of its 
  other listings, will (</FONT><FONT size=2>have to) be&nbsp;suspended (see also 
  further below).</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=2>Now:</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=2>-&nbsp;Anyone owning a share(or other listing)&nbsp;ON that 
  moment of suspension, </FONT><FONT size=2>will be elagable&nbsp;for any 
  payments</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;coming out of any later to be 
  filed&nbsp;compansation claims (if these </FONT><FONT size=2>compensation 
  actions</FONT><FONT size=2>&nbsp;are also started).</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=2>-&nbsp;Anyone owning a share(or other listing) AFTER 
  </FONT><FONT size=2>they will come back into listing again,</FONT><FONT 
  size=2>&nbsp;are not elegable to</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;any results that can stem from any results 
  coming out of claim procedures.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=2>This is standard Exchanges procedure, when a listing's 
  rumerous vital information will be publicaly </FONT><FONT 
  size=2>announced</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=2>that can have a large effect on the underlay's 
  listing.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=2>Thus, Buy the stock BEFORE the last final word comes out 
  !!!.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><BR>Regards,<BR>Ton Maas<BR><A 
  href="mailto:ms-irb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx";>ms-irb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</A><BR>Dismiss 
  the ".nospam" bit (including the dot) when replying and<BR>note the new 
  address change. Also for my Homepage<BR><A 
  href="http://home.planet.nl/~anthmaas";>http://home.planet.nl/~anthmaas</A></DIV></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><BR>Regards,<BR>Ton Maas<BR><A 
  href="mailto:ms-irb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx";>ms-irb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</A><BR>Dismiss 
  the ".nospam" bit (including the dot) when replying and<BR>note the new 
  address change. Also for my Homepage<BR><A 
  href="http://home.planet.nl/~anthmaas";>http://home.planet.nl/~anthmaas</A></DIV>
  <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <BLOCKQUOTE 
  style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">
    <BLOCKQUOTE 
    style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">
      <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
      <DIV 
      style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> 
      A.J. Maas 
      </DIV>
      <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A 
      href="mailto:metastock@xxxxxxxxxxxxx"; 
      title=metastock@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>Metastock-List</A> </DIV>
      <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> zaterdag 15 januari 2000 
      23:47</DIV>
      <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: to be or not to be</DIV>
      <DIV><BR></DIV>
      <DIV><FONT size=2>I am speaking from a user and shareholder's point of 
      view, and not forgetting what is right and what is wrong. That makes 
      me&nbsp;a happy go round type of private person and part-owner. Whatever 
      covered </FONT><FONT size=2>communism is to be brought upon me or my 
      properties, will be met accordingly. The DOJ is a biased state employed 
      marrionet, that probably not personaly, but indeed combined with his 
      mates, the Gov+States, will figurerarly&nbsp;bleed for his actions or any 
      by him taken actions,&nbsp;that will or can at any way and at any time 
      damage my own (intellectual) possesions and properties, eg shares and 
      stuff.</FONT></DIV>
      <DIV><BR>Regards,<BR>Ton Maas<BR><A 
      href="mailto:ms-irb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx";>ms-irb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</A><BR>Dismiss 
      the ".nospam" bit (including the dot) when replying and<BR>note the new 
      address change. Also for my Homepage<BR><A 
      href="http://home.planet.nl/~anthmaas";>http://home.planet.nl/~anthmaas</A></DIV>
      <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
      <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
      <BLOCKQUOTE 
      style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">
        <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
        <DIV 
        style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> 
        <A href="mailto:jehardt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx"; 
        title=jehardt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>Joseph Ehardt</A> </DIV>
        <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A 
        href="mailto:metastock@xxxxxxxxxxxxx"; 
        title=metastock@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>metastock@xxxxxxxxxxxxx</A> </DIV>
        <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> zaterdag 15 januari 2000 
        18:10</DIV>
        <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: to be or not to 
        be</DIV>
        <DIV><BR></DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>I don't think I have anything mixed up. More likely is 
        that I have read the publicly distributed Findings of Fact in DOJ vs 
        Microsoft and am more familiar with American law.</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>TM: I am&nbsp;assuming US law not to be any different 
        than laws elswhere. If there is to be an unsatisfactory outcome coming 
        from this dispute, then the European Commission has got some artillary 
        it wants to throw at Microsoft too. In that, laws are laws. Again, this 
        artillary is&nbsp;intervering with one's private properties and free 
        enterprise. As such the Shareholders Association here in the Netherlands 
        and its sister organisations elswhere in the EuroCommunity are ready 
        to&nbsp;fully head-on attack the EC's Commission, naturaly with endless 
        claims to follow. Claims that will be coming in from around the globe. 
        Where these Governments around the globe seems to team up (the EC has a 
