“Falling in love with a computer” is a claim often heard by people these days, especially after the introduction of the Internet. While for some it is merely for games or other interesting stuff that they find online, there are many others for whom the phrase has a metaphorical meaning because they are actually referring to someone special that they have met online and with whom they now share an everlasting bond.

With tight schedules of people these days, many are gradually becoming socially extinct as it has become difficult to spare time to spend with friends and relatives. Like the corporate world, dating has therefore also diverged to the online world. Though thought to be unbelievable until a few years back, people have now started accepting cyber dating as a practical and intelligent dating method where you can stay in touch with your better half whenever free, no matter if you are at home or in many cases at workplace as well.

Nonetheless, the number of people who claim to have found their special someone online is quite less, yet the perspective of people are changing and this number is constantly on the rise.

Apart from chat rooms and online dating sites, there are also social networking sites that have bridged the gap among people online and have helped them get intimate with each other in no time by exploring each other's profile that are in one way a reflection of their interests and personality traits. Online dating also provide shy people or those who have low self esteem about their appearance to share their thoughts comfortably and find their ideal match from anywhere around the world.

Internet chat usually starts with simple greetings and gradually turns into a good friendship and bonding that eventually turns into love with time as more conversations take place among people.

Also, some people find it easy to express their innermost thoughts and ideas with people they haven't met by typing over the computer than to say and share it with people they know in their everyday life. Furthermore, there are web cams and voice chat options that have added a new dimension to the world of online dating, which makes it even more comfortable in talking to people over the Internet.

Critics never fail to mourn about the safety of online dating, but there are background checks that are available these days where you can verify the legitimacy and background of the person with whom you are chatting. See if he/she has been lying to you about anything about themselves from their marital status to any criminal activity in which they may have been involved previously.

There is nothing wrong in falling in love with your computer or rather your online friend, but it is better to take someone with you when you meet him or her in person at least for the first time. Hence, your security is in your hands even when you are involved in online dating, just as it is in meeting someone in person.