Trading platforms for Apple Mac OS X
I spend quite a bit of time trading … I buy and hold some stocks, but I spend more time trading options (naked, covered, spreads). For a long time I used Schwab for my primary trading account, but switched about a year ago because I discovered E*Trade (NYSE: ET) offers what I would call a trading platform (software) for OS X. Power E*Trade Pro runs very well on a faster Mac (Intel and PowerPC). If you have an older Mac, it’s not worth using it … It was bearable on my G4 PowerMac (duel), but unbearable on my PowerBook G4. Now I have a new Mac Pro desktop (standard configuration) and it works very well.
The E*Trade platform is Java based, but it’s not an Applet (which can be buggy imho), it’s a Java Application that is launched using Java Webstart. If Sun needs a poster child for how and why Java Webstart can be and is so powerful, this is it!
Schwab launched a new multi-platform Java based product recently called Streetsmart.com, it runs great on OS X, but it really doesn’t compare to E*Trade Pro. E*Trade allows you to completely configure the screen(s), whereas on Schwab it’s more like going to a static page … very limited customization. The differences would take up a whole new post …
OptionsXpress has a platform that runs on OS X called Xtend, but it’s not nearly as customizable and useful as E*Trade Pro. Notwithstanding the lack of a great trading platform, OptionsXpress has some great Options screening tools that allow you to filter a universe of stocks and then subsequently filter down to (for example) a set of Options that are good candidates for put selling (i.e. out-of-the-money, certain return assuming no assignment, volume, open interest, implied vol etc…). Very nice. And OptionsXpress has some pretty nice Java Charting and Technical analysis tools that work well on OS X … they license this technology from Prophet.Net .. which is owned by a public company called INVESTools (NASDAQ: IEDU) … hhhmm.
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July 14, 2007 at 3:52 pm
I have a question on etrade pro. I cannot get it to install a desktop clickable icon to start the platform at all. I have to open my browser, log into eTrade and download .jnlp file, then go to desktop and double click that file to get eTrade pro to boot.. No desktop app icon is ever created.
I am somewhat mystified over this and it’s not a very mac like experience lol. Feels like I am running windoze all over again.
Currently using Intel imac with 2 g ram and plenty of power-just wish I could get desktop icon to boot program. If I try to re-use the jnlp file after quitting 1st session-java errors out and says it can’t start session-have to go and download from etrade again..very aggravating
Any help appreciated
mike
July 14, 2007 at 10:56 pm
fz4fun … you need to create an InternetShortcut file on your desktop.
using Terminal and VI or another Text editor, create a file with a .url extention (you can create it and then change the extention). The file should look like this inside:
[InternetShortcut]
URL=https://us.etrade.com/e/t/user/login_etpro
The harder part is getting the ICON of the link set to the E-Trade Logo. I don’t know where that logo is stored on my machine or I would upload it for you … Assuming you did have it, once the .url file is created, right-click on it and choose Get Info and then cut and paste the logo you want into the Preview area.
October 29, 2007 at 9:00 pm
Just wondering if Power Etrade Pro’s java platform works under 10.4.10? I have tried to run it but the applet would crash out soon after the about window shows up. Any pointers?
October 30, 2007 at 10:32 pm
Ok, answering my own query, the problem have been solved.
The first time, one needs to log into Etrade’s web interface and click the link. Then click the downloaded file. This would generate a desktop shortcut and initiate the program. In future, one can click that desktop shortcut and then login and then manually click the newly downloaded .jnlp file.
November 1, 2007 at 1:33 am
ciprol … thanks for the comment. I am on Leopard and all is well. But, as you mentioned in your follow-up, I already had it setup. Best.
April 12, 2008 at 1:17 pm
HELP I have MacBook Pro with full power intel and maxed out everything…. I also need to use the stock charts of Prophet.net.
I just bought the Mac last month (March 08) so it came preloaded
with OSX 10.5.2 Leopard. When I try to access Prophet.net which
runs on Jave, a little drop down window comes up and says:
Your progams requires Java, and Jave is unavailable
or not in hard drive.
But when I look in Applications> utilities> Java > I find three files
having to do with java.
Then I call Prophet.net up and they say the problem is Apple is not
supporting Java in 10.5 at this time and there is nothing they can do until if and when that is fixed by Apple.
Then I call Apple and they go thru some interigations with me and say : well you HAVE JAVA IN YOU COMPUTER AND ALL IS WELL– MAYBE YOU SHOULD TELL PROPHET.NET TO FIX THIER PROBLEM.
So who is jerking me off here, and what can I do about it.
I spent five grand on this laptop (with some extra software) and I’m
stuck.
Jona Swift, Houston rocket77@sbcglobal.net
What the heck is going on.
April 24, 2008 at 11:36 am
two ideas … 1) you might try it with the Firefox browser (http://www.firefox.com) and 2) you might want to install the OS X Developer Tools that come with Leopard (or whatever version of OS X you have). The developer tools can be installed from your install DVDs or you can go to http://www.apple.com/developer and register and download them from there (I think).
Best