SPEED DATING 與 GO-CON 的不同優勢與特點
SPEED DATING：已出現香港多年，比較為人所熟識，加上電視、電影作品 sex and the city、hitch... 內成為注目情節，看過後都想親身試一試。
活動本身強調的是速度 ( SPEED )，亦可看成為「時間」，就是要在最短的時間認識最多的潛在戀人，而來參加的大家早已擺明車馬來揾對象，平時防礙彼此間認識的那度牆早已放低，擦出火花的機會大增，只要懂得運用那每人5分鐘的交談時間，好好將你最精彩的一面表現出來 ( 相反最令人討厭是用5分鐘來狂問人攞電話同查人家宅、千祈唔好學 )，如果你辨得到，你已經成功了一半，而另一半就要看當日有無比你更強的對手在場；所以參加人數越多，無疑可以認識的異性越多，但同樣可以與你競爭的對手也越多，有利有弊，所以不是人多就好。故此一般參加人數越少的活動 ( 如:dinner for six ) 收費就越貴，安排二人約會更是最貴的。所以計成本效益 SPEED DATING 算最經濟，重"量"，但比較隨機性 Random。
GO-CON：是本公司 Amingle.com首先引入香港，早在日本大行其道，其代表作品 東京傾情男女、大和撫子( 東京拜金女 )... 等衆日劇內經常出現：3男對3女的聯宜情節，他們進行的正是 GO-CON。
跟傳統的 dinner for six 不同之處，不單只是 GO-CON 採用隊際型式進行約會。每次於 dinner for six 與 speed dating 內出現的所有參與者都是事前互相不認識的，當中的同性亙為你的競爭對手。而 GO-CON 正因為出席的同性都是你的自己人-----隊友關係，( 很多本為朋友 ) 已經早有默契，只要懂得發揮團隊精神，不單只可以亙相照應，你前我後，你左我右，打出隊型，更甚的可以發展出各隊獨一無二的戰術，在聚會中無往不利，在日本坊間就有很多關於 GO-CON 小隊用的戰術攻略本。( 日後會續一為你介紹 )
隨此之外 GO-CON 的最大優點是選擇多及夠彈性：時間夠彈性，在日本 GO-CON 已經成為許多人每個星期的必玩節目，只要男女兩隊人馬一有空，隨時都可以進行約會。對象夠多，每次都可以選擇不同的對象，對方的年齡、興趣與其他條件也可以預先自行選擇，無需像其他 speed dating 派對要睇大會安排。男女兩隊可以花整晚的時間去作深入認識，尋找戀人的話沒有方法比 GO-CON 更有效的了，重"質"，比較自主性 More Control。
Free Dating Sites vs. Paid Dating Sites
I have used and worked for several dating sites, both free and paid.
I know Internet personals from A to Z.
And I came to realize that free dating sites were awfully expensive.
Want to know why?
First, free dating sites attract all types of rubbish: Nigerian scammers, Russian "mail order brides", and all types of unstable and wicked people that were banned from quality services. Those people have too much time on their hands (or it is their full-time Internet rip-off occupation) and this is why they don't mind to hang there.
On the other hand, since the website is free, they do not have much staff on hand to look after it, and check on possible scams. So scammers are free to go wild there.
Second, free dating sites usually make their revenue from the ads they show to their members. In other words, they aren't really interested in you actually FINDING someone on their site: they would rather have you frustrated and clicking on the ads you see on their site.
Another venue is selling your email address to mass-mailing companies, or running mass-mailings themselves. It means you risk being bombarded with hundreds of commercial emails, day after day.
Third, I find it appalling that a person cannot find some twenty bucks to pay for a subscription. As a woman, I want to KNOW that the guy I am talking to is at least capable of paying his own rent.
If I were a guy, I would also prefer a woman who is capable of looking after herself and doesn't think a man is there to provide for her.
Forth, the software on free sites is often inconvenient and the customer support sucks. I prefer things that work as they are supposed to.
Fifth, for a busy person like you and me, filtering through heaps of bogus profiles can be maddening. My time is valuable. I'd rather spend it meeting someone for coffee than talking to people that aren't even real.
On a paid dating site people have invested something in the process, so they are more serious and don't play games.
Sixth, for all the reasons outlined above, quality people tend to avoid free dating services. Their time is too valuable. If you want to meet a quality person, you are unlikely to meet them on free sites.
All in all, I have realized that using a free dating site is awfully expensive. I simply cannot afford it. It costs me more in time and effort, which I could use more productively - like running a dating coaching session, or writing an article.
I'd rather pay for subscription and have ten times less frustrations and ten times more results.
What about you?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Elena Solomon is a dating coach.
