My history with Meta Trader
Since 2004, I have this unique opportunity to get a hold with Meta Trader 4. During that time, there are Meta Trader 3 available from different brokers. Being a user, I tend to fall for the older version as those custom indicators are widely available in an older version platform. I only manage to catch up with the later version of Meta Trader 4 several years later in 2006. The unique programming language in Meta Trader's compiler are called MQ4(Meta Quote Language 4th generation).
To alternative programming language
For all you know, Meta Trader 5 and MQL5 was introduced 10 years later, and few years back MT5 launched and many speculating it is going to take over MT4 and put an end to the legacy programming language. From what I see here, they both serve in different purposes. Whilst MQL5 are class base, easily API platform and can be very easy to integrate with other languages and library, MQL4 is still a very efficient standalone programming language. More like the older 3rd generation language which are non-object oriented language. They are already efficient enough to make trades and customize visual indicator. I had to struggle for sometime to decide what am I going to move forward with since I am already out of programming business for donkey years. I decided this will be my last take. I am not going back to the back hunching keybaord warrior business and code for my living. I am just going to continue to make use of my skill of copy pasting in existing codes and make up something to work for I, me, and myself. The hell with API and if I ever wanted my business to that level, I will get someone to code for me and why would I spend time doing all the coding work all by myself?
Hit the high gear with automated trading
Without further ado, let me get down to business. In order to use automation, I need Meta Trader 4. Fortunately, they have both desktop and app platform for phones and computers. Although automation can only be hosted on desktop version, I can alway remote login to my PC and work with my robot. Other than that, I can login the APP via my phone to check on the trades that is currently running so I can manage them remotely as well. Some of these has been introduced previously on my other Crypto CFD trading series. If you're interested, feel free to check back my previous post. With Meta Trader 4 desktop edition installed in the PC, there are already two different Expert Advisors(known as automated trading software that helps user to execute trades automatically) bundled in the installation files. Free robots yo!
Too good to be true
When someone tells you, it is too good to be true, chances are, it is. Things happen to me in 2004 as well, after I first downloaded the MT4 platform, I got a shock with the free robot that came together with the installation. How often do you download a freeware from the internet and you get a free working robot together?! Probably not. And the most magical thing is, I can use the robot to run in the backtester(a tool that is built in the system to allow me to simulate the market fluctuation and experience the software trading scenario). I have witness many good backtest results, I have also seen people curve fit the robot with optimum parameters to work with certain testing period. Trust me, they all look so fantastic in the tester that is curved fitted with the market condition. What people failed to realized is, market has been chaging everyday. Particularly in crypto market, there's a slim chance we will be able to survive if we do not have the HODLing power. Ask again if any of those people who trade CFD in crypto market, what if they hold a short position with BTC when it was $3000? Hence fitting a robot with a fixed parameter over a long period, will only make the robot even more dumper than they should. It's not the robot's fault, it usually are the operator that fed the wrong parameter to the bot and causes it to lose trades.
What have I got for free
Today, I put my hands on the little F6 button and came the backtester. I loaded one of the free robot into the backtester and simulate a maximum available history time to test trading with the bot in stock mode, untouch in regarding any parameters available. Here's the result.
Out of 23 transactions, 22 of them went into profit! WOW! This is a robot developed back in 2004, for the FOREX market. And today, I am testing it on BCHBTC and it's showing very positive result in the simulator. I shall not get overly excited, as the above mentioned when it's too good to be true, it is. Don't forget over the past few years everything has been on the UP TREND, and if we study the statistics from the simulator report, out of 23 trades, 22 of them are LONG(buy). Which makes this robot is HODLing for a long time. There is only 1 SHORT(sell). This say, the robot is seriously unhealthy in terms of appetite. HODLing a CFD contract is the dumbest thing one can do because not only commission they charge, they also charge on daily swaps. The longer we HODL a CFD contract, the amount of interests/swap paid the broker will eventually eat into our profit.
I will be continue to find out what needs to be improve and how can we move forward with this seemingly profitable and yet crippled robots. Stay tuned.
I would like to thank all my friends and family who has been supporting me. Feel free to leave me feedback by clicking below yellow banner. > 谢谢大家一直以来的支持和对我疼爱有加。如果方便，请你点击下图到我的个人资料网页为我留言请我吃星星哈。
