Added: 07/18/2006 |
Online Matchmaking and Web Conferencing Tools: Changing Dating in the 21st CenturyDating sure has changed since your parents met! It used to be simple. You see someone attractive to you; you ask them out for a date and possibly things develop from there. Technology improvements have modified the dating scene. Now, people can meet other singles worldwide and that infamous first date could be in a virtual chat room, not a movie theatre. Online matchmaking services help you find the perfect mate and web conferencing tools, such as Yahoo messenger and computer-to computer calling, help you connect with them.
With the divorce rate in America being at least 50%, the question of couple compatibility has risen. Are couples that get married really compatible? Is their marriage really designed to withstand the test of time? Online matchmaking services like eharmony.com and match.com are trying to come up with answers to those questions by creating online personality tests to match singles that are compatible with each other. The eharmony.com website, for instance, offers over 35 years of research into their compatibility test and boasts responsibility for " thousands of marriages through its patented Compatibility Matching SystemTM." What this means for its users is that you are matched with someone not for their looks, but for their personality and interests, so you gain a deeper emotional connection with a person. It's also great because you actually get to know someone else before you meet him or her. If you don't want to meet someone, you don't have to do that either! The user has great control over who to talk to, who to meet and who to ignore. Users aren't limited to just singles in their area, either. You could find your match 8,000 miles away with one of these services. Online matchmaking and dating opens more avenues of meeting people than conventional dating.
Once you meet someone, you have to figure out how to communicate with him or her and if your potential partner is miles away, that could be a difficult feat. Traditional phone calls work, if you enjoy having a large phone bill every month! Advances in Internet technology have made communicating across the distance very simple. Programs like MSN and Yahoo have instant messenger services that enable people in different locations and even time zones, to chat online simultaneously. For example, my fiancée is in Iraq right now and is currently eight hours ahead of me. However, we can still meet up online and chat when we have free time thanks to Yahoo messenger. The best feature about these web conferencing tools is that most support computer-to-computer calling and web camera equipment. So, I can use my computer to call his computer and we can chat online by voice through the messenger system. We can also see each other while we talk, thanks to the web camera technology. It's amazing. It's almost like being right there with him. Most office supply stores now sell web cams, and most are pretty good. If you are serious about dating online, upgrade to a more expensive camera and it gives you a more true to life picture. I have found that in an Internet relationship, this technology is vital to connecting with your partner. Though it's not a substitute for being in person with someone, couples in situations like mine, where one party may be in the military, it's the closest thing you can have to being there in person. Many of my friends who have spouses in the military keep in touch with their loved ones through web conferencing tools.
Most web conferencing tools have their own security advantages, too. Yahoo messenger, for example, asks your permission before another party can view your camera. If you don't know the person asking to see you, you can deny their request and protect your privacy. Also, messenger services offer ignore/block features on the instant messages. If you get a message from a person you don't know or don't want to talk to, simply ignore them and you won't receive any more messages from that user. This feature is very similar to the ones used by online matchmaking services. Of course, one should always exercise caution when using messenger and online dating services, but it is a fairly safe environment.
Relationships aren't easy and finding the perfect mate can be a very daunting task. Fortunately, online matchmaking services now provide useful tools to help people meet compatible singles worldwide and develop deep spark of love. Web conferencing tools, such as Yahoo or MSN, web cameras and computer-to-computer calling, help provide people who have met a platform for communication. Even if your potential partner is in other country, there are ways now online to help you locate and find them!
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