        deal with the US Fed, to await the outcome first), more many is in the 
        hand of shareholders. Enough to break societies</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>and their Governments to realy go into bankruptcy. Now 
        how will that effect the consumer ??</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>From your comments, which are pretty&nbsp;far ranging, 
        I think you might not understand what Microsoft did with respect to 
        Compaq. It also did similar things with other companies. But let me 
        return to Compaq, because it helps to understand the facts as revealed 
        by Microsoft's own internal documents as made public in the 
        trial.</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>TM: Microsoft is at liberty to end licences for their 
        software as they wish. So is Compaq at liberty to develope their own 
        software. If their to lazy or not aggressive enough or not financed 
        enough,&nbsp;then they should seek advise from professionals, as to how 
        to be succesfull in software too. Also Compaq is at liberty to refuse to 
        sell Microsoft products with their computers too, and let buying an 
        OS&nbsp;up to their own customers. Not a very clever thing to do, but 
        its their right and choise. The negative side of this is that Microsoft 
        might than not sell enough of its software, and than that would be up to 
        Microsoft to solve. Here Microsoft has done its homework, where Compaq 
        </FONT><FONT size=2>enriched its executives while they&nbsp;did not do 
        their homework, eg were failures and ought to be sacked. Just see how 
        easy Dell surpassed the utherly simple selling techniques Compaq 
        enherrited from the late 80's and were the co is to log and&nbsp;did not 
        adjust. IBM for that matter is an equal example. Not all brains and a 
        lot of company arrogance. Good on them. Gives other users a chance to 
        buy much cheaper PC's with the same or in the case of IBM, much better 
        advances and qualities. </FONT></DIV>
        <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>Question: What right does Microsoft have to demand 
        that Compaq not use Netscape at its personal browser? Compaq was 
        installing Internet Explorer on systems sold to customers, which should 
        have made Microsoft content, but it had adopted the internal company 
        standard of using Netscape which predated IE. Microsoft demanded that 
        this end.</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>TM: All the right in the world. Simply because of the 
        fact that Compaq will have to meet the owners standards, in this 
        Microsoft standards (and not ever the other way around) if it wants to 
        gain a legal licensce from the owners of the software, weather this will 
        be Microsoft or for example, Ton Maas.</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>If I notice that one of my copyrighted indicators is 
        being sold or being mis-used, I will also sue that person/co, since I 
        have not given out any written permission to anyone to do so or to make 
        any changes to it. It is my (intellectual) property/propriety and I am 
        the only one at right liberty to do with it as I see fit, eg and how I 
        pleases. If I notice for instance, that you want to use it in a weekly 
        magizine's software,&nbsp;for example for its weekly Hot tips-section, 
        be sure that I will take on action to prevend it or come to some sort of 
        arrangement, where "not using SuperChart software" for example could be 
        included in the license.</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>Question: Switching the context, if you think that 
        Microsoft has this right and you happen to not use Internet Explorer, do 
        you believe that Microsoft has the right to force you to switch to 
        Internet Explorer, and if you refuse, that it has the right to strip 
        Windows off your personal computer and electronically monitor your 
        system to insure that you never install Windows on your 
        system?</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>Microsoft is not forcing any one to use the Internet 
        Exploder. You can even easy write (f.i. in VB) your own&nbsp;browser. 
        Neither is it also forcing anyone to use its Microsoft Exchange 
        program,&nbsp;you know that very dreadfull program, its to simple 
        MsPaint or NotePad&nbsp;programs. You should feel lucky that these 
        programs come free with the OEM and OSR versions. You are at your own 
        liberty to use these programs or "overwrite" with other perhaps better 
        quality software programs. Also my ISP for instance was also giving its 
        users&nbsp;free licenses for the Netscape v1.0 to v3.0 browsers, whilst 
        anyone using&nbsp;different browsers were not supported. If Netscape had 
        forced these tactics onto my ISP is to be seen and basicaly irrellevent 
        to me, since I could confince the ISP that I didn't need their support, 
        eg since the IE browser wasn't giving me any problems at all and since 
        it seemingly fitted in with my OS, as though "it was there&nbsp;since I 
        bought my PC". And any browser upgrades (note for free as well) were 
        only large&nbsp;improvements, that much that I am still running a in 
        1997 for the last time installed Win95 OS version and that the latest 
        browser version,&nbsp;the IE5x, just&nbsp; -by itselve-&nbsp;&nbsp;made 
        the just-about-what-anyone-needed upgrade to and especially the by me 
        required upgrade to a "smaller version of Win98". I only miss out on 
        some file maintance tools and some extra window&nbsp;colouring schemes 
        (but then again who needs these).&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
        <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>The issue is not whether Microsoft has the right to 
        distribute and sell its products, nor is it that Microsoft owns the 
        rights to these products. No one has argued that it does not. The issue 
