Students Go Digital In Valentine Date Search

One quarter of the student body is looking for love--or just fooling around.

As of last night, more than 1500 Harvard students have logged onto the Harvard Computer Society's (HCS) free online matchmaking service, Datamatch, at www.hsc.harvard.edu/~datamatch.

Most students say they are participating for some laughs.

"I'm just doing it as a joke," said Margot E. Kaminski '04. "I didn't take it seriously at all. Some of the responses are ridiculous. Whatever matches I get, I'm not going to follow up."

Students hoping to be nipped by cupid's arrow answer 30 questions about their ideal first date, their favorite television show and campus publication and the book title that best describes their life--choices ranged from Harry Potter to The Sound and the Fury.

Datamatch closes today at 11:59 p.m., and shortly after 12 a.m. on Valentine's Day, the HCS computer program will e-mail those looking for love--and those looking for a laugh--a list of 10 people whose responses most closely match their own.

Participants can opt to be matched with females, males, or both. They can also send the site's URL to their friends.

Most students say they are checking out the site for entertainment.

"It's neat if you get matched with one of your friends. Otherwise, I never really gave it a second thought," said Steven J. Kruckzek '01. "It's amusing."

And some of those who have already been visited by cupid say they are not too enthusiastic about digital matchmaking.

"I haven't done it and I probably won't do it. I just don't have any motivation," said Molly T. MacKean '02. "I'm dating someone. I'd be more inclined if I were single."

Datamatch ran from 1997 to 1999, but not in 2000.

Jinger Y. Zhao '04, the leader of the project, started to update Datamatch's questions and revamp the website in December.

This year, more complex algorithms prevent a student with popular responses from appearing on too many lists, said Scott A. Golder '03, HCS president.

"It's really gratifying to see the team do something cool," Golder said. "And we can do it at no cost. If it's free, more people will participate."

The Undergraduate Council is a co-sponsor of Datamatch.