Forex Trading Platforms and Windows Vista Business Edition: AvaTrader

Today we will be putting Windows Vista Business Edition to the trading platform  test. The platform that we will be testing under Windows Vista Business Edition today is AvaTrader.

Installation: The AvaTrader installation is very straightforward, simply choose an install location and agree to the licence and AvaTrader is installed without a hitch. A shortcut will also be place on the Desktop.

When AvaTrader is first launched, you will notice that it checks for any updates and then installs them. The good thing about AvaTrader is that unlike DealBooks 360 this process does not require Administrator permission. AvaTrader adopts the new Windows Vista Business Edition look and feel, this is much better then AvaTrader’s previous Aqua look.

In AvaTrader there are three main views the main view, chart view and exclusive daily commentary.  In each of these views, the Dealing rates are present in a separate sub window on the left hand side of the screen. This is a handy feature as it allows for one click buying and selling in any view. The Dealing rate also displays a tick chart for each respective currency. In the main view, there are several sub windows these include:

• Dealing Rates Table.
• Chart window.
• Tabs: Summary, Open Positions and Orders.
• Account Information: Balance, Equity, USD Margin, Usable Margin Net P/L.

The Charts view simply contains a sub window that fills the screen with the chart of your choice. The exclusive daily commentary window is misleading at best. The content provided is rehashed readily available information that is not even displayed in the application; a separate Internet browser window is opened.  Below are some screen shots of AvaTrader running under Windows Vista Business Edition:

A feature that I like about AvaTrader is the ability to drag the dealing rates or any other sub window onto a secondary monitor. AvaTrader as a platform in general is not that appealing in my opinion the only thing they got right was the Dealing Rates window. With no ability to write custom indicators and automate trading strategies the platform is a letdown.   

Bottom Line

Windows Vista Business Edition runs AvaTrader without a single hitch, AvaTrader is faster more stable and more elegant under Vista. If you are already using AvaTrader upgrading to Windows Vista Business Edition will not cause any great problems. If you are considering using AvaTrader as a trading platform I would advise you to seriously consider alternative options that provide better tools and the ability to automate trading.

About the author

Mark - Is a 28 year old form Australia. He has a Bachelor in Economics and a Major in CS. He is currently working towards his CFP. His interests include algorithmic trading systems, artificial intelligence, game theory and poker.