These instructions are for the most straightforward of installations... nothing icky to deal with like proxy servers or firewalls - just a bog standard Windows PC and modem set up... sorted! 15 steps to happiness!!

Put in the Online Applications CD from the OU - it will come with your course materials if you've got an online element, and let it run. When you are presented with a list of installation options, select FirstClass computer conferencing.

Double-click the FirstClass icon that will have appeared on your desktop once the installation is complete

The following appears:

Make sure 'home.fc' is in the File window, then click on 'Setup...'

Where it says "Server:" type in the name of the server you're accessing:

Server 1, type in oufcnt1.open.ac.uk
Server 2, type in oufcnt2.open.ac.uk
Server 3, type in oufcnt3.open.ac.uk

This must be accurate!

In the User ID box... type in the User ID allocated to you - it'll be in the format of some initials followed by a number or two... for example "abc4"

In the Password box... type in the password allocated to you... if you are security conscious do not put your password in here, type it in in the opening screen each time

Step 9

If things go wrong... and... let's face it... they do... then pay a vist to the First Class Guru website or (if you're an OU student) mail the LTS helpdesk, explaining the problem

The setup on a Mac is fairly similar to the above and the instructions from Step 3 onwards are identical!