Harvard Computer Society Launches Free On-line Matchmaking Program

"You've Got Mail," meet Datamatch.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, students will now be able to find their dream date on-line.

Members of the Harvard Computer Society (HCS) launched a seasonal run of Datamatch, a computerized matchmaker program, yesterday afternoon.

And for the first time, the entire process--in which students answer 30 questions about their ideal soulmate--will occur on-line, operated from the website at http:www.hcs.harvard.edu/datamatch. Students will then be e-mailed a ranked list of compatible matches.

According to D. Britt Bolen '00, one of three students running the Datamatch program, automating the process has allowed HCS to make the service completely free.

Since its founding four years ago, the Datamatch service had been operated in conjunction with the Undergraduate Council.

Previous incarnations allowed students to indicate their preferences either on-line or on paper forms available in dining halls. To retrieve results, however, participants paid $1 for a paper printout of matches.

This year's survey, which is no longer affiliated with the council, is only available on-line and requires students to indicate personal information including their own gender and the gender (or genders) of a desired mate.

The program's survey asks multiple-choice questions on topics ranging from who should pay for a date to the student's favorite campus publication.

According to Bolen, when surveying closes at midnight February 13, a computer program written by HCS alumni will compare the answers of all participants and match users with others entering similar answers.

A second computer program will then send an e-mail message to each participant with a list of his or her 10 best matches, their e-mail addresses and phone numbers.

Calling the process "quick and easy," Bolen said he expects nearly 1,000 undergraduates to use the service this year.

"It works with anybody," he said.