As Dale Carnegie professes in how to win friends and influence people, manners are what matter the most when dealing with people and trying to win favour. It should be the cornerstone in the communication process, however unfortunately in this day and age, that art seems to be dying. Do your bit - be polite, and expect politeness back!

Here are a list we have put together of things to do and not to do when communicating in Cyberspace - this will make the whole experience more fun, friendly, and enjoyable all round:

- Be totally honest not only about your character, values and beliefs, but also about your career, aspirations, and even as far as your looks. Send an up to date photo in decent clothes!

- Personalise correspondence - if your message comes back like an auto reply, then don't expect to ever hear from that person again.

- Reply to everyone who contacts you, preferably within 5-7 days, whether you are interested or not.

- Give people a chance - how many people have you written off in the past because of some cheesy line, and then later found you really like them? It is hard to communicate effectively online so go easy!

- Always remember you are communicating with another human being and they have feelings just as you do. If they are a lemon, let them down gently.

- Use humour in you writing to show your intelligence and sense of humour - people write GSOH in print personals for a reason - no one wants to date a sour puss.

- Write as if you are saying something to someone's face.

- Never be racist, sexist or say anything deragoatory along those lines. It shows you are a complete ignoramus and deserve to be alone the rest of your life.

- Don't go overboard when writing to someone the first time - you know dates when someone just talks about themselves the whole night and you never want to hear from them again? It translates equally as badly in cyberland.

- Don't try and force someone into carryong on correspondence if they are clearly not interested - it borders on harrassment and shows lack of emotional maturity.

- If it is all going well, ask them out on a date - be sure to take care - see our dangers section (you never know...).