I've just signed up to online dating for the first time. Is it me or ...

[BloodyBen10]

... are these really people's best photos? Good Lord. OK, I know you (I) shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but this is effectively sales here. I've rummaged around for a decent pic of myself - one that's cheery, fairly natural and in which I look half-decent. Have others actually done this too?

I'm also feeling a bit peeved, since I signed up on a dating site which implied it was exclusively for single parents. But plenty of blokes are coming up in my searches who don't have kids; most of them don't, in fact.

And hardly anyone can spell or write properly.

I'm feeling disheartened already. Am I being an unreasonable, arrogant snob here or is online dating very often a case of looking for a diamond in the rough?

LOL! and recently, a no pic man sent me a hello etc and I asked why no pic? he told me it was a ligitimate reason and that if I actualluy saw him, I'd drink his bathwater I replied that no man is that good! D~E~L~E~T~E

Yeah his legitimate reason is that his wife would kill him if she found out! lol

I've had some horror stories myself Solo. One day might be good to compare notes!

Oh dear..I've had the misleading pics too. One guy I agreed to meet up had very misleading pics up. That led to an extremely cringe-worthy evening.

There are some genuine ones who don't put their pics up. However, with some of them you do wonder why they actually bothered!

My two-pennorth on replying....no need to reply to everyone who messages you, and IME any woman who doesn't positively look like the back end of a bus will get LOADS of messages. So don't stress out thinking you must reply to everyone. I think we women are conditioned into being 'nice' about this sort of thing. That said if someone has obviously put a bit of thought into their message then I would feel more inclined to reply.

POF, I actually think is OK altho there seems to be a high proportion of semi/sub -literate types on there.

Oh, and I second/third/fourth everyone who has mentioned keeping your sense of humour. You'll need it!

Oh yes Niceguy2, probably! Another one said that it wasn't allowed at work, plus him being Indian!!! HAHAHAHA!!! yeah right!

with pof you can send a picture attached to your email reply, so you decide who can see it, its not on general display.

most guys I chat to on POF do the same thing

a gsoh is a pre-requisite, and as janos said dont bother replying to everyone, just who you think you might like.

happy hunting