I bet some of the speed dating companies would embrace this. Original

Not bad at all. I like!

This idea would be enhanced by being merged with the "stumble dating" idea that's also been submitted to CH.

I like the idea that the daters can put their feedback into an online form IMMEDIATELY. That has some potential for possibly helping them find other people to speed date... based on their ratings of other dates.

If I weren't happily married, I'd Buy It!

This is an awesome idea, there's already 800, 000, 000 myspace-like websites but none have created a webcam system that also incorporates a game like atmosphere of speed dating. Genius. I want in.

.. I suppose .. as long as you don't stumble upon an "undesirable" in the process

Some fat bloke choking his chicken is not my idea of a good date.. >0P

LOL @ _Matt_ !!!

You should get a small set of preferences so that at least you're matching on gender and age.

This is an idea where core idea is good, and the possible extensions (once core site is functional) are unlimited.

Hey Guys, thanks for your kind comments so far. The Stumble dating one was mine too, didn't fare too well in the last round. I think this is fundementally stronger, but more refinements are greatly appreciated. Please keep the buzz up. [~]

Once you have this platform up and running you could easily extend the platform to other niches from social networks to create other performance rooms of expression like "Speed Arguments","Speed Insults"... it takes all types;) and for the intellectually inclined "Speed Debates" and for the politically inclined "Speed Lying"... i'm not joking i think these would be fun encounters!

I love the extensions you suggest Doymarn :D The architecture would be the same for this, but the parameters would change ie which factors placed you with another person and what the terms of interaction and norms were.

I voted but this could easily become just a "virtual sex" site... maybe you'll charge but the minute? lol

I voted but this could easily become just a "virtual sex" site... maybe you'll charge by the minute? lol

Regarding virtual sex, its certainly not the way I think you'd take this if you could...maybe limiting the video interactions with people on the main service to say 2mins [less?] might help...any suggestions?

To be honest however, given that text dating etc is often much the same thing..is it really a major issue if both parties consent?

Thanks for your comments guys :D

I like the idea that once this is developed it could be re-used for many different purposes, such as helping people learn to navigate the internet and perhaps for education. Fun!

This is a good idea - could also be a big business draw at some point. Networking events, anyone? Choose an industry, email the professionals, quick, assured network building!

Ooh, I like the potential for speed-networking that cypherspace suggested! It's a lot easier to network vis-a-vis than through letters which are easily ignored.

I wouldn't be too concerned about the virtual sex focus, you will find ways to control that... these are just technicalities... web cams or the telephone didn't get buried because people found them useful for that purpose too.

This idea has a good marketing edge and the broader scope of other niches are being suggested even now.

At first I shied away from this idea, b/c I hate the fact (and I don't dispute it) that people judge each other on appearance so quickly.

But...I think with some trial and error and planning, filters would develop so that like meets like. If someone is looking for a 10 they don't get introduced to a 6. The speed dating world has probably progressed beyond that.

Seems to me the skills required to make this one fly are not so much programming and related technical stuff, but in marketing - attracting the paying customers.

From the comment thread I gather that no one is doing this yet.

Is that the case? Are there chatrooms with webcams in common use?

And just to clarify, this makes money because the daters pay to join the network and have dates, right?

Thanks for all your helpfull input Jill :D

I agree regarding a need to focus on the correct weighting systems for people meeting each other, though it would be many more variables than the "hot or not" style. I think users' profiles with interests they shared in common highlighted would feature around the video frame.

One of the problem's with speed dating I've heard about is that when bombarded with so much information people do tend to choose on a simple variable like looks. The availability of this service as well as tailoring each match to be based on common interests from a large pool should alleviate this some.

Regarding revenue, I reckon that selling access to third parties would prove profitable, but direct client sales and advertising are options as well. In essence I think the exact revenue models have to be tailored once you know the scale of investment.

Winner.

I think this is a great idea. When using current online dating sites, there's always an initial element of mistrust. Sure, you have sexy photos, but more people have Photoshop skills than bulging muscles. Bringing the face-to-face element to online dating really makes the medium of the internet less of a distraction and more of an honest solution to distance. I'd definitely use this!

I must admit, during this whole tournament
I was so angry because I thought you had stolen and modified my still point of the chatting world idea. But I just figured out how to check when our ideas were posted. Perhaps you may of felt the same towards me. I can assure you thats not the case. What seems to be case here is that great minds think alike.
hope this vote is the vote of atonement.

No problem's Bailey :), I've found that in ideas one skirts another fairly often...so yeh... here's to great minds :D

I think the idea itself is awesome.
However, since it's not hard to do, once you do it all the big dating sites will do it too.

Perhaps I too could get a long distance girlfriend.

I'd like it to incorporate a "people who liked _____ also liked _______"

Like at netflix or amazon suggestions are made based on what you liked, but in this case the site would be suggesting people.

I think this idea would fair well in the real world and attract some online dating veterans looking for something new.

I'm still concerned with the porn thing. Perhaps a site administrator looks at each party before connecting them, and record both sides for "security purposes"?

I like this idea though!

i got a girlfriend with my webcam an so can you guys an she so sweet going to see her in april

Sad commentary on society...

I'm not so sure it is yug, infact I think giving people the freedom to in the first instance meet people they might get along with from anywhere in the world is a good thing for connecting people back up.

Regarding the visual element to this I think for the most part it stops there from being so much paranoia over who's on the other end of the textchat...you at least know the person you spoke to looked and responded in the manner that they did when you met them online so it makes meeting for real for the first time less freaky (if people might choose that [as some do])

Finally I generally agree what Doymarn said...sex won't kill this thing, there is enough demand for the general interactions to be sex free (as is represented on this board!) such that so long as we bias the user vetting always in favour of people to prevent explicit interactions you'll find that people looking for that will head to one of the millions of other webcam chatrooms. Ratings systems should help with this also (ie choose to only pair with people who have at least two stars-people who have used the service without violation for at least a month?)

The above said, there shouldn't be a need for any authoritarian style vetting of each pair up before it happens.

Thanks for all your helpfull commentary guys!

Love the idea... and there actually ARE several sites (dating and otherwise) that already utilize webcam technology into live community settings, but as others have noted, none in the speed-dating realm.
Sounds like fun!
And online is a GREAT way to meet people one wouldn't typically find otherwise--met my mate that way! :)

sounds like an interesting idea

yeah but how do you make money?

This is already available, please check out http://www.15minuteDate.com

Just a big no. Guys go out!

Something very similar here: http://www.techcrunc...s-ridiculous-videos/

We came up with this idea for a project at university but didn't follow it up. Good luck!

Just browsing some old ideas.
Did you actually build this?
Tommy

Yeah.. would like to know as well if anyone built this one? Sounds like a cool idea.. ;)