A User-Friendly Look at Online Dating - Looking for love in all the right search engines.
Dana Barnett
The Ottawa Citizen
OTTAWA - When Bridget Jones sat crying her eyes out while lip-syncing to All By Myself, she obviously did not have a computer at home.
If she did, she would have been online, connected to one of the many Internet matchmaking services looking for another man.
That's right, brush up on your grammar and spelling, put on your best outfit for that jpeg and heed some good advice that follows on a phenomenon that has caused a tidal wave in the Net surfing world.
Internet matchmaking is the latest trend in dating and it's coming to a Favourites folder near you. You can now order up your mate like you would a coffee at the Tim Hortons drive-thru: one medium-size regular, with a little extra sugar on the side.
If you're considering mentioning Internet matchmaking to single friends, you might be thinking they'll recoil at the notion of stooping to advertising their desire to find a mate.
But you might be surprised. Could it be that they, too, have succumbed to the urge and already are secretly members, using a handle that wouldn't tip you off?
How do you know which service is best for your needs? Which service is everyone using?
I asked four singles -- two males and two females, aged 33 to 47, to try out and grade three popular online dating services.
Match: A one-month membership costs $19.95 US (discounts offered on longer-term subscriptions). Profiles can be posted and viewed for free. Contact can only be made after subscribing to the service. Membership is automatically renewed and cancellation must be done in writing. E-mails are sent to your personal e-mail account and, although blocked, if you reply you run the risk of your e-mail address showing up in your suitor's mailbox.
What our reviewers said:
Alain: "I really liked this one. It was user-friendly and easy to view profiles."
Lisa: "I don't like the fact that you have to become a member just to respond to someone."
Charles: "I like the set-up on this site. Too many pop-up windows, but lots of profiles."
Lavalife: Credit packages start at $14.99 US. Risks are minimal because pricing is done on a user-pay basis by purchasing credits.
There is no automatic renewal and you receive e-mails through a Lavalife account. Winks, smiles and replies are free, but initiating contact will cost a few credits. Home page tells you at a glance how much action your account has seen."
What our reviewers said:
Alain: "This is my favourite one. Very user-friendly and lots of easy-to-view profiles."
Lisa: "I like this one! You can send smiles or winks and buy some credits to use for the future."
Donna: "I like that you can pick a category: dating, romantic or intimate encounters. It screens out the people who are looking for something else. I also like that I can reply to someone for free."
Charles: " I like this one too, onus seems to be on the man to pay for the credits. I guess it's like asking someone out."
OneandOnly: One-month membership is $24.95 US (discounts offered on longer-term subscriptions). There is very limited information offered on the search page; you only see a picture and a little text.
What our reviewers said:
Alain: "Not as well organized. Searches include people from New York, unable to just say 'Canada.' "
Lisa: "It's a bit more expensive, I'd have to really like a profile to sign up."
Charles: "Package is a bit expensive, not sure if I saw enough interesting profiles to consider joining."
