Quantopian – why I don’t take part

[yetanotherquant]

Quantopian - why I don't take part

Quantopian is a very interesting FinTech project for virtually everybody, who wants to try the algorithmic trading. Yet I explain why I myself - a successful trader, experienced quant and good programmer - don't take part (and what Quantopian should undertake to make me do).

 

[vertigo]

Not knowing Python is not an excuse, so let us discount that. R is similar to Python, anyway. If you work in a hedge fund (or even some IB s) it is common to know Python when backtesting trading strategies.

The rest of your points I agree with. This Quantopia company is living in La La Land - I think Elvis lives there. A trading strategy that is uncorrelated to the market, actively trading (i.e., over trading), stable profits, underlying economic reasoning? What planet are these people living on? Their vision is noble but extremely unrealistic and to be brutally honest, ignorant of reality.

It is an interesting project only if u are a moron. If u want to do the real thing, work in a large hedge fund and learn how actual algorithms work. And laugh at Quantopia and the people submitting papers there - nobody takes them seriously.

Underlying economic reasoning? That might be the biggest crock of shit I have ever read. Here's a good strategy: If economic reasoning tells u to go long VIX, then go short VIX. if economic reasoning tells u to buy bananas, then sell bananas.

 

[yetanotherquant]

Not knowing Python is not an excuse, so let us discount that. R is similar to Python, anyway. If you work in a hedge fund (or even some IB s) it is common to know Python when backtesting trading strategies.

Of course it is not an excuse and I, myself, would have readily learn it if necessary.
I actually mean:
a) the competition for attention and time of qualified people is high.
In this sense Quantopian lost me (and even if I would not create a worthy strategy for them, a loyal regular visitor to a website can be well-monetized).
b) to my knowledge, there are e.g. no wavelet libraries in Python, which I need.

It is an interesting project only if u are a moron. If u want to do the real thing, work in a large hedge fund

I would not affirm it so hard
While you are right about "work in a large hedge fund", whom this fund will prefer to hire, a guy, who has completely no experience or a guy, who at least made his hands dirty in Quantopian's sandbox?!
It this sense I still find Quantopian useful.

 

[pingu]

Quantopian - why I don't take part

Quantopian is a very interesting FinTech project for virtually everybody, who wants to try the algorithmic trading. Yet I explain why I myself - a successful trader, experienced quant and good programmer - don't take part (and what Quantopian should undertake to make me do).

nobody is perfect. Here is a good start Quantopian 2.0 Tutorial Series