1. Agreement and eligibility
These terms govern your use of Project Windsock at projectwindsock.com and its related application services. Windsock Market Alerts Pty Ltd, ACN 691 330 177, operates the service and is referred to as we, us or Windsock. By creating an account or using the service, you agree to these terms. If you do not agree, do not create an account or use the service.
You must be at least 18. Feature availability depends on applicable law, supported locations and eligibility requirements imposed by Alpaca or other providers. Availability is not guaranteed in every country. Provide accurate account information, keep your login credentials confidential and notify us promptly of suspected unauthorised use. Connect only an Alpaca account you are entitled to authorise.
2. The service and its limitations
Windsock provides derived market data, market activity analysis, watchlists and configurable alerts. Where enabled, users can connect an Alpaca paper account and submit manual paper trades for testing. Windsock also runs an internal automated paper-trading benchmark to research signals and strategy performance. This benchmark is separate from users' connected Alpaca accounts. Connecting your account does not activate automated trading on it. Windsock does not currently offer live trading with real funds.
Market data, signals and alerts may be delayed, incomplete, inaccurate or unavailable. Independently verify information before relying on it. Windsock does not assess your personal financial situation, investment objectives or needs. Its information is not a substitute for advice appropriate to your circumstances.
Paper trading uses simulated funds. Simulated fills, returns and portfolio results do not demonstrate what would happen with real money. They may omit or simplify liquidity constraints, execution delays, market impact, fees and other trading conditions. No return, win rate or trading outcome is promised.
3. Alpaca connections and paper orders
Connecting an account redirects you to Alpaca's authorisation screen. You authenticate with Alpaca and choose whether to authorise the displayed permissions. Windsock receives an OAuth access token rather than your Alpaca password. The paper-account connection retrieves account information and requests trading permission for enabled paper-trading features.
For a manual paper order, you enter a symbol, select buy or sell and enter a quantity. You are responsible for checking your instructions before submitting them and reviewing the resulting order status. The availability of order-management controls is shown in the application; you can also review your orders and positions directly with Alpaca.
The service's current scope is paper trading. It does not authorise Windsock to trade real funds, transfer money or withdraw assets. Any future live-trading service would require separate disclosures, permissions and any required approvals. Before enabling automated trading on users' paper accounts, we will explain the enable and stop controls, applicable instructions and limits, and how existing orders and positions are treated.
You can disconnect through Windsock's Alpaca connection settings. This deactivates the connection and clears the token from its active connection record. Disconnecting does not close your Alpaca account, cancel existing orders or close positions. Check those directly with Alpaca. You may need to revoke application authorisation separately through Alpaca's controls. Historical records and backups are handled as described in our Privacy Policy.
Alpaca operates its services under its own agreements and policies. Windsock is independently operated. References to Alpaca do not imply that Alpaca developed Windsock or guarantees its performance.
4. Fees
Windsock is currently free. We do not currently earn revenue from subscriptions, usage, orders, advertising, referrals or other sources. Longer-term possibilities include subscriptions or trade-related affiliate promotions; these are not currently offered.
Any third-party charges are governed by your arrangements with those providers. Before introducing Windsock charges, we will disclose the proposed charges and effective date, obtain any required agreement and give you an opportunity to stop using the service. Any future affiliate arrangement will be disclosed when introduced.
5. Acceptable use and intellectual property
Do not attempt unauthorised access, interfere with service operation, upload malicious code, misuse another person's account, bypass restrictions or use the service unlawfully. Follow applicable restrictions on market data use and redistribution.
We and our licensors retain rights in the application and its content. Subject to these terms, you may use the service for its intended purpose while your account remains active. You retain rights in information you submit and permit us to process it as necessary to provide the service and as described in our Privacy Policy.
6. Privacy and communications
Our Privacy Policy explains how we handle personal information. We send account and verification messages and service communications. We do not currently send promotional material or newsletters.
Our alerting engine sends alerts when a tracked symbol meets configured conditions. You choose available email or SMS delivery options; SMS requires a confirmed telephone number. Delivery limits may apply, including email fallback when the daily SMS allowance is exhausted. You can stop an alert by deleting its configuration in Windsock.
7. Availability and account closure
We may change or temporarily suspend features for maintenance, security or operational reasons. We may restrict or terminate access for a material breach, unlawful activity or risks to users or the service. Where practicable, we will explain the reason and provide reasonable notice, except where that would undermine security or legal obligations.
To request account closure and data deletion, contact support@projectwindsock.com. There is currently no self-service account-deletion feature. We handle requests manually and delete your Windsock account and associated data from active records within 7 days of the request, subject to verifying your identity and any required retention that we explain. Our Privacy Policy describes backup and provider-record handling. Closing a Windsock account does not close an Alpaca account.
8. Responsibility and consumer rights
You are responsible for your decisions, account settings and instructions. We remain responsible to the extent required by applicable law. We do not guarantee uninterrupted availability, error-free information or profitable outcomes.
Nothing in these terms excludes, restricts or modifies any consumer guarantee, right or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded, including under the Australian Consumer Law where applicable.
9. Questions, complaints and changes
Contact support@projectwindsock.com with questions or complaints. We aim to acknowledge complaints within 7 days and provide a response within 14 days, or explain any delay. These terms are governed by the laws of Queensland, subject to any mandatory rights that apply where you live.
We will publish updated terms with a new effective date and give reasonable notice of material changes. Where required, we will seek renewed acceptance. You may stop using the service if you do not agree to a change.