I have been a TSL user since May 2010, and would like to share my experience with the software thus far.

I’m a professional trader at a top tier investment bank here in NYC. I work in the interest rate sensitive group, where I’m responsible for making a market in various securities as well as proprietary trading principal accounts. I have used TSL to create automated trading systems on a number of different futures traded in Chicago, most notably TY (10 year interest rate future) and US (Long Bond interest rate future). I trade large sizes, anywhere from $50 million ten year treasury equivalents, all the way up to approximately $100 million ten year treasury equivalents.

My experience with TSL has thus far been a very positive one, and more importantly, a PROFITABLE one. I design AND trade a number of different time frames on both TY and US. The time frames have ranged anywhere from 240 minute intervals to Daily bars. I am a NON-PROGRAMMER, and was able to use TSL (which is very user friendly in my opinion) to create systems with outstanding looking equity curves, which have proven to hold up in real time just fine. I’m not sure how many people here are familiar with the rates market over the last few years, but it’s been difficult for anyone to trade it, let alone trade it profitably.

There is a learning curve with TSL, and I’m sure this is the case with any other software developed by TSL competitors. If you put in the time and effort to learn how to use TSL, learn how to work with data, and learn how to develop trading systems with favorable statistics (excellent profit factor, large enough trade size, good trade-to-parameter ratio), then in my opinion you have better odds of being able to take money out of a market. Being a NON-PROGRAMMER, I was able to learn how to do all of the above in a few weeks time, and was able to master it in a few months. It’s been a truly rewarding experience.

Did anyone happen to mention that a TSL generated system (TSL_CEL_NG_1.1) currently claims the #1 spot on Futures Truth in the category ‘Top 10 Systems Since Their Release Date’. Please see the below link for proof: http://www.futurestruth.com/top10sincereleasedate.htm Side Note: As of this post, TSL also holds the #6 AND #9 spots in this same category. It should also be noted that TSL also holds THE TOP 2 SPOTS for the Futures Truth category ‘Top 10 S&P Systems’. Again, see for yourself: http://www.futurestruth.com/top10spsystems.htm

Personally, what I find most valuable about TSL is it’s ability to FIND a profitable trading technique for a particular set of data. A recent TSL update has included this feature in the software. For example I can load E-Mini S&P 500 data into TSL, and have TSL ‘test’ different trade types, and have it locate the most profitable one based on my criteria, such as profit factor or average trade size, etc. TSL may find that entering the market at the open is more profitable than entering at the close, for example. This is INVALUABLE, as this could take MONTHS to develop by hand, whereas TSL can generate the system in a few minutes time. Why not have TSL FIND the most profitable way to trade a market, instead of me TELLING TSL HOW to trade the market. TSL will not only find the most profitable ENTRY/EXIT for a market, it will find the IDEAL time frame on which to trade the market.

As a TSL client I’ve also been working with other clients to develop more active trading systems on SPY, E-Mini S&P 500 (ES) and Ten year interest rate futures (TY). The OMS (Order Management System) we’re currently working with has been an excellent fit with TSLs capabilities. So far the more active systems have proven to be VERY PROFITABLE, ideal for smaller accounts who can’t handle drawdowns.

In conclusion, I would say TSL is second to none, and as far as building algorithms to trade a market, it’s proven itself in REAL TIME, which is all that really matters. The systems I built OVER 18 months ago are still running, and profitably so. I’m sure this leaves many forum members asking if TSL is worth the cost. In my opinion, it is ABSOLUTELY worth the cost. Rates Trader