GROUPS:

    File Flow in Alex
    Group Email
    Joining a Discussion Group
    Creating a Discussion Group

Storing, tracking, versioning, and downloading unambiguously named files is a big step toward collaboration. The Alexandrian Authority™ fosters even more collaboration by registering Discussion Groups.

Figure 2 shows how discussion group members can share document and e-mail files. Document metadata (file parentage, keywords, group relevance, descriptions of a document’s content) as well as search and sort algorithms increase the usefulness of repository files.

Figure 2: Collaborative File Flow in Alex

Group Email

Click the EMAIL tab and select list groups mode.

This screen lists the names of Discussion Groups with which you have been registered. Certain group associations offer access to archives of External Mailing Lists that may also appear on this screen. In general, you will only be aware of groups and mailing lists to which you have been granted access.

Click on any highlighted group name to display a read messages screen.

Mail messages that circulated within the selected discussion group or among the members of a selected mail list display as a bulleted index. Mail messages with attached files are preceded by an icon.

You can sort the index by date or by thread. You may also enter a text string in a search box to locate mail with instances of the desired text. A three-line context of the instance is returned with the search results.

Click on any mail message. Individual mail messages display with header material clearly separated from the message itself.

Attachments to mail messages appear after body text. They may be read or downloaded by selecting the name of the attached file.

They can also be uploaded into the Alex repository. Clicking the attached filename’s associated phrase [contribute this attachment to the repository] will initiate the upload interview process previously described. Remember, however, that whoever uploads a file from a group’s mail will be the owner of the file. If you are the originator of a document concerned about storing your own authcode as part of the file name, you should not rely on this method to do it.

If you use your browser’s mail function to reply to a group mail message by clicking on an address in the e-mail header, be certain that you are replying to the proper party.

 

Joining a Discussion Group

Select subscribe mode within the EMAIL environment.

Your request to be added to a discussion group can be accessed by clicking the highlighted phrase Please click here to send an e-mail to the system group manager.

 

Creating a Discussion Group

If you wish to create a discussion group, select request new group mode to access the screen displayed above. You must name and describe the group before submitting your request to Alex by clicking the request group button.