Stratopt.com - Need views on - Trading Strategy development & testing workshop

[amar_gr]

Hi,

Anybody here who has participated in any Trading Strategy development & testing course/workshop ?

I recently came across www.stratopt.com offering Online Strategy Development Workshops. Stratopt's high level of programming skills & his helpful nature is very well known on our forum, which is why, there is a high level of confidence in his abilities.

However, I would like to seek practical views from members with experience in developing, back-testing, and implementing trading strategies successfully. (and of-course, profitably).

Please share your views/opinions on the practical aspects & benefits of such a workshop.

Thanks in advance,

Cheers,
Amar.

 

[pedro01]

If you have no programming skills, then there is little point in learning the nuances of strategy development.

If you have programming skills and no trading skills, you won't get close to developing a profitable automated strategy.

I would say that the best combination would be a team of a seasoned trader & a seasoned programmer/trader in terms of being able to get close to an automated strategy. Once you have that, then you can learn the nuances of strategy development.

I have 3 systems currently running forward tests. One is failing because of an issue with execution speed on position reversals. One is doing extremely well and the third is doing well but needs more work. I have been a programmer for 24 years (since I was 13), had my first commercial systems out when I was 16 and currently run a software company where we develop manufacturing software as well as programming languages.

My main stumbling block when I got onto this path was that somehow I'd be able to shortcut learning to trade by using my coding skills. This is not possible. You have to learn to trade first. In terms of coding skills, with Tradestation at least, I'd say you will not be able to self-learn ESL if it is the first coding you have ever done. The exception would be if you a natural at programming. You could look at a piece of code for days and wonder why it doesn't work - a veteran might be able to see the issue in minutes. It's a long hard path in my opinion.

Your time would be much better spent learning how to trade than learning how to automate.

In terms of any specific vendor - One acid test - ask them to show you the account statements based on executing live trading strategies they have developed. If the vendor is teaching how to develop profitable strategies, then they should be profitable with strategies hemselves.

 

[StratOpt]

Since the person above is talking about my own website, I will state that I feel that any person who is wanting to learn to design, develop and properly test mechanical strategies would do well to give themselves a steeper learning curve by spending some time with somebody who has already spent an awful lot of time down this road. The steeper the better as this means you are learning at a high rate of speed. Myself, I am both the computer programmer and also a well seasoned automated systems trader so I feel I have a lot to offer in this area. Perhaps the most critical thing is to learn to fully and properly test a trading strategy before you begin to trade on it regardless if you wish to trade automated or not.

It is actually not very difficult to write the actual code required to make a successful strategy and do so by using EasyLanguage. It does not require great programming skills. The hard part is coming up with the core ideas. Simple still works and most of everything that one needs is already provided as templates to anyone who would take the time to look. Granted having a moderate level of programming skill is a benefit. It helps you to get ideas into an easier backtestable format in a quicker manner and this will make you more proficient and effective. You can gain enough programming knowledge to be rather effective within a few weeks of study. Faster if you have a mentor. I rather enjoy helping people to learn and I do so whenever it is possible for me to.