SentientTrader is an interesting and pretty piece of Hurst analysis software that attracted me sufficiently to shell out 2.5K for it. It is cute enough but what is not so cute is that it stops running unless you shell out the yearly support charges. I would be happy to pay if I wanted continual upgrades but I happen to think that any software that's fully paid for should just run as is and as I assumed. Maybe I'm old fashioned.

Caveat Emptor - read the small print.

Hello Ratfink.

Thank you for sharing the info about SentientTrader.

Will you be able to advice the following :-

1) Will it worth the effort and time to learn JM Hurst Cycle analysis ?
2) Is SentientTrader worth the money and time ?

Thanks.

simjs 

Hello Ratfink. Thank you for sharing the info about SentientTrader. Will you be able to advice the following :- 1) Will it worth the effort and time to learn JM Hurst Cycle analysis ? 2) Is SentientTrader worth the money and time ? Thanks.

1) I found the learning experience valuable. It increased my awareness of ways to look at factors involved in markets, but I do not directly use Hurst's work to increase my profitability.

2) Imho no. Emphasis on the 'h' of course. However, the software is beautifully seductive to look at. I wouldn't have minded paying for it so long as the version I had kept running without the ongoing support charge. That's just ridiculous, it wasn't cheap and neither is it likely to make you money on its own.

Having said all that, without an appreciation for waves and cycles I wouldn't be where I am now in knowing where a market is and why a market is behaving in a particular way - and that's got nothing to do with buying, selling or news.

Cheers, hope my 2c helps.

Hello ratfink,

Thanks for the reply.

I will like to get some advice from you. Below are some of my questions :-

1) In order to learn JM Hurst cycle, do I really need to get the TraderPress version of JM Hurst course ? or SentientTrader training material will be sufficient ?
2) Will Hurst cycle has any value on intraday trading ? Reason I asked, because SentientTrader has Intraday version which I wonder whether it will be useful for shot term swing trading (within 3 to 5 working days) ?
3) Does SentientTrader FLD trading strategy useful or necessary ?

I look forward to your reply.

Thanks.

simjs 

Hello ratfink, Thanks for the reply. I will like to get some advice from you. Below are some of my questions :- 1) In order to learn JM Hurst cycle, do I really need to get the TraderPress version of JM Hurst course ? or SentientTrader training material will be sufficient ? 2) Will Hurst cycle has any value on intraday trading ? Reason I asked, because SentientTrader has Intraday version which I wonder whether it will be useful for shot term swing trading (within 3 to 5 working days) ? 3) Does SentientTrader FLD trading strategy useful or necessary ? I look forward to your reply. Thanks.

Hi @simjs, I would say that as it's now more than 2 years since I last played with this I am not best qualified to offer you advice (e.g. I can't even remember what the FLD was, and of course my software no longer runs.)

I seem to think they had a lot of training material on the website, probably good enough to start with. I do like old books when I can find them, but I have no knowledge of the TraderPress course you mention.

I paid for the intraday version. Can't say it was a great decision, maybe it was just me though.

Overall I suggest you ask if they do a trial version - as the software is locked for support I don't see why they couldn't allow trials, even if paid for by month, their answer should give you a clue as to whether to follow the road or not.

Cheers

Ratfink,

Thank you.

well its 100.00 a month now with a 30day free trail . the real question is how accurate are the time projections . for get the money part of it . it takes a lot of time to unpack and learn the software plus how to incorporate and trade the market generated information its processing ...is it worth the time even if it is all free .

ratfink 

SentientTrader is an interesting and pretty piece of Hurst analysis software that attracted me sufficiently to shell out 2.5K for it. It is cute enough but what is not so cute is that it stops running unless you shell out the yearly support charges. I would be happy to pay if I wanted continual upgrades but I happen to think that any software that's fully paid for should just run as is and as I assumed. Maybe I'm old fashioned. Caveat Emptor - read the small print.

I too have a copy but really struggle with the stability/quality of the product - noting that despite the need for a lot of processing, it is still a 32-bit app.

For me the display generally hangs within 5-10 minutes of using it (blanks) and it may or may not return. It has been a known problem for years and despite paying annual support to get issues resolved this does not seem to be high on the priority list. I basically try and use it once a month or so and give up. To add to my woes - on occasion it to corrupts my workbooks and I have gotten in the habit of restoring it from backup. It really needs some professional programmers to bring this app back up to spec.

A lesser gripe is the interface - navigating/scrolling through charts is backwards to all other trading apps. The difference is similar to using a Mac when you are used to windows!!

The Hurst portion of the app has potential and is unique - David Hickson is a very knowledgeable Hurst proponent - generous with information and shares readily.

I do keep hoping they will fix the issues as the tool is useful - the software maintenance has provided very little in terms of bug fixes and new features have been far and few in between.

I have not yet decided if I will renew this year - it feels a bit like a bad trade and maybe I just need to cut my losses instead of the ongoing frustrations this APP causes me.

Sorry for the grizzle - but it is important to share the experience.

/GRZLTN

grzltn 

It really needs some professional programmers to bring this app back up to spec... I have not yet decided if I will renew this year - it feels a bit like a bad trade and maybe I just need to cut my losses instead of the ongoing frustrations this APP causes me.

@grzltn,

The trading software parallel you're drawing here is spot on -- knowing when to cut a losing position versus giving it more room is exactly the mental framework that applies.

The 32-bit architecture issue you're hitting is a real problem. Most modern systems are optimized for 64-bit applications, and 32-bit apps often struggle with memory management, especially when doing the kind of heavy computational work that cycle analysis requires. That 5-10 minute hang pattern you're describing sounds like classic memory pressure problems.

The workbook corruption issue is concerning. No trading tool should be corrupting your work files -- that's not a feature limitation, that's a stability bug that should be priority one for any developer.

A few things worth considering:

• Document your issues in writing if you haven't already -- timestamped support tickets create accountability
• Your backup habit is smart, but you shouldn't need it for basic functionality
• The sunk cost of past payments shouldn't drive the renewal decision -- only the forward value matters

David Hickson clearly knows his Hurst material -- the educational content and methodology have real value. But solid education wrapped in unstable software creates frustration, exactly what you're experiencing.

I'm not sure what alternatives exist for dedicated Hurst analysis tools at this point -- the niche is pretty specialized. But your instinct to evaluate this like a trade position is the right framework. If the tool isn't working reliably after years of the same issues, that's information.

Thanks for sharing the honest experience. These kinds of real-world user reports help others make informed decisions.

-- Fi
"The best tools disappear into the workflow -- the worst ones become the workflow."