How long until people view meeting your significant other online as socially acceptable?

[earthman]

I don't. And I did meet her there.

 

[DT4K]

It already is for most people.
My friend met his wife online through Yahoo personals. He actually hooked up with about 5 or 6 girls in the course of a year through Yahoo before he met the one he ended up marrying. They've been together about 3 years now and seem pretty happy.

I did know someone who moved to another state to move in with a guy she had never met in person before. I think that is pretty messed up.

 

[TheNinja]

Your Topic asks when it will be "socially acceptable" and your poll asks when it will be viewed as "normal". There is a difference if you ask me. It is already socially acceptable but it is not viewed as normal. I think it will be at least 3-5 years before it is viewed as normal.

 

[BoberFett]

I met my perfect woman through Match.com. We've been dating over a year and sometimes it's scary how perfect we are for one another. We would have never crossed paths without the internet, so as far as I'm concerned online matchmaking is perfectly legit already.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Doesn't matter where you meet them. Nutjobs is nutjobs both on and offline, and so are the nice girls.

- M4H

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: BoberFett
I met my perfect woman through Match.com. We've been dating over a year and sometimes it's scary how perfect we are for one another. We would have never crossed paths without the internet, so as far as I'm concerned online matchmaking is perfectly legit already.

That's exactly how I feel.

 

[gopunk]

i think it's alrady acceptable... people only view it as terribly weird if the relationship goes for a long time on the internet and/or it's over a long distance and/or you had no existing ties to said person (ie, met through some anonymous chat room). if you're just introduced to a friend of a friend through AIM and meet up the next week, i dont' think most people would have an issue with it.

 

[Actaeon]

2 years is good. People do it now, but i think its like at "whoa, cool" stage.

2 years, everyone will be meeting everyone online.

 

[isasir]

Originally posted by: Staley8
Your Topic asks when it will be "socially acceptable" and your poll asks when it will be viewed as "normal". There is a difference if you ask me. It is already socially acceptable but it is not viewed as normal. I think it will be at least 3-5 years before it is viewed as normal.

Hmm... I assumed the two could be used synonymously.

I'm more interested in whether it's viewed as "normal" as say, just walking up to someone and saying "Hi" in person.

 

[isasir]

^ for the night crowd

 

[Sid59]

its fine these days. people thought you were crazy 6-7 years ago. GO AOL!

 

[clamum]

Originally posted by: Geekbabe
How many here don't give 2 shiats about how others view their romantic lives?

:beer:

I don't see where there's anything remotely wrong with it now but that's just me.

 

[Miramonti]

Meeting online is better sounding to me than a couple having met in a bar.

 

[Geekbabe]

Originally posted by: BoberFett
I met my perfect woman through Match.com. We've been dating over a year and sometimes it's scary how perfect we are for one another. We would have never crossed paths without the internet, so as far as I'm concerned online matchmaking is perfectly legit already.

I met mine via a shared interest in computer hardware and not on a matchmaking site but we also would never have crossed paths without the internet.I consider myself very lucky to have found somebody who's so well suited to me and so good to me

 

[isaacmacdonald]

I've personally met several gf's online, and I know two people who have married ppl they've met online.

 

[AreaCode707]

I think guys have an easier time telling people "we met online" than girls. I get lectured about safety whenever I say that.

 

[stormbv]

Where else will I meet the masochistic tranny perfect for me?

 

[Ness]

Originally posted by: Dezign

Originally posted by: Mwilding
Dear God, I hope the answer is never.

Go out and meet people!

By meeting people online and getting together in person, that is technically "going out and meeting people."

I voted 1 year. My cuddle buddy is all freaked out about people "finding out we met online", so he's insisting we tell anyone who asks we met in the coffee shop where we arranged to meet after exchanging a few e-mails. Silly boy.

Is this the chess guy? so did things work out with him?

 

[GTaudiophile]

When a girl from Germany IMed me out of the blue during the summer of 2000, it was the beginning of a good relationship. I flew over specifically to see her twice, and we had a great time. I think a relationship would have worked out had it not been for the distance. We were also at two different points in our lives: me a sophomore in college and she a young professional, just starting her career. We're still great friends and IM each other or exchange e-mails about once a month.

It makes no difference to me how that "spark" is ignited, just that it happened.

 

[Crappopotamus]

i think its kinda weird. i mean how do you meet? just randomly? through personals seems kinda desperate to me. ummmm. through friends and stuff is still the preferred means imo...

 

[FelixDeCat]

Originally posted by: Geekbabe
How many here don't give 2 shiats about how others view their romantic lives?

 

[Lithium381]

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat
It's already socially acceptable

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: Crappopotamus
i think its kinda weird. i mean how do you meet? just randomly? through personals seems kinda desperate to me. ummmm. through friends and stuff is still the preferred means imo...

Randomly. I had NO intention of looking online but I guess I'm more social on forums than I am in real life.

 

[isasir]

Interesting poll results. I guess tho' it should be expected since everyone here is at least somewhat computer literate, and just by being a part of the Anandtech community realizes there's a lot of good people out there, and the Internet isn't some evil thing, as some non-computer literate people seem to believe.

I am curious tho' if any of the "Never" responses really mean it, or if it was just the uh, coolest response to choose.

 

[caitlion]

my boyfriend and i met online, but it was through mutual friends. people still think its a little weird though.. i dunno. he lives in phoenix (like 2 hours away) and people think thats weird too, soo... i think people are just dumb. but i still see him pretty often and we are very very happy. itll be a year and a half on christmas eve

anyway to answer your question.. i think its kind of socially acceptable now, but people just arent used to it so they think its kind of weird. like other people have said though, i think its a lot more "normal" to meet someone online through friends or something than someone completely random.