Bulletin Board System (BBS)

About the BBS

An Introduction to the NACLC Bulletin Board System (the BBS).

The BBS is an electronic mail and conferencing system that is open to all community legal centres (CLCs) and their workers. It is a communication tool similar to an intranet that provides messaging (i.e. email) plus online discussion forums via folders, as well as an individual and group calendar function.

The BBS is accessed through the FirstClass® software, which is provided free of charge to all CLCs by the National Association of Community Legal Centres (NACLC). NACLC pays an annual fee to the NSW Law & Justice Foundation for the BBS system. This fee pays for the use of the FirstClass® software, all the CLC email accounts, folders and forums, and for technical support. The annual fee also goes to maintaining the server that runs the BBS.

The NACLC provides each CLC employee with a free BBS account that has access to an individual email account and to CLC mailboxes and folders. This email account enables users to send and receive emails at their own email address. As with any other email service, users can also attach, send and receive documents.

Through the folder (or conference) system, the BBS also provides a forum to hold discussions and debates and to post important notices to a large group of people.

The BBS also has a function for both individual (private) and group calendars. The group calendar can be set up so that each worker can see where everyone else in the centre is or is going to be.

NACLC also provides user support via phone and email through the CLC BBS Administrator (bbs_administrator at clc.net.au) during business hours.  (Replace the word at with the @ symbol).

New accounts for CLC staff members are created within 3 days of receiving all necessary information. The employee’s name, position and centre details should be sent via email to CLC Accounts at bbs_accounts at clc.net.au. (Replace the word at with the @ symbol).

Using the NACLC Bulletin Board System (BBS) in any way, constitutes an agreement by the user to the policies, as well as any amended policies that may come into effect in the future.

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How to install the BBS on your computer

FirstClass (BBS) Installation Instructions

If you do have the software, which is called FirstClass, on your computer, go to step 8. If not, start from step 1.

  1. Go to the following links to download the FirstClass Law software. (This website will open in a new browser window or tab). Link for Windows or Link for Mac.
  2. If you are using a Mac, you may need to drag the old version of First Class to the Trash (if you have an old version).
  3. You will receive a message telling you that you have chosen to download a dmg file (Mac) or an exe file (PC).
  4. Click Save File to save the installer on to your hard disk. Please save it somewhere obvious (your desktop is perfect). The installer will download.
  5. Once you have downloaded the installer, run it by double clicking it. Accept all the defaults.
  6. When it has installed, you will see a FirstClass icon on your desktop.
  7. Double click the icon. The Login box will load.
  8. Click the Setup button on the Login box (top right). The Service Setup form will open.
  9. Enter your user id in the user id field. Do not enter your password in the password field in the Setup form.
  10. Enter the server name fcl.clc.net.au in the Server field. For most setups, no other fields need to be configured.
  11. Save the Service Setup form. You are returned to the Login box.
  12. Enter your password into the Login box.
  13. Click Login (make sure you are connected to the Internet!)

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