Because I use BSD and have to use an emulator to run the software for the sites, it's nearly impossible for me to get the tracking programs and HUDs to work. I've tried and been unable to... and don't have enough motivation to work out what the problem is. Even on my macbook, I've never bothered.
I understand that playing "blind" as it is, is putting me at a disadvantage. I have to pay a lot closer attention to the other players at the table and their tendencies because I don't have a little number telling me how often they play a hand and how they tend to play. I make up for this by taking notes on most players while I am not involved in a hand. So I can review a my previous ideas about their play if they show up at a later game.
With all that said, a lot of the poker I play is live. So not using it when I am online allows me to keep sharp for when I wouldn't have it anyway. There are certainly calculations that the programs can run at live speed that you could never work out in real time (live or online) and that provides a strong edge for players online who know how to properly use the results. In that way it could be a help.
I do not know that it would hurt unless you're unable to play without them. In that case, you'd be an easy target in a live game. As long as you're thinking about what the program is doing and why... you're probably learning the basics on some level and could use that later without the program.
I play micro limits online and, aside from not having a large enough bankroll, the fact that most of the higher limits are full of players using these programs is one reason I am content at the micro limits. At a table where 80% of the people are using live trackers, I would be at a serious disadvantage.  |