Now, I don't think the couple should take a year and decide to move in together that fast. My year with Mosaic is tomorrow and he's still in school and I'M still in school (least til May). When the hell are we gonna move in together? Tomorrow? Lol, obviously not. Even though steps have not been reached or started, at least the IDEA of living together is there. And THAT should be the first step within a year.
On-line dating can and cannot work. I say this because there's a line between this on-line dating thing. It can work when the couple decides to take it off online and make it physical. You met the person, you enjoy their company, you enjoy the intimacy/lust/passion, and eventually fall in love. There's a chance of it not working when it's strictly on-line, there's no physical contact, you just talk on the phone/skype/etc., you rely on just phone/cyber sex, things like that. I mean, it CAN work, but there's always that chance of it not working because it does get boring after awhile.
While Mos lives in South Carolina and I live in New York, sure there's some things we have to rely on-line. We skype, we talk online, we talk on the phone constantly, but at least we are both making the effort to visit each other when given the chance (i.e: he's visiting me for my graduation and I'm staying with him for two weeks in the summer). That is what's important in the on-line dating category--if you REALLY like that person, you better make efforts to see them. The expense of plane tickets or other bullshit should NEVER be an excuse. You do what you can to see that person and Mosaic has proven this to me.
As much as my parents tell me to take the relationship with a grain of salt (they think it won't last), Mosaic and I have the initiative to make it work. And I think both persons should have this motivation if they really want their relationship to be successful and fulfilling. :)
tl;dr: Online dating can and cannot work, it really depends on the person's level of motivation to see the significant other. Hurr hurr