Quote from: reeses on October 05, 2012, 09:38:10 PM

Quote from: Bugpowder on October 05, 2012, 09:13:32 PM

Quote from: fbastage on October 05, 2012, 09:09:17 PM

build something better, or charge less. it's that simple.

Bloomberg terminals are not easy to use, are ugly, and expensive as hell.

Why do they dominate the market?

Let me tell you. :-)

1) They are easy to use once you get to know how to use them. Much like any computer application. They are for power users, not people who expect F1 to be the DWIM key.

2) Expensive is relative. The cost to the average user is not major compared to the ROI. There are less expensive options for day traders and other consumer-level traders, but they don't have the full featureset (which you may not need).

3) They are *nuts* about innovation. They keep the interface pretty static (which makes sense) and continually test and improve the backend.

4) Per #1, the industrial ubiquity means that you can go from terminal to terminal, floor to floor, and while the layout may be different, you'll be able to use the system. Your dad can teach you how to use it, if he's in the industry. The number of people who can help you (beyond the people coming out from Bloomberg to train you, or at their corp facility) is immense.

Funny, this reminds me of GPG.