Want to find the love of your life? Looking instead for some pals to explore with local downtown with? Yearn to synch up instead with a fellow diehard sports enthusiast?

No matter what your interest is, the Internet most likely will have several if not, well, more than several targeted niched resources for your dating needs! But hang on for a sec - prior to dashing off willy-nilly, you need to learn:

Before You Begin - Who's Behind The Screen?

Got some vivid magic marker? Okay, write down the following on your neon sticky note and stick it everywhere you'll need to remember:

You have no idea who is really behind that monitor

I'm quite serious here. Remember, the Internet allows for anonymity; anyone (and I mean ANYONE) can make up an online persona for themselves that would even fool their dear little old sweet mother.

Ponder upon it...you've heard in the news often enough how sexual predators will lurk on kiddie chats, right? The same problem emerges on online dating sites...while a vast majority of people might be honestly searching for a terrific relationship, there are the shower-mold-of-humanity ickness who are searching only to defraud people.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't try online dating, of course! It simply means you should be very careful and educate yourself about both the wonderful benefits and the dismaying pitfall of internet dates. Dating Rules will give you many more tips for your dating pleasure.

With that out of the way, let's now begin by:

Step 1 - Dating 101, The Big Sites

If you're relatively new to the Internet dating scene, you probably want to explore the big sites first. They are:

• Match.com - More than 21 million subscribers (huge number of potential dates), unique personality-matching, geographic, mutual interest and keyword searching, free Match.com messenger, simple method for categorizing friends, winks, quick access to your email history, more. Get a full review here.

• eHarmoney.com - More than 21 million subscribers (huge number of potential dates), unique personality-matching, geographic, mutual interest and keyword searching, free Match.com messenger, simple method for categorizing friends, winks, quick access to your email history, more. Get a full review here.

• Friendfinder.com - Powers more than 15 niche singles communities, encompassing ethnic, adult, hobby and religious sites. Chat rooms are 3-D and are broken down into demographics such as the BayArea room, the Dallas room, the Hot Tub, etc.Get a full review here.

Dating can encompass for more than generic sites, of course. The next point to consider is:

Step 2 - Ethnic/Religious/Hobby Dating

Perhaps you yearn to socialize with folks who share your same values/hobbies/background etc. Most likely, you'll be able to uncover sites like:

• Big Church.com - Targeted exclusively to the Christian faith...and when I say exclusively, I mean just that - you can search for Christian singles in over over 218 Christian faiths. Get a full review here.

• Jewish FriendFinder - Part of the FriendFinder network, which means it has the money to provide cutting-edge dating tools. Highly recommended - Jewish matches include Conservative, Gerim (convert), Orthodox, Reconstructionist,* Reform, Secular/Unaffiliated and more. Get a full review here.

• Black Singles - This site focuses on bringing black singles together. Anonymous messaging, black dating message boards and more are there for you to try free.Get a full review here.

• Asian Dating - Asian dating services focus on the Far East culture. Many of them have online communties in which paid members can interact via forums, chats, etc. Get a full review here.

• Hobby Dating - Sports, cooking, geeking, fitness, reading, soap operas and more. Get a full review here.

Neat, huh?

Step 3 - For More Information

Other great tips/background on online Internet dating include:

• Before Dating Online - datings dos/don'ts

• Newbie Online Dating - newbie online dating

• History of Online Dating - long long ago and far far away...

And if you'd like to get some goodies about online dating, check out:

