FirstClass...Now
with Web Calendaring!
So far, with the new enhancements to FirstClass, we've
looked at the ability to easily create blogs and podcasts with your
account. Another feature that you may wish to experiment with is the
web calendar.
FirstClass has long had the ability to maintain a personal calendar. With this calendar, you can also share it with others and even let others make entries into your calendar. Until now, only you and those you were kind enough to invite had access to your calendar.
With the Web Calendar, you can share your whole life (or at least the public parts of it) with the world. Here's how...
First, you need to download the latest FirstClass client. In the left panel, you'll find a new set of options. In this case, you'll select Web Publishing.
Let's create a New Web Page.
Look at all of the choices! Choose Web Calendar.
This creates a new folder in your web publishing area called Web Calendar. Open it and you have the same looking calendar as your personal calendar. The big difference is that any entry that you make here are immediately posted to the internet. So, select a New Event.
You'd schedule an event just like you would any other event in any other calendar. Basically, give it a title, where will it be, what's the starting and ending time, and so on.
When you "Save and Close" this event, it immediately becomes available to anyone on the internet who happens to visit your calendar.
I've created a Web Calendar with all of my upcoming workshops. You can click on an entry to see the full details of any event.
Here's what my April 2007 looks like. The calendar lets you navigate monthly forward and backward.
Other than making your life an open book for the paparazzi, why would you want to do this? Well, we've been using school calendars for quite a while to let parents know about major school events. That requires the keeper of the calendar to get information from various sources and then post it when she/he gets the chance.
Individuals have worked with online tables in class webpages to generate classroom calendars for a while. How about creating your own class calendar more easily with the Web Calendar? Include things like assemblies, project due dates, field trips, and the like for your students and parents to visit. You'll never have to worry about newsletters and calendars making it home in paper format again.
The latest FirstClass Client downloads are always available here.
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