Just my 2 cents - Forex trading is like Share Market to a certain extend. You either be 'technicial' to know the market/global condition, supply demand, political environment etc. Else it's like 90% of the normal people playing the market. Hope to buy low, sell high. If the other way around, lose money. That to me is like how diane explained - playing a game.
Since forex trading works on 2 currency, the opportunity is almost always there. Either A Currency exchange rate > B Currency or other way around. You just got to ride the correct wave. And then you just shift back and forth when the condition move back and forth (or till you get bored).
Forex trading based on software / pattern trading is supposed to "dumb down" things but it comes with some associated risk. If you've been on one of the free "trial training" session that is usually in the news paper, it is not far off to that ya.
Like Richard Branson puts it... there is a difference between gambling and investment. Invester try to control the element, gambler just go for the ride and hope to hop off the right time.
BTW, I dabble into this and my advice is for awhile, you'll need more than the basic minumum start up cost to open the account. I would even say 50% play, 50% contigecy. Remember if you go into the game short (accidently), you either have to wait till it come up OR you buy more when it is cheap, average it out and hope the graph turns other way. If you decide to abort anytime before it turns, it's a sure fire way to lose money.
I have seen ppl make LOTS of money just by pattern recognition... but it's just not for me. Hope my 2cents help.