Setting up Outlook Express to see the MCC Collabra Bulletin Board
It is best that you print this page and have it beside you as your configure OE for your class bulletin board.
The MCC Collabra bulletin board works well in Outlook Express with two exceptions. Outlook Express will see the Collabra class bulletin board names only by their full Internet addresses, whereas Netscape will see the nicknames (the assignment names) set up for each class board assignment. This will not cause Outlook Express users any problems, for your class assignment boards will have the Assignment name at the end of the Internet address.
The second exception is that you can not use the links to the bulletin board that are provided on your Assignments page and Assignment 1 until you have set up Outlook Express to provide your MCC username and password. If this is not completed, when you choose a link to your bulletin board, Outlook Express stalls, and gives you an error message. It does not tell you that you need a username and password.
To set up Outlook Express to see the MCC Collabra board, go to Tools on the Outlook Express menu bar and choose Accounts, then News tab. Then to the right select Add.
| A window for you to input your name will appear. In the Display Name space, you must place your whole name (first and last are required for this course). This is very important, for this is the name that will appear on the entries you write on the bulletin board, and this name must be your entire name so your instructor and other students can identify you. |  |
 |
Choose Next and this window will appear, asking for your e-mail address. Be sure that you put your MCC mail address here, for all grades and replies from the bulletin board must go to your MCC mail account. |
Choose Next and enter the MCC news server address. Be sure to check the box at the bottom, for the MCC Collabra bulletin board requires a log on -- your MCC mail username and password.
Choose Next and enter your MCC e-mail username and password, and check the box at the bottom so Outlook Express will automatically supply the password in the future. Select Next and you are finished with the setup.
When you close the setup screen, Outlook Express will ask you if you wish to download the news groups from this server. If you are connected to the Internet, select Yes. Express will connect to the MCC Collabra server and list all the bulletin boards on it. You will need to find the English bulletin boards, and then scroll down to your section number's bulletin board. You will need to subscribe to each bulletin board that is listed for your section* by double clicking on it or selecting it and clicking on Subscribe. These boards will then be listed under the bulletin board server name in your mail window, and you can read entries from them, and reply to entries, much like you do in your regular mail.
* Up to three English 102 sections may be in one bulletin board. Be sure that you get the bulletin board's section name from Assignment 1. It may not be your section number.
To download new entries into the Assignment bulletin boards you have subscribed to, click on the main bulletin board name in the left column of your mail. A Synchronize window will appear. Select Synchronize Account, and all new messages that have been posted to the bulletin boards will appear for you to read.
Note: When you post a message to the board using Outlook Express, you will not see the message appear immediately. To see any new messages that have been posted since you accessed the bulletin board, go to Tools, Synchronize Newsgroup, and Express will download new messages or use the method described above.
Two very important things:
| 1. When you first look at the Synchronization Settings, note that the settings are on New messages only. It would be wise for this English course to change that setting to All Messages so you will always have all the messages before you. Select the bulletin board, choose Settings from above, and choose All Messages. |  |
 |
2. Even more important is to tell Outlook Express not to delete your read news items, so you can go back to an old message of yours, or on the help board, when you need it again. To do this, go to Tools, Options, Maintenance, and click off the setting to erase messages after a certain number of days. |