SoftArc Now Shipping FirstClass 2.5 - March 1994

Date: Sun, 03 Apr 1994 15:17:42 EDT
Subject: Fwd: FirstClass 2.5 Now Available
Lines: 81


Released Thursday, March 31st

             SoftArc Now Shipping FirstClass 2.5

SCARBOROUGH, Ontario  Forms editing and enhanced e-mail functions are among
the highlights of a new release of SoftArc's FirstClass* cross-platform electronic
mail and conferencing system, now available to registered owners.

FirstClass 2.5 also allows graphical access to SQL or DAL databases through
third-party database extensions or custom database gateways.

"FirstClass, with this release, dramatically leapfrogs mail-only products like
cc:Mail and Microsoft Mail, and squarely competes with Lotus Notes," said
Steven Asbury, SoftArc President.

Directory Synchronization	Enterprise-wide FirstClass installations with
multiple servers may now synchronize their user directories by enabling a
synchronization option in FirstClass 2.5.  User directories can now remain
consistent from server to server... even among sites with hundreds of servers.
 Even when as large as one hundred thousand users, FirstClass still performs
directory searches and name matches quickly.  In addition, FirstClass 2.5 lets
users send mail to any other user on any other servereven if the two do not
communicate together directlycourtesy of a new multi-hop mail architecture.

Advanced e-mail		The new version gives users of the graphical FirstClass
communications system advanced e-mail features such as message unsend, priority,
sensitivity and receipting.  In addition, autoreply and autoforward allows
users to forward their mail when on vacation or send automatic "I'm out off
the office" replies (this ability is included in the base FirstClass product
at no extra cost, nor does it rely on third party software.)

Forms Editor	 The FirstClass Forms Editor, shipping with FirstClass 2.5,
allows administrators to create their own message forms or edit existing ones.
 Forms are multi-platform and function identically on Macintosh or Windows. 
Enhancements to the forms system now provide for embedded graphics within
FirstClass forms.

Database Access		Finally, FirstClass 2.5 allows users to query SQL or DAL databases.
 With an optional "database extension" for FirstClass, servers can hand off
queries formulated from data entered in a FirstClass form and retrieve the
results within FirstClass.  Entering queries can be as simple as toggling
checkboxes in a FirstClass form.  Users may simply double-click on search
matches to pull up an entire pertinent record from their database.  (For more
information on database access through FirstClass, see accompanying press releases
on 411 for FirstClass, and FirstConnectthird party database extensions for
FirstClass.)

With this release SoftArc is issuing new versions of its freely-distributable
FirstClass Clients for Macintosh and Windows.  The FirstClass Client software
is free; anyone may download the latest versions from America Online,
CompuServe, Internet FTP servers or SoftArc OnlineSoftArc's corporate
FirstClass system (416-609-2250.)  More than 850,000 people worldwide in a
dozen languages currently use SoftArc's Macintosh and Windows client software.

Registered owners of FirstClass systems may download version 2.5 of the
FirstClass server from SoftArc's FirstClass system SoftArc Online free of charge,
as with all updates to the FirstClass server or client.  Registered users may
optionally purchase SoftArc's FirstClass 2.5 server upgrade package including
new diskettes and documentation for $95 plus shipping and handling.

For more information, contact Dallas Kachan, Manager Sales & Marketing,
SoftArc Inc.
______________________________________________________

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:
[email protected]

FirstClass is a registered trade name of SoftArc Inc.