Whoa! before you become mushy on me (or skeptical!) look at the statistics on online dating. The dating services industry is a $600 million market and growing, according to market research and consulting firm Marketdata Enterprises Inc. With 75 million singles in the United States whose time-pressed lives make them prime candidates for matchmaking services, you can see the big business potential. 

     If virtually anything can be found online, then why not love? Why not indeed.
 

    Online dating, however, is definitely not for everyone - not the faint hearted nor the hopelessly romantic. It is a venture for those who are bold and daring (imagine pouring your heart out or saying "I do" to a complete stranger! )

    Before anyone should ever venture into that virtual world of online dating, there's that one million dollar question that needs to be answered, "Is it for me?". Jean-Francois Perreault of Branchez-vous explains the psychology of online dating in his articles Cyberspace Romances,  Final Showdown Between In-Person and Cyberspace Relationships, and The Online Disinhibition Effect.

     Experts even claim that there are phases in online relationships!
 

    We've all heard the horror story of the online boyfriend who turned out to be a stalker. Experts therefore advice extreme caution for online "love searchers." The general rule in most sites is "enter with your eyes wide open". For articles on onlin dating security check these article and Homearts: Online Dating Safety, Ten Terrific Dating Tips the Dos and Don'ts and the Advice on Internet Dating.Wild Angel also tells about the risks and hazards of Internet Dating.
 

    What are the resources out there? For those who are in the "virtual" world of online dating, there are practically thousands of  sites that are available online. You might be asking by now, "how on earth" did online dating start? This netpreneur tell his story of how he started his "online dating company." 

     Here are just some of those resources: offer of Free trials, couples can find out if they click through a fun quiz by nomorefrogs.co.uk and even conduct a background check on each other. Lovesick online? You can avail of an online doctor at Romance Stuck.

Other Resources:

Interesting articles at romance articles.

Online Dating Sites (this is NOT an indorsement! Just a listing of some of the thousand of sites out there!):

Dating Faces
    This site will tell members how compatible they are  with other members and can even create an ad for free.

Match.com
    With their database of singles, Match.com will connect singles with other singles for $25 a month. Their "searchware" Venus will deliver new matches and profiles directly to the member's inbox.

Oneandonly Online Matching
    This site allows members to search by geographic location, age, physical characteristics or lifestyle. Their searchware called The Agent of Love will scan incoming ads daily and e-mail members the ones that match their preferences.

SocialNet
    In addition to the usual matchmaking service, this free site features an online magazine focusing on Dating, Activites and Networking.

Who better to advise a potential cyber-beau than someone who's been there? Paul and Paula met online and are now married.They discuss the positives and negatives at PaulnPaula
Be sure to check out 10 Hints for a Successful Online Relationship
 

Tony and Brenda

     "I was trying to put the pieces of my shattered life back  together after the death of my husband by a sudden fatal heart attack while on a hunting trip in Colorado in September of '97...."  (read their full story)

Trevor and Nathalie

    Their website proudly proclaims "From England to Indonesia With Love"  and that they're getting maried! (read their full story)

Angela and Justin

    Young love on the net (full story)

To read more stories, go to Internet Romance Organization or to love at lineone