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Introducing FirstClass
FirstClass is an easy-to-use, advanced communications and information system. With FirstClass, you can:
• send and receive electronic mail (email), voice mail, and faxes
• transfer text and graphics files so that other users can access them
• browse and send messages to online forums
• organize items for easy access
• publish information on the World Wide Web (web).
Depending on the way your administrator has set up your user account, you may not be able to use all of FirstClass' features. For example, you may be able to read messages in certain areas, but not delete them.
If you are unclear about whether you should be able to use a particular feature, contact your administrator.
For detailed information about how to update a FirstClass form, choose Help > About this Window with the form open. To see any of the pictures embedded in this help full size, double-click them.
For more information about our products, or to download software, visit our web site at www.centrinity.com.
FirstClass objects
Messages
Messages are pieces of email that are sent through FirstClass. Messages may be sent:
• locally on the same FirstClass server
• through a gateway that connects another FirstClass server or another messaging system
• through the Internet to anyone who can receive email.
Documents
You can create documents in FirstClass much as you do messages. These are the differences between a message and a document.
A message:
• is intended for mailing to someone electronically, and therefore includes space for address information
• cannot normally be edited after being sent (although FirstClass does let you unsend a message)
• expires after a certain period by default
• is automatically named with the name of the sender (for mail received) or recipient (for mail sent).
A document:
• is intended for posting directly to an area where others can see it, and therefore cannot be mailed
• can be edited after it has been posted
• never expires by default
• must be named explicitly.
Uploaded files
You can upload files such as word processing and graphics files so that they are available to other users. These files can be attached to messages or placed directly in containers.
Folders
FirstClass folders work just like other folders you are used to on your operating system. You can create and name folders, then put messages and documents in them to organize your work area for easy access.
In addition, your administrator may create external folders.
Conferences
At first glance, FirstClass conferences look just like folders. A conference serves the same purpose of putting items with a common topic into one place, but there are some important differences.
A conference:
• is intended mainly as an online forum for the exchange of information
• has controlled access; you need to be given certain permissions to be able to see and work with it
• can be the recipient of messages
• is flagged when it contains unread mail.
A folder:
• is intended mainly as an organizational aid
• does not have directly controlled access; the object within which the folder was created determines the folder's access
• can only hold messages that have been moved there
• does not indicate that it contains unread mail.
Calendars
FirstClass includes online calendars that record time commitments, such as meetings, and tasks that you need to complete. In addition to your own personal calendar, you may have access to public calendars that let you schedule meetings at mutually convenient times.
Your Desktop
Once you are connected to a FirstClass server, your Desktop opens. It contains your Mailbox, plus any containers that you or your administrator have placed on your Desktop.
Your Mailbox
Your FirstClass Mailbox contains:
• messages that have been sent to you
• all messages that you have sent
• messages that you have created but not yet sent.
Changing your Mailbox permissions
You can update the permissions on your Mailbox to:
• stop messages above a certain size from being accepted
• limit the number of messages stored
• specify when messages expire
Expired messages are deleted automatically.
• control specific users' access to your Mailbox.
To update your Mailbox permissions:
1 Select or open your Mailbox.
2 Choose Collaborate > Permissions.
3 Update the Mailbox Permissions form.
Your changes are saved automatically when you close this form.
Specifying mail handling rules
You can set up mail rules that tell FirstClass how to handle the messages in your Mailbox. For example, FirstClass could send mail containing the word "budget" in the subject to a subfolder called Budgets.
About the FirstClass system
Servers
A server stores all your messages and documents, and the Mailbox, conference, and folder structure that contains these items. It also contains information about all the users known to the server.
When you log into FirstClass, you connect to a server. Your organization may have multiple servers, and you may be able to connect to some of these servers as well. On each server, you will see the objects that the administrator for that server has given you permission to see.
The server to which you normally connect is considered your home server.
Clients
Client software runs on your computer. It connects to a server, and provides the interface (such as menu commands) that lets you work with FirstClass objects.
You can use one of the following clients to connect to a server:
• the FirstClass client, which runs on Windows, Mac OS, or UNIX
• a web browser
• a phone
• a handheld device.
Note
This help is based on the release level of your server. If it does not seem to describe the client that you are running, contact your administrator to check which client release you should be using.
Folders installed with FirstClass
When you install FirstClass, a folder is placed on your hard disk. This folder contains the FirstClass application and other FirstClass files and folders. The FirstClass folders are described here.
UNIX
These files and folders are located in your home directory. For Mac OS X, they are in ~/Library/FirstClass. For Linux, they are in ~/firstclass.
Make sure that the FirstClass application remains in the same folder as the FirstClass folders, or FirstClass will not run properly.
Exception
The Mac OS X FirstClass application package is installed in /Applications.
Download
This is the default folder for files that you download from the server.
FCP
This folder contains connection files (.fcp files) that are used to connect to servers. The file names indicate the connection types.
Images
This folder contains graphics files that you can choose when assigning background pictures to FirstClass windows and objects. Adding files to this folder is one way to expand the basic set of pictures that come with FirstClass.
Modems
Not applicable to Linux or Mac OS X
This folder contains command files (.mdm files) for modems. The file names indicate the modems. When you choose a modem as part of your configuration, the contents of this folder are reflected in the list of available modem choices.
Plugins
This folder contains viewers for various types of graphics files. These viewers enable FirstClass to display these files. If your administrator added special chat client extensions, these extensions are also in this folder.
Scripts
Not applicable to Linux or Mac OS X
This folder is the place to store any modem connection script files (.fcl files) that you need to connect to a server.
Settings
This folder contains any settings files (.fc files in Windows) supplied with FirstClass, plus any additional files that you create.
Tools
This folder contains the dictionaries supplied with FirstClass. These dictionaries are used when FirstClass spell checks text.
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