The future of the kleinnet.com BMW site

Recently I received an email from the son of a long-time user of the https://invest.kleinnet.com/bmw1 site asking, essentially, whether he could count on it for the long run. One of his questions was whether I planned to make the source code publicly available.

I’ve thought about this for a few days and figured it would be a good idea to pose it to the board here. Apparently there are still people using the site and this Board, which is amazing!

I’ve been publishing weekly BMW site updates since June 2004 (https://discussion.fool.com/charts-and-stats-20961551.aspx). Wow that is nearly 18 years! The software has evolved a bit over time but not as much as one would think. It is written mostly in Perl and Linux shell scripts and grew “organically”, i.e. totally unplanned and without an architecture. More recently some Python has been added, mainly because of a package that downloads historical quotes from Yahoo efficiently and quickly.

The amount of work I need to put into the software and publishing updates to my web site is pretty close to zero. For years at a time usually everything runs automatically and I don’t even check unless someone sends me an email from the Board saying the results didn’t show up. Exceptions are usually when the data source changes. I have used MSN MoneyCentral, Yahoo in its various forms over the years, and tried a few other sources. Currently I am using the excellent Python package “yfinance” for the historical price download.

I’m not planning to open-source the code because actually it would be a lot more work for me to monitor and respond to issue reports, pull requests, and the like. I like how it’s running now where my involvement is so close to zero. I have a full time job that I enjoy and many other hobbies that keep me busy.

That said, I am thinking of significant updates to the BMW site. These may take years to actually show up. The concept is a much more interactive site, and conversion of the code to a far more compact and efficient code base, probably using Python. But there’s not a lot pushing me in this direction because the 18-year-old code that’s there now just keeps running… and running… it’s very limited and basic, but it just keeps running.

-Mike

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Hi Mike!

Glad to hear you’re still around and living the good life. Please consider this my thanks and also a gentle nudge to urge you to play with the code and continue to work your magic.

-D

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Mike!

I’m still appreciating and using your site on a weekly basis, as well as Denny’s BMW site.

What generous, caring Fools you and Denny you have been!

Thanks, my Friends!

Cheers!
Murph
BL Home Fool

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Hi Mike,

I visit your site almost every week too. No matter what you decide to do, Thanks so much for all the time and effort you’ve put in over these many years. I have greatly appreciated it.

I would love to know if you, or anyone, keeps in touch with Jim (BMW)? Have always wondered if he kept using his BMW method or if he moved on to another investing style? Did he go to another forum or drop off internet altogether?

I wasn’t around when the board kinda died.

Fafar (Kathy)

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Hi Kathy!

All I know is that when Jim moved to New Bern, NC, I lost track of him. Since I am not using Facebook anymore, I don’t know if his page is still there, but it was…you may want to check if you are a Facebook user.

Cheers!
Murph
BL Home Fool

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…and a bit more info on Jim:

https://duffyfieldphoenixproject.org/board-of-directors/jim-…

Cheers!
Murph
BL Home Fool

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Hi Murph!

Sorry for the late response…was on vacation. :slight_smile:

I checked Facebook and his account is still there but it’s private, as it should be. Not being a major BMW poster, I’d doubt he’d even remember me, so I won’t even try to friend him just to ask what type of investing he’s doing now. lol

When I returned to the Fool, I checked the board’s old posts but never could pinpoint when he left or why. I think you(?) at one point had said that there was a lot of contention on the board?? From what I can see that’s what happens on all the boards I visit during big Down periods. People get very upset about losing money, esp if they haven’t been through a Down before.

I left the Fool and BMW board because I took on a very time-consuming project and no longer had time to keep up with my stocks. Poor timing and unfortunately I took a bath on a number of stocks. But if I wasn’t going to pay attention, it was the right thing to do and it saved me from an even bigger loss.

I’m curious about Jim, but it’s not that big a deal. No further research necessary.

Mike:

The BMW Method website buy and sell screens were broken for a time (also 16 year old php code, updated occasionally to keep up with new php versions). Recently I got the screens working again.

That said, I am thinking of significant updates to the BMW site.

Maybe you can use the BMW Method website buy and sell screens.


There is a problem with the “Screen run on 05/29/2022.” It’s using May 20 closing prices

Agilent Technologies, Inc. (A) 125.13 vs. 130.55
Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST) 71.87 vs. 87.31

Denny Schlesinger

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There is a problem with the “Screen run on 05/29/2022.” It’s using May 20 closing prices

The latest chart update (for Friday June 3) is back to normal. I don’t know if Mike made any changes but the long weekend (Memorial Day) screwed up my Yahoo code. It did not affect the BMW Method buy and sell screens but prices at another website.

Denny Schlesinger

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I don’t know if Mike made any changes but the long weekend (Memorial Day) screwed up my Yahoo code

I didn’t make any changes. Maybe Yahoo’s downloadable historical price data was not correctly updated. Glad all is back to normal!

-Mike

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Hi Mike,
I’m late in responding but wanted to let you know that I’ve been using the charts since the first BMWm meeting I attended in San Diego. Not exactly weekly visits to the BMW site but nearly so. I greatly appreciate your willingness to keep them functional.

In the event you are going to modify the program, I truly miss the Sheridan program’s functionality. In particular, the charting of quarterly earnings, against the CAGR which I found particularly valuable.

If there’s some way I can reciprocate for my long use of the site, let me know.

And Denny, was that a permanent move to Portugal or just a visit?

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And Denny, was that a permanent move to Portugal or just a visit?

Nothing in life is permanent! LOL

I’d rather live in Venezuela but not under the current regime and the economic crisis they have created.

Denny Schlesinger

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I’m late to the party but want to note that I still use the stock charts each time I am considering a trade. I trade infrequently, so it’s maybe a 3-4 times per year visit. Each time, I’m glad it’s still available.

ThyPeace, shifting steadily into index funds as I realize I do not have the time or inclination to track individual stocks these days.

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Is anyone still using the BMW Method? Are the Klein charts still updated?

culcha

Open a chart and check the date. :wink:

The Captain

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