Sex, Lies, and Online Dating
Customer Reviews — [1] Rating: 5 Date: 2008-07-28 Summary: My favorite of the series ... Loved this one! I read them totally out of order (4th, 3rd, then 1st & 2nd), but it really didn't matter. I liked that this one had a small suspenseful plot to it (whereas the others did not). I definitely recommend this one! ...more
[2] Rating: 4 Date: 2008-07-20 Summary: Good read: ... Sex Lies and online Dating was a fun read: I enjoyed the story and the suspense. This is the first book in a 4 book series: detailing the life of one of four friends. ...more
Editorial Reviews — [1] ... Product Description | She explained the trouble with Valentine's Day (as if you didn't know!) Now Rachel Gibson tells all about . . . Sex . . . What is it about men anyway? Bad cars, bad jobs, even bad teeth—nothing convinces them that they can't snare a Size Two Babe with a D-cup chest. And after way too many internet dates with men named "luvstick" and "bigdaddy182," Lucy Rothschild should know. Lies . . . But sitting across from her now is "hardluvnman," and he seems different—sensitive, honest,...more
[2] ... Download Description | " She explained THE TROUBLE WITH VALENTINE'S DAY (as if you didn't know!) Now Rachel Gibson tells all about . . . SEX . . . What is it about men anyway? Bad cars, bad jobs, even bad teeth -- nothing convinces them that they can't snare a Size Two Babe with a D-cup chest. And after way too many internet dates with men named ""luvstick"" and ""bigdaddy182,"" Lucy Rothschild should know. LIES . . . But sitting across from her now is ""hardluvnman,"" and he seems different -- sensitive, honest,...more

The Rules for Online Dating: Capturing the Heart of Mr. Right in Cyberspace
Customer Reviews — [1] Rating: 4 Date: 2008-04-18 Summary: Super! Women tired of being taken advantage of, take note ... I read this book in one day, can't say my internet dating sprees of the past have been that strategic as the authors guide women, nor productive either. Most of the time I've been cyberdating I didn't get second dates, I had a lot of drop-outs, I had one boyfriend that I met online, and that didn't work out. So although I have taken a break from the singles; scene, I want to say that I will implement the author's guidelines as much as possible. If anything, not being taken for granted, disappeared on, or run all over ...more
[2] Rating: 5 Date: 2006-07-17 Summary: excellent advice ... I am a fan of the first book and subsequent "Rules" books by these authors. While these authors are criticized for being manipulative and non-feminist, one only has to try out their methods and look for results (or, conversely, violate the rules and see that doing so ends in disaster). Every time I have violated a rule of theirs, the man has immediately lost interest. What's great about this book is that it tells you exactly how to handle certain situations that arise when you are engaging in the online search for ...more
Editorial Reviews — [1] ... Product Description | What the international phenomenon of The Rules did for conventional dating, The Rules for Online Dating does for the search for love on the Internet. You'll never hit the "reply" button the same way again. Millions of women around the world are meeting men on the Internet, or they've met in person and are corresponding by e-mail. But though e-mail and Net-based dating services have revolutionized the dating landscape, they've created their own pitfalls and challenges. Women need new strategies...more
[2] ... Download Description | What the international phenomenon of The Rules did for conventional dating, The Rules for Online Dating does for the search for love on the Internet. You'll never hit the "reply" button the same way again. Millions of women around the world are meeting men on the Internet, or they've met in person and are corresponding by e-mail. But though e-mail and Net-based dating services have revolutionized the dating landscape, they've created their own pitfalls and challenges. Women need new strategies...more

I Can't Believe I'm Buying This Book: A Commonsense Guide to Successful Internet Dating
Customer Reviews — [1] Rating: 5 Date: 2007-06-03 Summary: The proof is in the RESULTS ... There is a right way and wrong way to go about online dating. I had been doing it the wrong way. Some of the tips he gives I had never even thought about before and realize he is exactly right. This is one of the rare books I intend to read again just to make sure everything sinks in. Anyway I have been heeding his advice and there is no greater proof that it works than by the results I have been having...CUTE women contacting me and responding to me. I have a date this week that I am actually looking forward to going ...more
[2] Rating: 5 Date: 2007-03-02 Summary: An excellent resource. ... I thought this book contained information on dating relations via the internet that no other book on the market has displayed. I really enjoyed reading it and found loads of information--for a man or a woman. The authors really seemed to know their stuff and gave out vital information. This book came highly recommended and I was glad I bought it. [...] ...more
Editorial Reviews — ... Book Description | It's official: There is no longer a stigma associated with Internet dating. It's true. We promise. Nearly 50 million Americans have tried it. That means roughly half of the single adult population has filled out an online dating profile or has at least browsed a few personal ads, just to see who's out there. Quickly disappearing are the days of awkward setups and random encounters. Today's singles simply post a profile on a handful of dating websites, then sit back and wait for the dates...more

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