Frank, I deleted the EQ_Slist file and then I went into the MCAfee program and changed the real time scan and now it works ok without any errors. Thank you for your persistence.
As far as the Metastock program goes, Equis is up against stiff competition. With online brokers offering their own software, Real time quotes, Cloud based software and finally other software programs, equis has it's hands full.
What they should realize the common denominator is data! If they want to make Real time Data their priority, then they need to make some type of integration with online brokers and their software.Other software programs need data, they all read metastock dta files. There is no sense in using RT data in Equis, if you can't trade from the chart. By the time you switch back and forth between charts and your online broker, your losing money as ticks go by.
Computing trends are going away from PC's and into more mobile platforms ie: tablets and smartphones.
So as cloud computing becomes more prevalent, I feel that software providers will adapt their programs and move into some sort of leasing scenario, where they maintain the data files and they provide RT Signals.
Let's look at some of the competition:
ESignal used to provide RT data for Metastock, They bought Advanced Get and have their own software
Tradestation was a software only business, they became a broker with their software
Interactive Brokers has their own software,data
TDAmeritrade has their own software and data
Scottrade has their own software and Data
What is the one thing that they have in common?
You can trade from the chart, Click buy and your in a trade, Click sell and your out, your portfolio updates in real time.
A simple charting program is doomed unless it can find a way to integrate into a trading platform!
I don't daytrade, I don't really need RT Data for EOD explorations. I get my signals and then go to my online broker and use their software to get into the trade and manage my account.
Equis will continue to be around for a long while, but not in a version where you buy it for life!
Equis is getting into a subscription based format, where they continue to get a larger monthly return!
$1500 p/year for Xenith data, but can you trade from the charts like you can from an online broker ??
My brokers offer free charting, free scanning, free RT Data, nasdaq level2, time and sales, news ,options,fundimentals, portfolio management all for FREE!!! and I don't have to convert any data files.
Don't get me wrong, I still love to use Metastock but I can see the handwriting on the wall. Newer and better trading tools are developing all of the time!
Regards,
Henry