Question: How do I change my password?
Once you have logged in, look under the COLLABORATE Menu where it says CHANGE PASSWORD.
Type your own password, then type
your new password again.
Question: How do I make an alias of a conference?
Instead of alias, First Class prefers to think of this as adding a shortcut to your desktop. Select
the conference or folder and then click and hold (on a Mac) or right-mouse click (on a PC)
choosing the feature called add to desktop. Voila! You will now have an alias (i.e. shortcut) to
that conference on your personal First Class desktop.
Question: How do I download files from First Class to my own computer?
The key involves attached files. If you double-click (or click and hold) on
that attachment, the computer asks you where you want to save the file. If you are not careful, it
will save it within the folder called downloads. Be careful to navigate to a specific folder. You can
also drag and drop the attached file onto your desktop or into a specific folder.
Question: How do I upload files?
The opposite skill is called uploading, a privilege given to faculty, parents, trustees and N license
students. Try sending a message to another user and then choose the feature called Attach file
under the File menu. You will have to navigate to the file on your floppy or hard drive that you
want to send. Once you select it, the file is transferred to the First Class server and is
automatically attached to your message. when another user reads your message, he/she can now
download it. You might say that uploading is like depositing money into a bank and downloading is
like withdrawing it. You can also attach a file
or files from your hard drive by selecting (or shift-selecting multiple files) and then dragging and
dropping the files onto the top part of the message (the address section where your name is.) The Drag and
drop method is terrific because you can drag more than one file at a time.
Question: How does chatting on-line work?
Under the Conferencing Menu, you can check Who's On Line. Then File Menu, choose Open,
then Private Chat and invite someone to talk with you. Others can be invited to chat, so it is
possible to have a Chat Room with 5-10 people in it.
Question: Is it is possible to see graphics or hear sounds via First Class?
First Class allows graphics to be copied and pasted into the body of the message. Sounds can be
sent as attached files and/or can be recorded when sending a new message. You can also drag and
drop an image from the Web or from a file onto the body of the message section.
Question: How do I change the expire date of a file so that it does not disappear after
the set number of days?
To alter the expire date, click once on the file and choose Get Info under the File menu (Mac) or
Preferences under the Edit menu (PC). You can change the expire date to be one month, one year
or never. Shortcut includes –click and hold” on Mac or –right-mouse click” on PC.
Question: How do I configure my account so that my replies go only to the sender?
Under Edit Menu, choose Preferences and then the Mailbox tab; change your Reply preference to
Reply sender. This avoids the problem of replying to a message sent to you as part of a mailing
list, only to find out that your personal response has gone out to hundreds of people!
Question: What are the rules for mailing lists?
Mailing lists (ML) generally are reserved for student staff & faculty usage. Otherwise, the spam
would be incredible! A mailing list is a huge cluster of people. The ease of constructing and using
mailing lists has been key to the popularity and success of First Class! We have mailing lists to
parents, students, academic departments, trustees.
Question: How do I Make a New Folder and give it an Icon?
Under File, choose New Folder. Now click on the folder and choose Get Info under File (Mac) or
Properties under File (PC); you can rename the folder and double-click one of the many icons.
Question: How do I set up my mailbox so that I can create folders above the line?
Under the View Menu, choose Split, then either Horizontal or Vertical. To move selected items
into a folder, use the Shift-click trick; to move all your mail into a folder, use Select all under Edit.
Note that files in folder will still expire on the designated date.
Question: How do I Delete Mail in my Mailbox?
Click on the item, then choose Delete under File. To delete a number of documents: click on one,
hold down Shift and click on others; use Command-click (Mac) or control-click (PC) for files that
are non-contiguous. The Shortcut is Command-D on the Mac and Control-D on the PC.
Question: How do I view my mail in an organized fashion?
Click the heading at the top of each column to sort by that category in forward or reverse order,
depending on your mouseclick. However the sort order will be quirky unless you have adjusted
things via Change view properties under View; change Group items to be None.
Question: How do I make a message change from red-flag to not-red-flag or visa versa?
Hold down Option on the Mac or Control on the PC and click on that file; this is the same as the
Message menu choice of Unread. This is a very useful trick for reminders! Even better, by
choosing Get Info or Properties, you can change the name of the note to say something like --->
CALL THIS PERSON ASAP.
Question: How do I open a number of documents at once?
Click on one, hold down Shift and click on others; then choose Open under File.
For two files that are not contiguous, you hold down COMMAND or APPLE on the MAC to select both of them
Question: How do I make a new document as a Reminder list or Journal entry for
myself, not to send to anyone else?
Choose New document under the Message menu; this is a great tip that not enough users
understand. This feature lets you make a document that you can come back to and edit
frequently. The expire date on this document is automatically Never.
Question: What are 3 of the most useful keyboard commands?
Make a new document or message: command-N on Mac or control-N on PC.
Close the specific document and choose to send at same time: command-W on Mac or control-W
on PC. Send the specific message that you are writing: command-E on Mac or control-E on PC.
Question: How do you create a quoted reply?
Highlight the portion of the message from someone to you, then choose Reply under the Edit
menu. Alternatively, if you want the entire document quoted, choose reply with quote.
Question: How do I search for a lost note?
Assuming your note is within a conference or your own mailbox, the Find feature under Edit is
very powerful, finding notes that contain key words in their title or even within the text. The FILTER box
at the top of your mailbox lets you type in a key word.
Question: Any way to get a receipt when someone reads the note?
Yes, a wonderful feature is that you can tag a note (before you actually send it) with the feature
under Message called Receipt on Read. As soon as the recipient reads your note, you get a
message in your mailbox telling you the exact time. This is an alternative to viewing history.
Question: Any way for an important note to be given a higher priority?
