A couple of links for perusal over your morning coffee

[major_clanger]

First, via MetaFilter, a really interesting analysis from dating site OkCupid of the positive and negative effect of specific words in first-contact messages between potential daters.

Then, from a legal mailing list I'm on, an article about an online trading outfit that has got itself into trouble with the US Federal Trade Commission for making false representations that it complied with data protection and privacy laws. What caught my eye was the company's name - Balls of Kryptonite. Almost, but not quite, as embarrassing as Counter-Feat Clothing, who famously got sued for copyright infringement in what all IP lawyers remember as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Case.

For that last one, I've always wondered what it must have been like to open the case. I can just imagine the scene; counsel for the Claimaint - or Plaintiff in those pre-Wolff days - would have stood up and announced:

"May it please the Court, I appear for the Plaintiffs in this case, Mirage Studios, and my learned friend Mr _____ (smirking sideways glance) appears for the defendants... Counter. Feat. Clothing."

Frankly, it's surprising His Lordship didn't give summary judgment there and then.

Comments

The world is round :)

[dalmeny]

Or which one might peruse over an evening meal, as I just did.

Thanks for those. The OK Cupid one was pretty amusing.

[secretrebel.livejournal.com]

I liked the OK cupid data. By Zeus!

[robert-jones.livejournal.com]

I couldn't help replying to this!

[molly-brown.livejournal.com]

Combining points number 3, 5, 6, and 7, the ideal personals ad would read something like:

How's it going? Awkward Gnostic zombie seeks Apollo/Athena with brainzzzz.

[robert-jones.livejournal.com]

It's occured to me by the way that reply rates are flawed as a measure of success on a dating site. What I want, and I assume what everyone else wants, is to go on dates, not to exchange messages. In particular the 'don't try to take it outside' advice seems to be a bit self defeating.

[major-clanger.livejournal.com]

I think what is meant is "don't try to take it outside too quickly." The idea of a dating site is that it is a safe environment to engage with potential partners at arms length and to get a picture of a prospect before meeting up. If someone tries from the word go to engineer a meeting then the person they are contacting is likely to assume that what they actually want is something perhaps better sought through a contacts magazine.

[robert-jones.livejournal.com]

I'm not convinced that is the idea of a dating site. (NB, I do use a dating site, but it's the Guardian's Soulmates site and not OKC.) You put a profile up and (if you do it properly) that should contain enough information to enable someone to decide whether they're interested or not. The date itself is the medium for further investigation.

My impression is that if you message half a dozen people commenting on how interesting their profiles are, maybe three of them will reply, but only one of those conversations will actually result in a date. Whereas if you message half a dozen people saying, "Do you want to meet for a drink?", only one of them will reply, but you've then completed your mission, and it's probably the same one.

I may be wrong though. I'm quite a tyro at this dating lark.

[ms-cataclysm.livejournal.com]

Most women I know would agree with major_clanger's tactfully worded analysis.

[robert-jones.livejournal.com]

I can only say we must know different women. We shall see: I expect in the near future to meet some-one from Soulmates following the short-form dialogue indicated. It may be that she will be expecting immediate intimacy (which I understand to be the implication of MC's comment), but I'll be slightly surprised.

Seriously, I would be interested to see the analysis on some sort of points basis like: 2 points for a first date, 1 point for each subsequent date (up to a maximum of five), 10 points for a relationship, 50 points for a marriage. Unfortunately, OKC don't collect that data.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

The OK Cupid analysis was very interesting. It pretty much matches what my gut instincts would have been, except that bands (not an interest of mine) and 'athiest' came out high. I hadn't realised ahthiests were so popular! (Hurrah!)

[beamjockey.livejournal.com]

An English joke of which I am very fond, which is difficult to get across in an American accent:

Diner: Waiter! What's this?

Waiter: Why, it's bean soup, sir.

Diner: I don't want to know what it's been, I want to know what it is NOW!