Dating site without photos

[Serenia]

With all the talk lately of online dating going on on here recently. A number of people here believe it is the photo that is the initital dealbreaker for many people, and that alot of people believe their personality is overlooked.

Anyway something has been niggling away and I remember now, there is a dating site somewhere that purposely has no photos just written profiles. How many people have tried that. It also reminded me of a thread in networking I think called "All The single People". (If someone more patient and tech faster than me wants to add links to these feel free )

So who is up for it, quite a lot of people here wish they had a companion of varying degrees, what is stopping anyone from this? My challenge to you? How do you feel?

Edit: Anyone who feels genuinely afraid please disregard this post and no offence is intended.

 

[LonelySutton]

has no photos just written profiles. How many people have tried that. It also reminded me of a thread in networking I think called "All The single People".

I don't know it but I have long advocated that a better idea for a dating website is not to have photos and to have sort of a message board where people talk. That way you can get a sense of someone before you waste your time. No offense but even on boards like this one I will think someone is a great person and then they post something crazy like Hitler was mis understood.

I also feel I can't pick properly on regular websites. A specific look or expression on a face can put me off someone.. while same for people who like me. They may see something in my photo that isn't me.. ie, I remind them of an old GF or something.

 

[TheSkaFish]

I don't know it but I have long advocated that a better idea for a dating website is not to have photos and to have sort of a message board where people talk. That way you can get a sense of someone before you waste your time.

I agree with part of this. The girls I really crushed on the most were ones that I got to know on the Internet first. I got to know them on a forum and I could see their posts and get a sense of their likes and dislikes and their personality. We also exchanged private messages, which sometimes got very detailed and lengthy, about much more than surface topics.

I think that's the problem with online dating. I know I've had that problem. I just see some pictures, read a profile, and don't really develop any strong feelings for the person because we haven't interacted over time like I did on that forum I talked about.

But the no-pictures thing is a double-edged sword. I am sad to say that I didn't make a move getting to know one of those girls soon enough, because I couldn't find a good picture of her. She always had some other picture that wasn't her, or one where I couldn't see her face very well. One time she even wore a mask, and while it made me laugh I couldn't see anything but her eyes. I knew we had a lot in common and I liked her personality already because I had seen her posts and interacted with her on the message boards....but I just assumed she wasn't good-looking, because unfortunately a lot of girls who like the stuff I like tend to be pretty stereotypical.

Only for her to be the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life.

This was also the same girl who shared so many interests and views with me, and just had a wonderful, fascinating, passionate, lively personality.

I suppose it serves me right that I did not get her because I assumed the stereotype before I saw her, but I am truly sorry. I know she could have made me so happy. She was, and is, my dream girl.

The other problem is, even without the photos, eventually you will either share photos with them some other way (sending photos through email, connecting on Facebook or Skype, etc.) or you will agree to meet them in person. And if either party is disappointed in the other's looks, then they might just end it there anyway.

I don't know. Online dating does have the problem of being looks-based, but you also don't really interact with these people first, so even with the pictures I still don't develop any feelings because I don't think reading about someone is the same as interacting with them and seeing their character. But looks do come into play eventually. I think all one can do is just look as good as you can and try to have a personality that helps make up for any looks problems you might have.

 

[blackdot]

Looks are too important to be left out.

 

[Serenia]

^That's fair enough for you.

---

Here is a link to the article I had remembered the website is called Twine...

www.dailymail.co.uk › article-2449350

 

[TheRealCallie]

Looks are too important to be left out.

First, let me say that I am not trying to pick a fight with you, I merely wish to discuss.

Are looks so important to you because you could fall in love or even get to really like someone and then see them and realize they are not what you would normally find attractive, so you would no longer want anything romantic with them?

 

[BeyondShy]

I can't imagine any girl wanting to do online dating with me.

 

[Revengineer]

Better idea: keep the photos, but only make them visible after a certain number of messages have been exchanged between two parties. Or... have them available immediately if you pay a small fee.

I should start my own dating site and make millions. Heh heh.

