Each month in this Journal, our technical support staff addresses issues of interest to many CSI subscribers in a question-and-answer format. 

Notice:
  The views and information expressed in this document reflect the opinions and experience of the author Robert C. Pelletier.  Neither CSI nor the author undertake or intend to provide tax advice or trading advice in any market or endorse any outside individual or firm.  All recommendations are provided for their informational value only.  Readers should consult competent financial advisors or outside counsel before making any software purchase or investment decision.  CSI does not stand behind or endorse the products of any outside firms.

Copyright (c) 1999 Commodity Systems Inc. (CSI).  All rights are reserved.

Q.
     If I upgrade to Unfair Advantage version 2.0.1, will my data still be compatible with my third-party analysis programs?

A.. 
    Absolutely. Although your CSI database has always been compatible with dozens of trading systems, we've made it easier than ever to use the data with your favorite investment software. We've been working with the makers of various programs such as One Day at a Time and Vantage Point to automatically build specific portfolios recommended for their customers. At the request of our customers who use other analysis systems, we have engineered a Stock Scanner to facilitate analysis with Omega Research's RadarScreen,TM and simplified the interface to export to other formats such as MetaStock and ASCII. We welcome all the new subscribers who have come to CSI at the recommendation of their investment software developers and encourage other developers to take advantage of this service. 

    If you use any of the programs listed above, you should find compatibility easier, not harder! If you use other programs and would like more support, please contact your analysis software company and ask them to work with CSI to improve compatibility. Additional portfolios are expected to be available in early 2000.

Q.
    I recently switched to the new Unfair Advantage and am not as pleased with the charting as I had hoped. While the portfolio list on the left is handy, it takes too much of the space that was formerly available for graphics. Is there a way to minimize the portfolio list? 

A.
    Yes. You can change the size of the portfolio list window, making it a tiny column to the left of the chart or up to a full-screen information window. Simply grab the screen divider with your mouse and move it over. Drop it wherever you like. Printed charts continue to fill the entire page with remarkable detail, regardless of the size of your portfolio list window.

Q.
    Is it possible to use CSI data with an alternative database format?

A.
    Yes. For those who want to skip the data handling innovations of others and march to their own drum, UA offers an Application Programmer's Interface (API). This feature gives direct access to the database for custom applications, including building your own custom files. The API and its accompanying utility programs are most often used by our corporate customers and independent program developers.

Q.
    Does CSI expect to experience any ill effects of the Y2K bug?

A.
    This newsletter is going to press in mid December 1999, and will be mailed just before the new year. As discussed last month, we have done everything we could to assure a seamless transition, but will be standing by to cope with any problems that may occur. Please let us know as soon as possible if retrieval, data content or compatibility becomes a problem for you.

Q.
    How can I get a current rate schedule? 

A.
    Visit the CSI home page on the web at www.csidata.com where you can surf for complete information about our services and pricing. Our marketing staff will also be happy to assist you. Call 1-800-274-4727 or send an email to marketing@csidata.com.