Of Science and Choice In Online Dating 311
Must be summertime, as online publications turn to the contemplation of Internet dating. The NY Times's piece (registration may be required) takes a not particularly deep look at the reality behind the "science" claims of chemistry.com, eHarmony.com, and others. "The question is how much it really matters to users if the methods have any scientific basis. A friend of mine... said she looked at several dating sites and chose the ones that looked like they had 'the least riffraff.'" Technology Review focuses on studies showing that the overwhelming number of choices presented by many dating sites can be counterproductive: "...more search options lead to less selective processing by reducing users' cognitive resources, distracting them with irrelevant information, and reducing their ability to screen out inferior options." The article concludes with a look at the startup Omnidate, which offers technology for 3D virtual dating. The site has had twice as many women (by percentage) sign up as the other dating sites typically see.
The biggest problem with dating... (Score:5, Funny)
...are the women.
Anyone who can solve that problem deserves a Nobel.
Re:The biggest problem with dating... (Score:5, Funny)
Maybe you should give men a try.
Re:The biggest problem with dating... (Score:5, Funny)
Maybe you should give men a try.
Wait, that's an option? You mean to tell me that I can date someone who likes sports, video games, fast cars, and drinking beer? That sounds so awesome. It almost sounds too good to be true. What are the downsides?
Re:Virtual dating (Score:4, Funny)
Re:The biggest problem with dating... (Score:5, Funny)
No one to be in the kitchen :(
I found the perfect site (Score:2, Funny)
ArrangedMarriage.com. They skip the whole dating thing and set you up to marry the woman/man of your possible dreams. The only bad thing is that the woman's family sometimes has to provide a hefty dowry.
"twice as many women....." until now! (Score:5, Funny)
A new meaning was given to the term "slashdot effect" today, as hordes of /. readers register on the site, changing its demographics to be similar to other dating sites.
Re:The biggest problem with dating... (Score:2, Funny)
The downside will be the inside of your backside, if you're ever expected to be the bottom side.
twice as many women signed up? (Score:4, Funny)
Sure they did. You go on believing that.
Online dating sounds like a good idea but it's not (Score:3, Funny)
Meeting drunk women is the best way. Their guard is down so they're honest and as a bonus you may just get laid after the first meeting. The only catch is remembering if she's a keeper or not the next day.
Re:Online dating sounds like a good idea but it's (Score:3, Funny)
Meeting drunk women is the best way. Their guard is down so they're honest and as a bonus you may just get laid after the first meeting. The only catch is remembering if she's a keeper or not the next day.
The trick there is to not be to drunk enough to forget come morning, but you give the illusion that you are.
and the land rush begins. (Score:3, Funny)
Not after Slashdot gets done with it.
Re:The biggest problem with dating... (Score:1, Funny)
Going gay sounds like a great idea, but take it from someone who's tried it: it starts out great, but in the end it's just a huge pain in the ass.
Re:Science, lol? (Score:5, Funny)
Luckily, two dear lady friends helped me to understand what I needed to know and I'm now very happily married.
Shit, where is that legal? I'm packing now...
Re:The biggest problem with dating... (Score:5, Funny)
It can be a pain in the ass from time to time.
Meeting drunk women is the best way. (Score:3, Funny)
Their guard is down so they're honest and as a bonus you may just get laid after the first meeting. The only catch is remembering if she's a keeper or not the next day.
It's not a problem if you have to chew your arm off in the morning.
Falcon
Re:Why online "dating" is useful (Score:5, Funny)
If you have anything resembling standards, dating is really, really fucking hard.
Especially if she has standards too.
Re:Plenty of Fish (Score:3, Funny)
You didn't get married, but you sure got raped!
am I the only one who skipped the story (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Us introverts need to stick together (Score:3, Funny)
Us introverts need to stick together.
The irony of this statement made me at once laugh and cry a little.
No, that just means you're a crazy too. (Score:4, Funny)
When I used OKCupid regularly, I encountered a large number of women I would classify as crazy.
Because they use regression analysis to match people, that means you must correlate with the crazies.