3 ms·

OkCupid is arguably a product from the desktop-laptop era of the Internet. Its long, verbose profiles aren't as easy to read or write on a smartphone. It is de

OkCupid is arguably a product from the desktop-laptop era of the Internet. Its long, verbose profiles aren't as easy to read or write on a smartphone. It is designed for an era when going on the Internet was an activity. You were in front of your computer or you were not, and you had screen names that were not your real name. I'm betting all of that is alien to the current generation of single people, and for the young women who are the bread and butter of any dating site, seeing men with in-joke names is off-putting in ways it wasn't a decade ago.

greggman 9y ago
seeing short profiles if off putting as well.
wwweston 9y ago
> I'm betting all of that is alien to the current generation of single people Some single people are over 30 and remember using the internet on screens larger than a 3x5 card. (Sorry, is it assuming too much to expect that the audience here knows what a 3x5 card is? It's a bit like a paper version of Trello. Don't want to alienate the youths.) I think it's credible that any dating site that wants itself to remain au courant (sorry, that's French, maybe too far outside the properly targeted cultural comfort zone? Heaven knows one must be careful to avoid this kind of faux pax in order to keep from alienating one's audience) is going to have to make sure it's keeping women in their 20s/30s. But are women in that demographic really universally (a) put off by usernames (b) prefer "always-on" dating apps (c) prefer photos and short text blurbs to photos+essays+match questions? I hope not, because if so, I'm screwed (sorry -- is that too mild/anachronistic? It means "fucked", but it's a little more polite, just in case the audience here isn't familiar). Or rather, not screwed. Services like OKC work an order of magnitude better for me than swipe-apps, I'd guess because I'm better with words than I am photogenic or handsome. But maybe I'm wrong and women universally much prefer the swipe model?
- gygyghjbh 9y ago
  GGUgghvgghgg
- rhizome 9y ago
  Just as an aside, I hope you don't use that many sarcastically condescending parentheticals in your online dating life.
  - wwweston 9y ago
    Only where I've decided that I'm seeking people who find sarcastically condescending parentheticals amusing. Definitely a niche thing.
- wool_gather 9y ago
  Liked. Please check your inbox. We should have coffee.
pimlottc 9y ago
You lost me at the end there. The current generation is on Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, Xbox Live/Steam/PSN... why would screen names on a dating site throw them off?

greggman 9y ago

seeing short profiles if off putting as well.

wwweston 9y ago

> I'm betting all of that is alien to the current generation of single people Some single people are over 30 and remember using the internet on screens larger than a 3x5 card. (Sorry, is it assuming too much to expect that the audience here knows what a 3x5 card is? It's a bit like a paper version of Trello. Don't want to alienate the youths.) I think it's credible that any dating site that wants itself to remain au courant (sorry, that's French, maybe too far outside the properly targeted cultural comfort zone? Heaven knows one must be careful to avoid this kind of faux pax in order to keep from alienating one's audience) is going to have to make sure it's keeping women in their 20s/30s. But are women in that demographic really universally (a) put off by usernames (b) prefer "always-on" dating apps (c) prefer photos and short text blurbs to photos+essays+match questions? I hope not, because if so, I'm screwed (sorry -- is that too mild/anachronistic? It means "fucked", but it's a little more polite, just in case the audience here isn't familiar). Or rather, not screwed. Services like OKC work an order of magnitude better for me than swipe-apps, I'd guess because I'm better with words than I am photogenic or handsome. But maybe I'm wrong and women universally much prefer the swipe model?

gygyghjbh 9y ago
GGUgghvgghgg
rhizome 9y ago
Just as an aside, I hope you don't use that many sarcastically condescending parentheticals in your online dating life.
- wwweston 9y ago
  Only where I've decided that I'm seeking people who find sarcastically condescending parentheticals amusing. Definitely a niche thing.
wool_gather 9y ago
Liked. Please check your inbox. We should have coffee.

pimlottc 9y ago

You lost me at the end there. The current generation is on Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, Xbox Live/Steam/PSN... why would screen names on a dating site throw them off?