YOUR VIEW on online dating vs traditional dating Options

[lillylin91]

hey... i'm doing a sociological research paper on the issue of online dating... i REALLY need some opinions/feedback of what people think of it. I need a broad range of people to answer these questions, so I'd FULLY APPRECIATE it if any of you guys can help me by answering me these questions. since i'm only 18, i don't know anyone who online dates....

if you've only dated "traditionally" (face to face, meeting people in real life) then please answer any of these questions:
1. would you try online dating?
2. How long would you wait to meet the person in real life?
3. Would you exaggerate or make up things to make you seem like a better person?
4. Do you find online dating strange or awkward?
5. If you did online date, would you openly tell your friends/family?
6. What are the advantages of online dating?
7. What are the disadvantages of online dating?.
8. Would you feel like you missed out on the “real” dating process of which you would see, touch, feel the person? (such as going to the movies, dancing, eating together)
9. If you had to choose, would you prefer to online date or traditionally date?
10. What is the reason(s) that are keeping you from online dating?

if you've online dated, it'd be even MORE helpful. Please answer THESE questions:
1. Which online dating service did you use?
2. How much did it cost and do you think it was worth it?
3. How long did it take to find your match through online dating?
4. How would you and the other communicate?
5. How often would you communicate with them?
6. Was it difficult to express your emotions through the internet?
7. When did you two first meet in person?
8. Was it awkward to first meet them?
9. Was this person what you expected from their profile and how they acted on the internet?
10. Did you exaggerate or make up anything on your profile to make yourself more attractive to potential dates?
11. If different, how so?
12. Was it strange or awkward to try this new method?
13. Was it strange or awkward to tell your friends/family about it because some people frown upon it?
14. Regarding to your political views, would you consider yourself to be more conservative or more liberal?
15. Did the relationship through online dating last longer than the one through traditional dating?
16. What are the advantages of online dating?
17. What are the disadvantages of online dating?.
18. Do you feel like you missed out on the “real” dating process of which you would see, touch, feel the person? (such as going to the movies, dancing, eating together)
19. Do you prefer online dating over traditional dating?
20. From your experience of dating in both ways, which method would you recommend?

okay, thank you SO much for your cooperation :):) please also mention your name, age, gender, religion or whether you're athiest, and description/general location (completely urban, rural, isolated city, etc) thanks!!!

[heyo-captain-jac...]

Male, 17, Moderate, port city (Shit's completely different than urban, rural, isolated, etc.)

1. Which online dating service did you use?
Met in IRC
2. How much did it cost and do you think it was worth it?
Free, yes.
3. How long did it take to find your match through online dating?
There was no match making, but I had been on the channel for about a year
4. How would you and the other communicate?
IRC, Phone, email, etc.
5. How often would you communicate with them?
Usually every day, we were both pretty into the channel. I was Admin, and she was OP
6. Was it difficult to express your emotions through the internet?
A bit, but we also talked on the phone.
7. When did you two first meet in person?
Mid 2008
8. Was it awkward to first meet them?
Not really, I had known her for two years before.
9. Was this person what you expected from their profile and how they acted on the internet?
Pretty much, yeah. She looked a bit shorter in her pictures though.
10. Did you exaggerate or make up anything on your profile to make yourself more attractive to potential dates?
No, not really.
11. If different, how so?
What?
12. Was it strange or awkward to try this new method?
No, not really.
13. Was it strange or awkward to tell your friends/family about it because some people frown upon it?
I don't know if I ever told my family. My friends were all channel regulars too, so they all knew about it.
14. Regarding to your political views, would you consider yourself to be more conservative or more liberal?
Moderate, leaning slightly towards liberal.
15. Did the relationship through online dating last longer than the one through traditional dating?
No, not really. Lasted about the same amount of time as a traditional date.
16. What are the advantages of online dating?
Wider audience.
17. What are the disadvantages of online dating?
Distance.
18. Do you feel like you missed out on the “real” dating process of which you would see, touch, feel the person? (such as going to the movies, dancing, eating together)
Not really.
19. Do you prefer online dating over traditional dating?
I don't prefer either one.
20. From your experience of dating in both ways, which method would you recommend?
Traditional, just because it's right for more people.

[iRapediCarly]

Male, 17, Moderate, port city (Shit's completely different than urban, rural, isolated, etc.)

1. Which online dating service did you use?
Met in IRC
2. How much did it cost and do you think it was worth it?
Free, yes.
3. How long did it take to find your match through online dating?
There was no match making, but I had been on the channel for about a year
4. How would you and the other communicate?
IRC, Phone, email, etc.
5. How often would you communicate with them?
Usually every day, we were both pretty into the channel. I was Admin, and she was OP
6. Was it difficult to express your emotions through the internet?
A bit, but we also talked on the phone.
7. When did you two first meet in person?
Mid 2008
8. Was it awkward to first meet them?
Not really, I had known her for two years before.
9. Was this person what you expected from their profile and how they acted on the internet?
Pretty much, yeah. She looked a bit shorter in her pictures though.
10. Did you exaggerate or make up anything on your profile to make yourself more attractive to potential dates?
No, not really.
11. If different, how so?
What?
12. Was it strange or awkward to try this new method?
No, not really.
13. Was it strange or awkward to tell your friends/family about it because some people frown upon it?
I don't know if I ever told my family. My friends were all channel regulars too, so they all knew about it.
14. Regarding to your political views, would you consider yourself to be more conservative or more liberal?
Moderate, leaning slightly towards liberal.
15. Did the relationship through online dating last longer than the one through traditional dating?
No, not really. Lasted about the same amount of time as a traditional date.
16. What are the advantages of online dating?
Wider audience.
17. What are the disadvantages of online dating?
Distance.
18. Do you feel like you missed out on the “real” dating process of which you would see, touch, feel the person? (such as going to the movies, dancing, eating together)
Not really.
19. Do you prefer online dating over traditional dating?
I don't prefer either one.
20. From your experience of dating in both ways, which method would you recommend?
Traditional, just because it's right for more people.

hey, quick question. Seeing as how you are Bi and whatnot, if you and "her" had met up in person only to find out she's really a guy. would that have stopped you from hittin it?