A True Story : The Pursuit of The Holy Grail

 

The X-Files Project began with the agreement of two parties to culminate all their research and ideas, for the purpose of financial gain by trading the markets. Both entities agreed to pursue with all resources the elusive, dependable and consistently profitable, fully automated trading system. There were no cost spared during the project, a very large research fund was set aside to insure the projects completion. In spite of these preparations, funds ran low so additional funds were sought and secured from two sources. One of the sources is no longer associated with the project, having exhausted their available funds. The other party is now a client of the original projects founders. 

The project ended two years beyond the estimated time of completion, and at a staggering cost five times the estimated initial proforma. All available and most non-available trading methodologies were extensively researched. The extent of pursuing some of the technology, at times bordered upon criminal espionage. Extensive computer testing as well as real money accounts were used to determine the fact from fiction. Through out the ordeal, many outside sources were employed to work on various pieces of the project, none however having the whole, nor the complete concept. This was done not just for the obvious security reasons but also because this ensured the results of their part of the project was not tainted by some preconceptions. 

If one item were to be singled out as the most detrimental to the project, it would have to be that there were preconceived ideas of what a successful trading system should look like. The computer was assumed to be in error, time and time again no matter how successful the per trade profit looked. This assumption of error was perpetuated by the resistance to investigate what the results were showing. The computer modeling did not look and behave as was anticipated by the research team. Following in the footsteps of one of the early pioneers of computer testing and trading. It was realized that the project was closer to completion, than what had been previously thought. 

The project completion was being held up because the team refused to allow the computer model to trade the methodology that it found most profitable. In spite of what the research team thought, one area was left not completely researched. That area was the research team themselves ability to allow a computer to do the actual trading. In other words the team needed to ensure that they were profit motivated and not motivated by the need to be traders. Thus the intervention of the pioneer mentioned earlier. He having been in the very same situation years ago when developing his computer model, was gracious enough to share the road map for the human part of the systems evolution. 

The main element that was provided to the team was the experience that once you have a methodology that works, you have to let the system do its job. It must become the trader and you a servant of it. After this is accomplished trading actually becomes a rather mundane experience. 

What has taken years of research and at one time consumed the space of a large warehouse, has now been reduced to approximately one page of code for use with Omega Research TradeStation. For the participants of the project the road to recovery is at hand. It will take some time to recoup the expenses of the developmental cost. There were many who fell by the wayside during the process and that is just a natural order occurrence. However the monumental task that has been accomplished is now realized to be fact not fiction. During the work, at some time the consensus was that an answer would not be found. However with feverish tenacity the developmental process was pursued. The consensus now is that the answers were always out there somewhere, waiting to be implemented by those willing to take the risk and work hard enough for it.

 

 

- The End For Now -
  - Thanks to the participants knowingly or not. -

 

 - People -
- Rick Parkhurst - Miles Casad - Bruce Collins - Stan Finney - Ed Courson - Ellery Scott - Rick Saidenberg - Peter Aan - Mike Conner - Jim Steadman - Tom Richter - Jean Coats - R.L. Mc Alister - Linda Satterfield - Robert Strittmatter - Brian Shiell - Scott Shiell - Mike Dollar - Radin Yousefi - 

 

- Products -
- Cray Research - Omega Research - The Math Works - Ned Davis Research - 

 

- Company's -
- Smith Barney - First Texas Futures - First American Discount - Advance Futures and Options Group - Moss Capital Management - Regal Asset Management - Rainbow Trading Systems - Spyglass Trading LP - 

 

- Universities -
- The University of Arizona - Department of Astro Physics -

 

- Dedication -
- A Dedication to those Involved in The X-Files Project -
- Rick Parkhurst...... We Thank You...... Mark Brown -
- Copywright© 2009 Mark Brown Trading Systems. -
- Project Is Now Completely Self Funded -

 

- Email -