The Rules for Online Dating: Capturing the Heart of Mr. Right in Cyberspace
Fein and Schneider (The Rules, The Rules for Marriage)  collaborate once again to give women a highly structured system  for online dating that consists of 29 rules and 17 "Extra Hints"  intended to turn them into desirable "Creatures Unlike Any  Other" (CUAO). They show how to choose a screen name, sift  through incoming requests, and sound "light and breezy" in ads  and replies. The most troubling aspect of this book is that it  works counterintuitively to the very essence of online dating.  For example, the authors forbid women to take any initiative,  telling them to wait 24 hours before responding to e-mail, never  participate in Instant Messaging or chat rooms, answer all  e-mail in three sentences or fewer of chipper-sounding rhetoric,  and stop talking to a man who doesn't ask them out within four  messages. Although it makes sense for a couple to go on "date  zero" (meet in person) before they grow too attached, there is a  lot the pair can learn from each other by openly corresponding  online before dating, the authors' strictures notwithstanding.  The "light and breezy" tack will work against a woman seeking a  relationship built on communication and trust, and men will feel  put off by this seemingly manipulative strategy. Eve Hogan's  Virtual Foreplay is a more reliable choice for information on  online dating. CUAO looks a lot like ciao, which is what most  decent guys will say to a woman following this misguided  advice. Jeanne Larkins, New YorkCopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.