        that has been adjudicated, re-stated in different terms, is whether 
        Microsoft had the right to use its monopoly power to force people to buy 
        its product when they do not wish to do so. Microsoft was interfering 
        with the right of individuals and companies to freely choose other 
        products.</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>TM: Ofcourse it has these rights since it is 
        protecting its property. Assume you don't have car-jacks in the States? 
        Where the rightfull owner of a car gets forced by a car-jacker to get 
        out of his/hers&nbsp;car, and the car-jacker takes off with the car. Now 
        how would you feel? Having protective&nbsp;tools with you, can prefent 
        you to loose your car, eg it is after all your rightfull pressious 
        property, aint it? Or should we say "Please do get 
        in......".</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>In business life its not different,&nbsp;therefore 
        common sense (that is if you/company have any) teaches you and co's to 
        protect your/their property(ies).</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>&nbsp;</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>Another example: IBM has an office application suite 
        of its own (Lotus) that it put on computers that it builds. Do you think 
        that Microsoft has the right to force IBM to replace its own Lotus 
        software with that of Microsoft Office?</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>TM: IBM doesn't have to sell Microsoft software. They 
        have their own&nbsp;dreadfull OS, named OS2. IBM can than also install 
        their&nbsp;too simple and too basic Lotus program on their PCs too. PC 
        that do not work properly, an OS that doesn't work properly and an 
        office suite that no-one wants, nice combination to hit the All Time 
        Highs on the stockmarkets, ain't it? Remember too that you as 
        shareholder are part-owner&nbsp;of that company too? Unless US laws 
        differ from elsewhere.</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>There are more examples that were proven during the 
        course of the trial, and they are all contained in the Findings of Fact 
        document. Personally, I want my right protected to freely choose 
        products and services as guaranteed by the law. I refuse the assertion 
        that any company has the right&nbsp;to coerce me to buy its 
        products.</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>TM: You too have the right(not the obligation) to tell 
        the shopkeeper that you do not want Microsoft software. It is then up to 
        the shopkeeper to refund you for</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>missing the OS, which since its only a US $50 cost, he 
        most likely will not do. Tell him that you will go to the shop 
        next-door, and perhaps you can pursway the salesman. Else when you are 
        at home with your new PC, un-install Windows. Whatever you do after is 
        up to you, and not the reasponsability of Microsoft, the former 
        shopkeeper(s) or anyone lese, no it is all in your own hands, free and 
        at liberty to isntall other software, eg like the above mentioned OS2, 
        PCDOS, UNIX,LINUX, and several others that are around. That said, good 
        luck with it.</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>Maybe if your information sources were not from press 
        accounts, then you might have a more circumspect understanding of 
        Microsoft's actions.</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>TM: The whole issue here is not Microsoft, but the 
        arrogance of other co's and especially Governments(like said that holds 
        the largest amount of true monopolies)</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>and their teamsters, the so called independent states. 
        If other co's want&nbsp;to be succesfull at something, then first they 
        should show and be an aggressive player, have intrest to develope new 
        things, want to change their inside attitudes,&nbsp;seek advise from 
        real professionals that can scan the company on its faults and employ 
        the right workers.</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV><FONT size=2>If not, then they are take-over candidates, of which 
        formentioned companies will then be the victum.&nbsp;Besides all this 
        said, I couldn't give a heep if IBM, Compaq or whatever co for that 
        matter goes down, they call it upon themselves, and it is never&nbsp;due 
        to other co's that do all in their power and make the right efforts to 
        meet up with the above criterea.&nbsp;</FONT></DIV>
        <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
        <DIV><FONT 
size=2>Joe</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 23:14:02 -0800
From: HHP <hhp@xxxxxxxx>
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Status:   

Al,

For the entry formula:
(a)  It all has to be relative to the current period.
(b)  When looking for a highest high (or lowest low) you have to compare the
period in question with a window that is now closed, usually ending with the
preceding bar.  You want yesterday's high to be higher than any of the
preceding 19 days.

C <=  Ref(L,-1) AND
Ref(H,-1) > Ref(HHV(H,19),-2)

For the exit MetaSchlock won't let you reference the entry as such, so Ian's
suggestion of using BarsSince(entry formula) is good.

HHP
=========================.

Al Taglavore wrote:

> Formula gurus:
>
> I am trying to write a system test that will enter (short) if the close is
> less than or equal to the low of the previous period AND the previous
> period was the highest high value of the last 20 days.  The sell short
> signal does not come after the highest high value of the last 20 days.  I
> have written:
>
> C<Ref(L,-1)AND Ref(H,-1)>=(HHV(H,20)).
>
> I would like to exit if the close is higher than the previous day's high or
> on the third day of entry.  I have written:
>
> C> Ref(H,-1)
> I cannot determine how to state the third day of entry.
>
> Where have I failed?
>
> Thank you,
>
> Al Taglavore