From: Charles Ballowe <cballowe@...>
Date: 2005-12-30T16:59:06+09:00
Subject: Re: Using Ruby to Invest in the Market?

You'd need real time data feeds as well as a trading API. When I was
bored and reading about it a while back, it seemed that in order to
get access to APIs you had to sign agreements and often be a fairly
large customer of the exchange to get access. Most of the software
that is given to private investors and day traders uses one api -
generally not published - to access the brokerage - often custom to
the brokerage. The broker then has another API into the market. Some
of the markets use software based on products from TIBCO or other
messaging software vendors.

I think the short answer is -- if you want to, good luck getting
access. Really, I'd be happy if I could find a source for a real time
- or even delayed stock ticker  with an easy API so I could write code
and just play with simulating trades.

-Charlie

On 12/29/05, Michael Gorsuch <michael.gorsuch@gmail.com> wrote:
> An idea popped in my head today.  Has anyone ever used a stock
> investment service that allows you to access an investment API or
> something like that?
>
> It would nice if I could use Ruby to buy or sell stocks in real time,
> but I do not have any experience in dealing with this programatically.
>
> Anybody?
>
> Thank you in advance,
>
> Michael
>
>