What Is FirstClass?

FirstClass® is a high performance multi-platform communications system that integrates full fledged e-mail with workgroup communication services—and offers the exact same ease of use, functionality and high performance over network or modem.

Other e-mail systems only offer simple point to point messaging.  FirstClass integrates powerful group conferencing and offers better workgroup communication features than stand-alone conferencing products.  And because the FirstClass architecture was conceived of with both network and modem access in mind, remote connectivity to FirstClass mail systems is second to none.

More and more business, school boards, local and national government agencies and other organizations are discovering the uniqueness of FirstClass and its configurable, multitasking graphical interface and outstanding server stability.

Because FirstClass handles remote connections as well as it does, many choose to use their one FirstClass server as both their main e-mail system and as a public access bulletin board... or BBS.  Modem links to the FirstClass system can make it the world's easiest, most customizable and secure system of its type for customer support or field staff.

One FirstClass server combines the following application functionality in one integrated system:

     € Complete office electronic mail
     € Network conferencing for electronic discussions
     € Remote-access or network bulletin board system (BBS)

Electronic Mail

As an e-mail package, FirstClass is exceedingly powerful.

With features like online sound and graphic viewing, various graphical "office memo-like" message forms, simple name-based addressing and file attachments, FirstClass matches other popular e-mail programs function for function.

Add innovative features like drag-and-drop mail filing into custom folders, automatic copies of sent mail, auto expiry of old mail and the best message tracking features in the business (showing who read your mail, when, whether they forwarded or replied to it or whether they downloaded any attached files)... and you've got a system very unlike others.

Important connectivity to other FirstClass servers or foreign mail systems via FirstClass "gateways" is addressed through a series of gateways by SoftArc and various third parties.

Conferencing

Electronic group discussion is becoming more and more important to large workgroups.  However traditional e-mail systems don't provide for elegant group communication while stand-alone conferencing packages are poorly laid out and tend not to address private e-mail at all.  FirstClass is the fullest-featured, most robust system for organizations needing to share vital information among their staffs and customers because it addresses both needs with the same interface.

Features of FirstClass important to electronic discussion include accurate "unread" tracking per-item per-user, message tracking, multiple hierarchical conferences and the ability to place aliases of frequently-followed conferences on one's desktop.  Add per-user customizable conference layout, user to user realtime chatting across platforms and an incredibly powerful system of permissions and privileges controlling who gets access to what.

With the Internet gateways available for FirstClass, it's even possible to replicate Usenet newsgroups within FirstClass conferences... allowing users to read and reply to network news from their normal FirstClass mail system.

Remote Access

Network managers worldwide agree remote access to their network has become one of their the biggest priorities—and biggest headaches.

Remote access has traditionally meant complicated routers, terminal servers, network modems and remote access servers... which for some networks has meant dedicating a separate computer for every incoming phone line.

However, while access to network services is important, statistics show more than 80% of those connecting via modem to their network are doing so exclusively to access their e-mail.

FirstClass solves problems for network administrators by natively supporting dozens of conventional modems, high speed or otherwise, on one FirstClass mail server (its modem support is so complete that some organizations purchase FirstClass simply as an online server.)  FirstClass pleases network managers by allowing the administation of FirstClass systems remotely—making server to server gateway setups or other occasional maintenance a snap.

FirstClass solves remote access problems for users, who may access their FirstClass system remotely the same way they do in their office using the same client application they normally do.  No special remote access software is necessary with FirstClass.  Every system feature looks and works the same whether connected by network or modem.

Modem access is highly efficient and permits background transfer of files (in both directions simultaneously) even while reading mail, chatting or using other system features.  Truly a revolution in remote communication.

Multi-Platform & Language Support

Not everyone uses the same computer type or speaks the same language.  Administrators with mixed networks suffer headaches above and beyond those created by remote access.  E-mail programs have always been the most difficult cross-platform applications to configure and set up.  And there hasn't ever been a usable, cross-platform network conferencing package before FirstClass.

FirstClass allows users of different computer types to share the same physical network without the need for a dedicated network fileserver.  The FirstClass server understands different packet protocols at the server level courtesy of software routing; Windows machines can speak to a Macintosh-based FirstClass server through the popular IPX protocol, yet Macintosh users can be connected simultaneously.  Network users on different machine types may even chat in real time with each other through FirstClass.

The FirstClass client and its message forms are virtually identical across different platforms.  FirstClass users of one computer type feel completely at home using a FirstClass client on another machine.

The FirstClass client is available not just for different platforms, but for different languages as well.  Versions of the client are available in French Canadian, German, Portugese, Spanish, Japanese, Swedish and others.

Bulletin Board Features

More groups are finding the need to communicate with others in the world beyond their walls and are turning to computers to do so.  Some choose to set up an internal bulletin board, or BBS, for customers to download pricing or product information, report problems, seek technical help or generally communicate with others in the organization.  But for many, this type of communication is not practical unless closely married to one's internal e-mail system.

Because FirstClass accommodates modem connections as well as it does, supports as many simultaneous modem connections as it does and offers such an easy to use interface, it has become the software of choice for those needing bulletin-board features linked to an industrial-strength corporate messaging system.

The same single FirstClass server that accommodates thousands of regular network users may also accommodate thousands of modem user accounts.  Up to  100 users, regular and telecom, may be simultanously accommodated on one FirstClass server.

When considering FirstClass on its BBS related features, the ability to access and search CD-ROMS or other volumes online is very useful, as is the ability to send mail to any user or conference the BBS user has permission to.  Administrators may accurately track what users have uploaded or downloaded what through statistics and billing features.  Create custom icons and background pictures.  Accommodate users of any computer type through a command-line interface to FirstClass similar to the UNIX shell if they call with a VT100 compatible terminal.

Of course one of the primary reasons to use FirstClass as an online system lies in the strength of its multitasking graphical interface—an interface that yeilds impressive performance and functionality on a network... and is equally impressive by modem.

The remaining text files in this area go into detail about FirstClass, how it's used, what distinguishes it from competitors and what you require to set up your own FirstClass system.

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SoftArc Inc.
Global-Area Communications

805 Middlefield Road, Suite 102, Scarborough, Ontario, CANADA, M1V 2T9
1902 Ridge Road, #325, West Seneca, New York, USA, 14224

Tel: 416-299-4723  Fax: 416- 754-1856  FirstClass: 416-609-2250  Internet: sales@softarc.com