Germany: This Week in Dating (Week 42/2008)
The first thing I have to say is that even the BBC is unable to define how matchmaking works when it is based on a computer program – so they believed everything they learned from an eHarmony press release. To be honest, Germanys press is not better – and they make the same mistakes, as they believe that online matchmaking is something very strange and it must be a “technical matter“ because it is done on computers.
The better things: I took the opportunity to talk to Joachim Rabe, the manager of neu.de and partner.de. Neu.de is already one of the most important Germany players in the dating market, while partner.de resembles more or less the idea of modern computer matching. There is indeed strong competition, as we have parship, elitepartner and be2 as strong competitors. You can read the complete interview with Mr. Rabe in my blog – unfortunately, it is in German – but probably it may help you that he said that one of the secrets of partner.de is making everything a little bit easier for their customers.
Well, probably you know that the first computer based match was made by an old UNIVAC computer in 1956. Meanwhile, computers changed a lot, and opinions changed as well. But still, people believe that a team of software programmers and psychologists can find out what kind of people will match. The funniest thing is: everyone claims to have the secret super-formula, but no one is able to prove it. Please read part one and part two of my article about computer matching from 1956 until now.
By the way – Germanys ladies over 45 may really think of trying a younger or even a much younger partners to – do what? To marry him? I doubt it – but let them have a good time for some weeks – who cares? We live in the 21st century, and ladies can decide by themselves what kind of relationship they prefer.
Some people in the USA will enjoy the message, that some Scandinavian members of the EU-parliament suggested that Hotels in Strasbourg (France) should not allow hookers to visit the members of the EU parliament. So if you are a lady and would like to visit a member of the EU parliament in his hotel, be aware that somebody might ask you in future: “you are not a harlot, Madame, are you“? For all those non-Europeans among my readers: Prostitution is not allowed in France, but no one cares about it – and the second thing is, that the ladies (most of the are escorts) speak three or more languages – and some of them even have a university degree.
