Dating Sites - Online Dating

Dating sites have good and bad reputations. What is your experience? Have you met anyone there and if so, how long does this kind of relationship last? Does distance matter? When do you first meet someone: after a long correspondence or immediately after contact has been made?
And when should you give your phone number or email address? What do you think?
What are the possibilities to meet someone? Bar? Restaurant? And who pays then?
And above all... how can you recognize your partner - or you? One or two friends of mine use Photoshop to appear younger... but how do I recognize someone who makes himself younger there? Should one also consider this...?