Matchmaker.com (Match Maker) Review

Match Maker, one of the longest running dating sites on the Internet, apparently it has been helping singles connect since 1985. I’m going to assume that it began in some kind of offline capacity, because Apple II+ computers couldn’t handle jpeg pictures back then. Either way, it’s also safe to assume that the good people at Matchmaker know what they’re doing.

This dating site has gone through some recent changes, so let’s take a look and see just how things are going. Apparently the move to accord itself with the folks at date.com was done to move away from smaller, more insulated communities and towards a larger more inclusive database of members. It boasts a large membership base, with 50,000 hungry singles joining daily.

Matchmaker.com is easy on the eyes and very functional. t is easy to move from page to page, particularly from your profile. Posting a profile is very quick if you want it to be. Unlike some sites which force you to go through up to five pages of questions before even making a single search, Matchmaker starts with the basics and allows you to continue on at your own leisure. Great idea, especially if you’re not sure if you like the site and just want to get on with checking out the babes and babettes.

What's FREE!

• Free to register
• Create a profile
• Browse member database
• Flirt and show interest
• Free Matchmaker toolbar

But if you want to, you can go the distance with the detail. Beyond the "basic info" page is the "personal info" page which goes from simple things like education, income and faith to more complex or, uh, personal questions about the importance of age, or your spending habits, or what you like in a first date.

Past this there is a "partner" page, in which you can detail to your heart/head/other more naughty area’s content exactly what kind of partner you’d like. This might be physical (age, ethnicity, body type, eye color) or lifestyle (occupation, drinking or smoking habits, income, and yes, Chinese horoscope).

Searches on Matchmaker.com can be done the basic way or the advanced way, the latter of which allows you to use pretty much any of the aforementioned characteristics. The results come up in the standard vertical column style, but include several brief details: age, body type, location, distance from you, the last time they were on the site, and what kind of relationship they prefer. You can also search – and this is a pretty cool idea – by keyword, too. Want to find a fellow turnip enthusiast?

Two cool features in searching are: One, you can search profiles by picture gallery instead of columns, so finding that exact "look" is quicker and maybe a little more fun. Two, I’ve never found a site other than Matchmaker that makes looking at a particular profile’s pictures so easy. They’re all shown in thumbnail size, but when you roll over them a much larger version pops up right away. No waiting forever for the next fuzzy-webcam shot!

Contacting one of those members is a very simple procedure on Matchmaker.com. You can click the "show interest" button, which puts a little note on their profile that someone has "shown interest" in you and can check you out. Not too complex.

To go any further than this, you’ll have to fork up the duckets (as your hip hop friend might say it). A Gold membership starts at $29.95 for one month to $9.99 a month if you sign up for a year. Good price. Now you’ll be able to send emails, use the Instant Messenger, and the upcoming video chat on Matchmaker.

Very soon they’ll also have the DateMobile service set up, which will allow you to search for members and then talk or text-message them all from the wondrous portability of your very own cell phone. Much better than carrying your laptop down the street.

Another cool feature worth mentioning is the Toolbar. Once installed, you can send and receive messages, interests and get alerts even when you are not on the Matchmaker.com website.

All in all Matchmaker is a good option for online dating, no matter whether you are a beginner or an experienced pro. Beginners will like the ease of use, experts will enjoy the large membership base.