Why is it not possible for a system developer to request removal of time stamps on trading records that are available for public viewing? I for one trade a few successful systems that trade at specific times. Making the time stamp public information is not something I’m comfortable with, and I don’t know what purpose it serves other than to let any John Doe coming to this site have a crack at re-engineering my system. The date and prices are enough information until a user subscribes, at which point the information can be made available.
What am I missing? Why is this a problem?
Why is it a problem? You can choose how long to delay a trade before it appears to the general public… up to 2 or 3 days, I believe. If you’re worried about someone reverse-engineering your system based on correlating trade times with price action and “known” indicators, then perhaps your system is not very unique (no offense meant).
Another way to look at this is that, assuming your system is easily guessed, anyone could do so by subscribing, printing out all the trades, and unsubscribing.
Hopefully, a system offers more than just a generally known implementation available in most trading books and magazines.
For anyone who actually trades for a living, as I do, the precise time of a trade entry is critical information that should be the choice of a vendor to withhold from non-paying subscribers. It is not a matter of how long the information is withheld, it should not be available at all if the vendor so chooses.
I seriously doubt if there is a regular member of this site who hasn’t charted the time and price entry of other systems from time to time. (Come on. You KNOW you have.) And that information can be put to work in your own systems development, without paying a fee to anyone.
I have a number of acquaintances - non members - who regularly visit this site to look at that same information.
In that regard, Matthew has created a great public service. But that information, if a vendor so chooses, should not be publicly available to non-members.
Enough said on the subject from me.
I think the problem is, there are so many things that can generate a signal - oscillators, EW, Gann, Fib, patterns, candlestick stuff, breakout, price action, etc. etc. etc. not to mention multiples thereof - that even if someone saw all the entries, they may not have a clue what the vendor logic is…
I can say I never tried to "reverse engineer" a system here. Maybe I tried to see if I could improve on the entry/exit by waiting or something. But frankly, there are very few systems with the profits, statistics and history worth the effort. There are way too many amatuers trying out their visions of glory.
But I would agree that, only displaying the days and not the entry times, should the vendor so want, has merit…
"I seriously doubt if there is a regular member of this site who hasn’t charted the time and price entry of other systems from time to time. (Come on. You KNOW you have.)"
Well, I have never done that, and see no purpose in it.
Index’ answer above explains well why NOT do it. Not only the incentive is not there (with very few systems worth of a second look), but many more factors than time can explain a trigger.
Of course, your concern about timing clearly indicates that you have a system based on timely entries only. So you actually gave away your “secret sauce” by making your concern public.
But relax! Even knowing your secret, I won’t be interested in even visiting your system page unless you have an excellent track record to entice me.
"But relax! Even knowing your secret, I won’t be interested in even visiting your system page unless you have an excellent track record to entice me."
Very good point… and one that basically makes discussing this pointless.
If one can decipher somebody else’s system, the chances are that he can create a good one himself with less effort.
I guess that it could reduce credibility of Collective2, if timestamps are removed, since price verification options are reduced. However, this could be a minor issue and it could be an option for system vendor to choose if he preferrs to go with timestamps or without.
