Many people who are on the dating scene turn to the online dating websites to find new friends and lovers. But that road is a hard one that can occasionally bring those with great patience - great rewards.



Beyond everything else, patience is required of anyone who is pursuing friends, lovers or mates in the real world and online. When I do the dating thing in the real world, I find several opportunities to talk to the person in whom I am interested. Then after a few meets, I pop the big question, asking for a date. Then date night comes along and it may work, and it may not, but more frequently all seems well early, only to fall apart at a later date.



Folks, online dating comes with all the same pitfalls as offline dating. You advertise yourself, you find people whom you may be interested, you try to talk it up, and then the first date comes. That first date may work and it may not.



In the end, online dating is much the same as offline dating, with a few more benefits and pitfalls thrown in to frustrate the person seeking a date.



The Differences Between The Online And Offline Experience



The biggest difference between the online and offline dating experience is a benefit that comes from it.



Benefits Of Online Dating



With online dating, you get to be introduced to people with whom you may have never had the opportunity to meet in person - usually due to different lifestyles and different locations.



With online dating, you also have the ability to sort through the profiles of hundreds or thousands of people to narrow your list to your best matches more quickly.



Shortcomings Of Online Dating



When you meet someone you like in person and you say hi, he or she will usually say hi back. For every 20 emails sent out, as few as 2 or 3 may respond back.



Some online daters have defined this as the difference between "talkers" and "doers". Many point out that most people online only want to talk about meeting, but when it comes down to it, they will be unwilling to take the "action" step.



This actually happens in one of two ways. First is when you send out an email and no one ever responds. The secon