FirstClass Instant Messaging

 

About instant messages

FirstClass Instant Messaging is very similar to IM programs you may be used to using in your home, such as AOL IM or Yahoo Messenger. 

 

FirstClass' instant messaging feature allows you to have an online conversation with users who are currently connected (i.e. logged on) to FirstClass. Instant Messages are great for times when you need a quick answer, or when your telephone is already in use.

 

The Instant Message page contains a transcript pane that records everyone's contributions to the instant message.
Instant messages may take the form of temporary sessions that only exist until the last participant leaves, or permanent chat rooms that are available inside containers.

 

Starting a private instant message

1 Click the Instant Message tab.
2 Click Invite to invite someone to your instant message.
3 Select the user you want to invite.
4 Contribute to the instant message as you would to any other instant message

Responding to an instant message invitation

If you are invited to an instant messaging session, you will see an Instant Messaging Invitation tab. This tab shows the name of the user who invited you.

 

To decline the invitation, click Decline.

To decline without notifying the sender, click Ignore.

To join, click Accept. The Instant Message page opens and your name is added to the "Participants" list.

 

5212004_52233_8.png

 

Contributing to an instant message

To contribute to an instant message, type your input in the input pane of the Instant Message page. You can embed files in your input by clicking Browse below the transcript pane, selecting the file, then clicking Embed Object. To add your input to the transcript, click Send.
You can also:

·          attach files to the instant message by clicking Browse at "Attachments", selecting the file, then clicking Attach

·          invite others to join by clicking Invite

·          tell people you are temporarily unavailable by clicking the Pause icon:

·          93003_12702_1.png

·          use the Setup section to name an instant message that you started, moderate it, or save the transcript

·          change how frequently FirstClass looks for new input from participants by updating "Check for updates every", or force an immediate check by clicking Check Now.

·          When you are ready to leave the instant messaging session, click Leave. Other participants are notified that you have left

 

Naming instant messages

If you start an instant message, you can give it a name that will show on invitations you send to others, and in the transcript's subject if you save it.

 

To name the instant message, fill in "Name" in the Setup section, then click Set.

 

Inviting others

If you are participating in an instant messaging session started by someone else, you can click Invite to invite others to join the session just as you would when starting your own instant message.

 

Normally, newly invited users don't see earlier input in their view of the transcript. If you want these users to see this information, select "Enable catch up" in the Setup section. Participants that you invite will see the transcript from the point you selected this field.

 

 

Adding files to instant messages

You can:

 

·          embed a file, such as a picture file, in the transcript

·          attach a file to the instant message.

 

To embed a file, click Browse below the transcript pane, select the file, then click Embed Object. If you view an embedded file full size by clicking it, you can return to the transcript by clicking your web browser's Back button.

 

To attach a file to the instant message, click Browse at "Attachments", select the file, then click Attach. The attachment is displayed in the "Attachments" list. You can remove the attachment, just as you can message attachments, by clicking the Delete icon beside it.

 

 

Joining a public chat room

A public chat room appears as an icon inside a container.  This is the difference between an Instant Message session and a public Chat Room.  Public Chat Rooms are permanent, that is, until it is removed from the container in which it resides. 

When a chat room has active participants, a red balloon appears beside the icon:682004_114345_0.pngTo join the chat room, click it.

 

 

Saving transcripts

81203_42521_14.png Note

Only an instant message creator can save the transcript.

 

To save a transcript, select "Save transcript" in the Setup section. The transcript contains everything from the point you selected "Save transcript". It is saved after all participants have left.

 

A private instant message transcript is saved in your Inbox.

 

A public chat room transcript is saved in the chat room's transcript pane.

 

 

Moderating instant messages

If you want to control the contributions others make to an instant message, you can moderate it. In a moderated private instant message, only the instant message creator can allow others to contribute. In a moderated public chat room, only moderators can allow others to contribute.

 

To make an instant message moderated, select "Moderated". Other participants can no longer contribute. The following icon beside their names indicates that contributions by them are disallowed, or they are Muted:  93003_13453_2.png

 

Participants can request permission to contribute by clicking Hand Up: 93003_13924_4.png

 

As moderator, you won't see this button. You will see the Hand Up icon beside the name of any participant who has clicked Hand Up.

To allow a participant to contribute, click the "hand up" or "disallowed" icon beside the participant.

The icon changes to indicate that contributions are allowed: 93003_13601_3.png

 

To prevent a participant from making further contributions, click the "allowed" icon beside the participant.

To make the instant message non-moderated again, so that everyone can contribute freely, clear "Moderated