hampy,
You can check any brokers using nfa.org. Spike seem fine on that front. But IB are part of Timber Hill which, as far as I know, is still the biggest fcm.
To be honest, the only reasons I can think of these days for using anybody other than IB are: if you are huge volume; you plan trading the pit traded contracts; you like discussing things with a broker before the open; you are not completely comfortable with trading platforms in general.
I did try J-Trader (wasn't called that then) when it first came out and it had lots of problems, but then most platforms did. The few comments I've seen on it since have been very positive. It used to be more intuitive than IB's TWS and still is afaik. It has a price feed included so you can trade with a single keystroke in a similar fashion to TWS. I think (all a bit blurred here) that you used to have to pay an E-Signal fee when using PatSystems. Don't know if that still applies or not.
Spike (RC) also supply you with X-Trader (which I think is the one you have to pay $500 a month for, although I could be wrong on that as well). Jeez, senility setting in here. Anyway, I think X-Trader gives you a globex II level II display amongst other things (no good for DOW futures though).
The other thing about IB of course (as well documented on here) is that you can use TWS to feed a number of other charting packages.
Have a look on the PatSystems website. I vaguely recall somebody offering a trial of J-Trader with a nearly live feed on a simulated account (J-Trader is not tied to Spike or RC btw). Can't remember which broker/fcm was doing it though.
Yeah, I get the distinct feeling I'm in the minority with regard to the sb decision
. Still horsies for coursies.
Oh, btw, I've noticed lots of threads on here relating to IB's TWS that you would be well advised reading. They talk about management of stops, ie. whether they are held locally or on Globex, Project A, etc. Not light reading, but issues that I believe that it's better to be aware of. Also worth finding out whether TWS and PatSystems do it differently.
Good luck with it anyway.
