My wife and I met online over four years ago. We hung out mostly in chat doing a lot of get-to-know-you stuff and a little cyber sex here and there. Hehehe...

Basically, all we did were "scenes" where we would type out our actions in the room and our responses. Sort of like an online role-play. It was kind of high-schoolish, but it did let us get to know one another and each other's thoughts and fantasies a little better.

Eventually, though, we moved to r/l. Everyone should move to r/l eventually. It's really the only way to go if you TRULY want to have the BDSM experience.

Just be sure the person you're going to meet is who they say they are and that they're not going to kill you. My wife and I talked online for seven months before we met face to face. That is not an unrealistic amount of time, you newer people. Anyone that wants to "get to know you" and then meet in the same week is probably not going to be very health, satisfactory or knowlegdable. They might also be dangerous.