 

[LonelySutton]

The other problem is, even without the photos, eventually you will either share photos with them some other way (sending photos through email, connecting on Facebook or Skype, etc.) or you will agree to meet them in person. And if either party is disappointed in the other's looks, then they might just end it there anyway.

Not me. If I like the person, if the person ads to my life, it seriously distorts how I see them. Have you ever seen a couple where one party is much more ugly than the other? I think you don't want to give up the relationship now and somehow it softens how you see them. I remember someone I loved deeply... when I met him, I honestly just thought of him as an old man, he was 55 and I was 30 and as I got to know the person, I thought he was the most attractive man I had ever met. I think when you see the "ugly" photo first it colors how you see their personality and or if you see the pretty photo first, it colors how you see their personality.

Plus I think there is a lot of room for lying on photo based websites.

 

[Solivagant]

No offense but even on boards like this one I will think someone is a great person and then they post something crazy like Hitler was mis understood.

^ Lol! Truth.

 

[Tealeaf]

People would do what they already do when the connection begins through pure text: run when they see my photo.

 

[ladyforsaken]

So who is up for it, quite a lot of people here wish they had a companion of varying degrees, what is stopping anyone from this? My challenge to you? How do you feel?

I actually like this idea. I mean getting to know someone based on their personality first over looks, that's what would appeal to me. Of course over time, when trust is built and all that, sharing pictures with one another is another step ahead and that would be essential if the persons involved would like to take it another level.

Physical looks and attraction are not a deal breaker to me so knowing what they look like before knowing them doesn't do anything for me. They can be known as the most handsomest guy on earth but if they have shitty attitude, what's the point?

 

[Batman55]

I can't imagine any girl wanting to do online dating with me.

Why not?

Obviously OLD is not an easy thing for you, or most of us, here.. but that doesn't mean you're "lesser" or anything. Really I'd like to see you more committed to an optimistic view of things.

 

[BeyondShy]

Why not?

Obviously OLD is not an easy thing for you, or most of us, here.. but that doesn't mean you're "lesser" or anything. Really I'd like to see you more committed to an optimistic view of things.

So would I. I can't argue with what you just said at all.

 

[Triple Bogey]

It's actually a very good idea. I would try something like this.

---

Found this on facebook from them

About 18 months back we started working on Twine. Premise was to do something different for dating and instead of focussing on picture first, we tried focussing on personality first. However the experiment did not work out. We got about 10,000 active users at the peak and now it has gone down to about 3000. With all the costs involved, its difficult to sustain this platform and its time to end the experiment. To the ones who found their partners on Twine, a hearty congratulations and to the rest, thanks for trying us out. On to our next experiment - Wandake. Catch you all over there!

I think looks are too important to dismiss which is a shame.

 

[Tiina63]

I think its a good idea.

 

[blackdot]

Looks are too important to be left out.

First, let me say that I am not trying to pick a fight with you, I merely wish to discuss.

Are looks so important to you because you could fall in love or even get to really like someone and then see them and realize they are not what you would normally find attractive, so you would no longer want anything romantic with them?

If the person is in no way attractive, I wouldn't have an attraction to them.
By attractive, I don't mean a super model. I don't go for people that are in the extremely attractive category either since I am not in their league.

 

[lifestream]

I think a dating site without photos sounds like a lovely idea but I just can't see it working all that well in reality.

 

[Serenia]

It's actually a very good idea. I would try something like this.

---

Found this on facebook from them

About 18 months back we started working on Twine. Premise was to do something different for dating and instead of focussing on picture first, we tried focussing on personality first. However the experiment did not work out. We got about 10,000 active users at the peak and now it has gone down to about 3000. With all the costs involved, its difficult to sustain this platform and its time to end the experiment. To the ones who found their partners on Twine, a hearty congratulations and to the rest, thanks for trying us out. On to our next experiment - Wandake. Catch you all over there!

I think looks are too important to dismiss which is a shame.

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It's a shame that it dwindled off, I still think there is something there, it just isn't a viable business.

But it shows how many people liked the idea.

 

[jzinsky]

Iirc it's called Zentai dating. Both people wear this kind of full body suit, so really all you can see of them is their outline. It's all about the person you are