At the moment I am running eSignal on a dedicated Windows 7 computer, however it would be helpful to also run eSignal on my iMac. If you want to run eSignal on a Mac OS X you really only have two options at the moment.

1. Install on Bootcamp and multi boot.
2. Install in a virtual machine.

I have put together a quick video detailing the options below.

eSignal running in Parallels

The install process is pretty straightforward and so far eSignal has been running perfectly. The best way to see how well eSignal performs is by seeing it in action under Parallels Desktop 7.

• To skip the install process and watch demo of eSignal running in the virtual machine.
• To skip to cold start time of eSignal.

I have been playing poker online for a few years now and until this week I have been to lazy to properly mange and synchronize my hand history files. I do all my opponent analysis and hand history analysis under Windows. The analysis software I use is Hold’em Manger, Poker Hands, Poker Stove, Sit and Go Wiz and Troutulater. The problem I have been faced with is that I play across three different computers and two different operating systems.

DropBox: Synchronize, Backup and Import

DropBox is an easy and seamless way to synchronize and backup documents across computer’s and the internet. If you have not got an account yet sign up now it is FREE. After you have signed up to DropBox download the desktop application and install it on all desired computers. As I primariliy play on my iMac my laptop or my Windows7 machine; I created a root folder in my DropBox called HandHistory and three sub folders for each computer.

You will only need to define the structure once and it will be synchronized and backed up online.

Change your HandHistory Folder

In all of your poker clients you will need to save the HandHistory data to the desired drop box folder. This will automatically store the data online and synchronize it across computers. In my case I launch my stars client and choose the corresponding DropBox folder.

Final Step

Now that you have configured all your poker clients to save HandHistory’s to your DropBox it is time to configure your analysis software. Just put in the path to your DropBox –> HandHistory folder and now all that is left to do is click import. I have found this to be an excellent solution and is much better then using USB stick or other methods.

What do I need from a computer

1. Large Screen.
2. Needs to run all trading applications.
3. Needs to be fast. (Not ultra fast).
4. Ability to develop for multiple devices.
5. Decent amount of RAM.
6. Large hard drive.
7. Simple.
8. Good Value for money.

With all these requirements in mind I decided to go with the new 27 Inch iMac model. You can read about the full specifications of this machine 27” iMac, below is a quick rundown:

• 3.06 Intel Core 2 Duo
• 4 gig of RAM.
• 1 terabyte hard drive
• 27 inch backlight LED screen (love the resolution of this machine)

Running my Trading Software

Here is where things get a little more complicated if you want to run most trading software you will need to run Windows. Essentially you have three options for running Windows based software:

1. You can use a virtual machine.
2. You can use Crossover Office or Darwine (note: .NET not supported).
3. Use boot camp and dual boot with OS X.

Each option has it’s strengths and weaknesses, however after weighing all the options I have decided to go with Parallels Desktop version 5. Parallels has excellent integration within OS X and coherence mode allows me to run my Windows applications and OS X applications side by side.  Below is a screenshot:

So far in my limited testing I have not come across an issue running my applications in a virtualized environment. The applications run fast enough for my needs and I can export my virtual machine and run my trading system from multiple locations. It will be interesting to see how this virtualized environment performs with some statistical arbitrage systems. I am also looking forward to getting 64 bit version of Matlab up and running under OS X.

The Install Process

As with any operating system install, I backup all my data and get a list of programs and application that will need to be installed. I always choose to do a clean install and reformat all my hard drives as I find this can increase performance. The install process is pretty much a one click affair just grab a cup of coffee and the install for most people will be done in about 30 min. below are a few grainy shots (taken with my phone cam) of some installer screens:

After a few restarts you will be presented with a login screen.

Getting Started in Windows 7

The first thing you will notice in Windows 7 is the graphics text appears sharper windows are vibrant and overall there is a brighter feel to the GUI.  One of the big changes in Windows 7 is the taskbar. If you are familiar with any Windows operating system from Windows XP onwards the switch to Windows 7 will not cause to many headaches.

Windows 7 Taskbar and Start Menu

The taskbar has increased functionality allowing you to quickly launch programs from it, switch between applications and individual application windows with ease. Taskbar shown below:

The application tray area as also had an overhaul allowing for increased customization. It is now possible to hide notification and icons from the tray area. One of the standout features of the new taskbar is the ability to preview open tabs and application windows by simply mousing over the application as shown in the image below:

Another very useful feature is the quick show desktop function located at the end of the taskbar. This allows you to quickly see all of your desktop widgets without leaving the application you are currently in. The start menu is very similar to Windows Vista with a few minor tweaks and no ability to restore the classic start menu .The image below shows the standard Windows 7 Start menu.

Appearance and Themes

Windows 7 allows for easy customization of desktop backgrounds sounds and window colours through the use of themes. You can create a customised theme yourself or download one from the net. The screenshot below shows how straightforward appearance customisation is in Windows 7:

You will also notice Calculator, Word pad and paint have gotten a makeover in this windows 7 release. Screenshots shown below:

Calculator and Paint

Windows media player has also been overhauled and supports many more file formats out of the box, however most people use VLC anyway. To read more about the new features in Windows Media player head over to Gizmodo.

The bottom line

This is by no means a complete review as there are just to many features and new components to discuss. Really Windows 7 is everything Windows Vista should have been. I have noticed increased stability, simplified networking settings and my overall workflow is faster. My PostgreSQL databases are running much quicker. The User Access Controls are much less permissive and as far as compatibility goes I have not had an issue. If you are still in the dark ages and have put off upgrading Windows XP now is definitely the time to do it.

Moving from Vista to Windows 7

This is a much harder proposition to quantify.Vista is now a mature offering, most issues have been ironed out with the last service pack release. Coming from Windows Vista Business edition myself I have found Windows 7 to be quicker, easier to use and I have not had an issue with my wireless networking like I did in Vista. For me the choice was simple to go with Windows 7 as I like to run the latest software. 

If you were disappointed with Vista or are looking to upgrade from Windows XP then Windows 7 might just be the operating system for you. Or if you are like me and like running the latest version of any software look out for this October 22 release. In the coming weeks I will post more about my Windows 7  experiences.