NinjaTrader and Windows 8

Update: a NinjaTrader representative has confirmed with us that Windows 8 should be compatible with 3rd party software, such as our Atlas Line. Previous incompatibility issues may have been due to an earlier build of Windows 8. NinjaTrader has stated that when Windows 8 is officially supported, the NinjaTrader system requirements will mention Windows 8.

Whenever NinjaTrader releases a new version, bug fixes and improvements are mention in the release notes.  There haven’t been any fixes related to Windows 8 yet. Windows 8 launched publically on October 26, 2012.

As a general rule, most computer experts agree that it is wise to wait six months after launch for upgrading to a new Windows operating system. This allows time for software developers to iron out bugs found in the real-world.  Adopting a new version of Windows out of the gate is also more expensive than waiting for price to decrease in time (and you are also getting a more stable product).  Businesses may even want to wait a year.

If you want to get familiar with Windows 8 in the least bit, consider installing Windows 8 on a non-business computer to experiment with the operating system’s new look.  Also, note that Windows 7 will be supported far into the future.  Windows XP launched October 25, 2001 (11 years ago!) and its official Microsoft support is scheduled to end April 8, 2014.

Why would you even want to upgrade to Windows 8?  You probably won’t have a choice if you’re buying a new computer as new machines will have Windows 8 preinstalled.  For traders who are in a position to upgrade their operating systems, Windows 8 won’t offer much of an advantage beyond faster boot up, shut down, menu navigation, etc.  Most traders leave their computers on for days on end and are looking for better performance in their platforms (not Windows), so this is insignificant.  What about the overall number-crunching computational performance?  Well, nothing really tests computer performance like computer game benchmarking.  In general, retail day trading is far less strenuous on the processor and other components.  A recent Tom’s Hardware review has indicated Windows 7 and 8 to be relatively equal in application performance.