Yes, before sending the note, tag it with the feature under Message called Priority urgent. The
note stays in bold at the top of the recipientęs mailbox; it canęt force him/her to read it, however!
Question: Any way to spell-check in English or other languages?
Yes, there is a feature under Edit called Check spelling. Additionally, you can configure your
dictionary to be Spanish, French or several other languages. All of these dictionaries are free from
Centrinity (formerly SoftArc), the company that makes First Class.
Question: How does View history work?
By choosing the History under the Message menu of any note, you see the exact details of who
has read the note and at what time. This can be a scary and sobering feature!
Question: How does BCC (blind carbon copy) work?
Any names or mailing lists put into BCC (choose SHOW BCC under MESSAGE) do not see
that others have received this note. For example, if you put 5 students into the BCC stating that
they have failed the recent test, they do not see the other 4 students who received the note. More
importantly, putting internet names (e.g. parent mailing list) into the BCC avoids the hassle of
each recipient getting a long list of all the other e-mail addresses!
Question: How does the Unsend feature work?
With a few exceptions, notes that have been sent can be taken back (feature called Unsend is
found under the Message menu). If the recipients have read the note, then Unsend does nothing
to their mailboxes. But it removes the note instantly from the mailboxes of all those who have not
read the note.
Question: What are some of the more esoteric command keys that I can use?
Here are the keys for color on the Mac (not PC) after highlighting text: command and option and
b to get blue, r to get red, y to get yellow, g to get green, m to get magenta, o to get orange and k to get black.
Question: How do the Contacts Folder feature and Personal Mail List work?
The Contacts Folder is a great feature given to all faculty, parents, trustees, and visitors as well as
students with Internet Access; the Contacts Folder lets you have a code word for a group of people
or a code word for an Internet Address. The Contacts Folder is different from the institutional
Mailing Lists made by the computer department and reserved for faculty members.
-->Under the File Menu, choose New, then choose New Personal Address or New Personal Mail
List. In the Name section, enter a recognizable and easy to use code word. Next enter the e-mail
address in the e-mail section. Close the box and press Save. Alternatively, when you get a message
from someone and you want that e-mail address entered into your Contacts Folder, simply Right-
mouse click (PC) on the address or Control-click or –click and hold” (Mac), choosing Add to
Contacts Folder. Each Contacts Folder item can contain other info including phone and text.
-->To Use your Contacts Folder, go to your mailbox and try writing a note to someone. Type a few
characters of the code word and push Tab; the computer will now make this show up at the To
location and you will have saved yourself the trouble of remembering those Internet Addresses.
Although a Contacts Folder item can be used for a few names, it is best to use a Personal Mailing
List for tasks like writing one note to multiple advisees or students, since you can put many
items into each Personal Mailing List CODE WORD.
-->You can see a list of your Contacts Folder items and/or change them via FILE then OPEN and
choosing Contacts Folder.
Question: How do I disable call-waiting from my home phone?
If your phone at home has call waiting, put *70, in front of the phone number in the Setup of
First Class e.g. *70,781-320-1314. You can enter 1170 before the phone number as well!
Question: How do I use different fonts to line up columns, since tabs are problematic?
If you use a mono-spaced font, such as Courier, Monaco, or Courier New, you can then line up
columns via SPACES.
Question: How do I avoid the carbon copy blues?
When you choose to Reply to a note from someone sent via a mailing list, it goes to everyone on
that mailing list unless you make sure the cc is blank. CC stands for carbon copy.
We've got those carbon copy
... too much junk mail -blues
All we've got is our own good time to lose.
Either you must blank out the cc each time or remember to set your preferences to Reply Sender.
Question: How do you select multiple messages?
On the Mac try holding down the command button (has the open-apple on it) and then clicking.
On the PC, hold down the Control button and then click. Use shift-click when you want to
highlight the first and last of a bunch of messages in a row.
Question: How do you change the default background of all your messages?
Click on the Appearances tab; 3D look must be on. Click on Editor Background (that is First
Class' name for the place where you write messages.) Click and hold on the down arrow next to
the box marked Image: that is next to Editor Background checkbox. The box will probably say
Default; then choose the design you want. Click Apply to test it and then OK when you are
content. Now all your messages will have this background.
Question: How to chat on-line?
Under file go to open and go down to private chat. Multiple people can be in a chat room at once.
Question: What is special about the UNDO feature?
You can UNDO multiple levels, in effect going back several moves in your editing!
Question: Will First Class allow you a signature at the bottom of certain notes?
Yes, look under Preferences under FIRST CLASS and you will see a Tab that says MESSAGING. Now choose the lower
tab that says INITIAL CONTENT.
You put your
info in here and then just mouse-click on the icon when you want the optional text.
Question: Can First Class select all messages from one person with one click?
Yes, to quickly select all messages from the same person, or about the same subject, or with the
same date, Control-Shift-click (PC) or Command-Shift-click (Mac) one occurrence of the name,
subject, or date.
Question: Can First Class let you show deleted messages?
Yes, but only from the time of the last trash collection which is generally 2AM of previous night
To undelete a message, go to the View menu and choose Show Deleted Items. To read a deleted
message, select it, go to the File menu and choose Undelete. To hide deleted messages again, go
back to View and choose Hide Deleted Messages.
Question: Can First Class summarize multiple e-mail notes into one document?
You can select as many different e-mails (contiguous with Shift or non-contiguous with
Command/Control) that you want and then go to the Conferencing menu and choose Summarize
Selected Messages. First Class will take the contents of all of those e-mails and put them into one
neat and tidy text document (no more copying and pasting) complete with exact dates and times.
Once you have this summarized document, donęt forget to Copy and Paste it into a new note.
This trick also makes it easier for you to save and then Delete more e-mails.
