tonyc2atonyc2a 2005.01.07 14:01 

Infeasible proposal

I think it would be a good idea for you guys to release your client terminal as open-source. The reason being that you do not make your money from the charting client; you make money by selling and maintaining your server applications. (I assume)
By opening the source code of the client you will allow people to customize tailor-suited flavors of MetaTrader. Other programmers will be able to add features you are unable to. Giving other people the capability to customize your charting software will drive demand higher. Higher demand for your charting app will drive the demand for brokers using your server - which means you get more money. …plus it leaves you more time to focus on your server applications making them even better.

Get the client to final release so that it has all the functionality that it ought to have and let the end-users use its open flexibility to make it the best.

-T

PS. I guess that someone could already customize their own charting app and use the Client API to communicate, but opening the source saves them from repeating work that has already been done. Besides, MT4 (w/ MQL4) is a solid charting app. Making it open source could be the leverage you need to draw end-users away from TradeStation and eSignal.

tonyc2atonyc2a 2005.01.08 21:08 

oh well :(