The desire to find a member of the opposite sex for a partner (we call it marriage nowadays) has been with every one of us since the dawn of our species though the means through which we go about fulfilling this desire has undergone plenty of changes.

For most of recent history, humanity has invented the process of dating in order to figure out if a member of the opposite sex is the ideal match or not. Dating takes place all over the world though different cultures involve different rules and rituals. In the East for example, dating is conducted on a more or less formal basis with the intention of trying to make it work as best as possible. As we move westward the concept of dating changes more to simply going out and spending time together to find out the chances of compatibility. In fact, Western citizens might find it amusing that their Eastern counterparts involve the entire family (including matchmakers and relative) in the dating process. Similarly, Eastern people are often scandalized by the independence and casual outlook of their Western equals.

However, it has to be conceded that by certain standards the Western system of dating is far more casual than any other in the world. It can simply be defined as the act of socializing with either a single individual or a group of friends in order to determine whether that individual will make an ideal partner. In even more recent times, the term dating has undergone some modification of its definition and it now also means having a romantic relationship with one individual exclusively.

As the definition of dating changes with time to accommodate social changes it should not be surprising that the process of acquiring a date will also undergo some level of evolutionary change. For instance, in the 1940s, singles dating happened mostly through advertisements placed in magazines and broadsheets. This was changed by the various technological advancements that brought the telephone and the internet. Singles dating shifted to include the advantages of these new technologies.

While the technology has changed the core concept of singles dating remains the same. Instead of placing an advertisement in a print publication you simply put it on an Internet website in the form of your profile. This continues in the form of emails instead of letters, and live chatting instead of more classifieds. There are entire networks of singles that include every kind of imaginable profile and most of these profiles can be accessed for free or for a very nominal fee.

Speed dating is another form of singles dating process that involves a lot of people that meet together in one place at one time. At a given evening the men and women gather in a single meeting place and everyone gets a chance to meet several members of the opposite sex and through many short interviews they are given a choice to figure out which of them has the highest compatibility.

Speed dating is the most changed form of singles dating as compared to whatever it was a few years ago. People and societies change and this is only natural. That is why the singles dating scene went from newspapers to Internet websites. More and more people are relying on the Internet to find their life partners or at least to find friends who follow the same general principles of life as them.

The Internet singles dating scene is one that can be afforded by anyone on the planet. The prices are either very reasonable, or in some cases the service is completely free. While it is true that there have been several cases of scams conducted through online dating services, newer improvements have made sure that you can check the credibility of the service as well as the person you are hoping will be the answer to all your demands for a compatible partner.

Another important thing is that when you are choosing an internet based singles dating service you should not go for the most popular or the cheapest. Different services cater to different groups of people and joining one at random will be like axing your own foot. If you stay in a particular region and you are not interested in someone from a different country then it would be better to join a singles dating service that caters to your area only. You have already focused on your search criteria and you will not be bothered with useless information.

One thing you should never do with online singles dating is to quit. You are looking for a partner that will last for your life, giving up after 2 weeks is not the right way to go about it.