Installing the FirstClass Client

The FirstClass client is freely distributable and can be installed on any Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME/NT4/2000 or Macintosh system. As UIC's installer does not modify any system files, you can even install it at work without any trouble! The FirstClass client is required to have full access to all FirstClass functionality. Installation is straight-forward and generally takes only a few minutes to complete. In a nutshell, one needs to download and run the self-extracting FirstClass Client Installer, and use the UIC.fc FirstClass Settings file to connect to the UIC FirstClass server.

Download and Installation Instructions for Windows

1. Click on the link to download the FirstClass Client installation file (fccwin.exe). Save it anywhere on your hard drive, e.g. in C:\Windows\Temp. The download should take no more than 10 to 15 minutes with a 33.6 modem. The file fits on a single floppy disk.
   
   
2. When the file is finished downloading, open the directory that it was saved in and double-click it (fccwin.exe).
   
   
3. The FirstClass setup application will launch, and the extraction window will appear:
   
   
   
   
4. By default, FirstClass gets extracted to the folder C:\, where it will create a folder called FirstClass. If you wish to change that, type the desired path into the text box before clicking Unzip. In that case, you will later need to modify the shortcut "FirstClass Client" by right-clicking it and correcting the pathnames in the shortcut's properties.
   
   
5. Click the Unzip button
   
   
6. The FirstClass Client will be uncompressed and saved onto the C: drive into a folder called "FirstClass". Once it has been successfully installed, and the application is working, it is no longer necessary to keep the installer itself.
   
   
7. You may wish to copy the FirstClass Client shortcut to the desktop for easy access.
   
   
8. Note: this installer does not automatically add FirstClass to the START menu in Windows 95. If you wish to create a new shortcut in the START menu for FirstClass:
   • from the START menu, choose
     Settings --> Taskbar
     
     
   • click on the Start Menu Programs tab
     
     
   • click the Add button, and then click the Browse button to find the FirstClass Client shortcut (normally inside C:\FirstClass), which uses this icon:
     
     
9. To log in, double-click the shortcut. You will be prompted for userid (your NetID, all in lower case) and password (initially the last 8 digits of your SSN). Note that the NetID is the part before the "@uic.edu" in your email-address.
   
   
10. See our User's Guide for details on using the client.

Download and Installation Instructions for Macintosh

1. Click on the link to download the FirstClass Client installation file (fcc.sea.hqx). Save it on the desktop. Netscape will automatically decode the binhex-encoded version, creating a self-extracting archive from it (fcc.sea). If you have StuffIt Expander installed, it will expand this automatically as well.
   
   
2. When the file is finished downloading, double-click the self-extracting archive (fcc.sea) if it is not expanding automatically.
   
   
3. A splash screen will appear, click the Continue button.
   
   
4. A dialogue window will appear asking you where the application should be saved to.
   
   
   
   
5. Use the Finder to select a destination you like on your computer's hard drive and click Save
   
   
6. The application and its associated files will then be uncompressed and saved in the location you chose.
   
   
7. To log in, double-click the FirstClass application and select the settings file UIC.fc if it is not preselected. You will be prompted for userid (your NetID, all in lower case) and password (initially the last 8 digits of your SSN, without spaces or hyphens). Note that the NetID is the part before the "@uic.edu" in your email-address.
   
   
8. See our User's Guide for details on using the client.

Please email firstclass@uic.edu for questions.
Last updated: 2001-08-22 — Instructional Technology Lab