Email Cambridge IGCSE Information & Communication Technology revision
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In plain words
Email is so ordinary that it is easy to forget it has rules: some written by your employer, some just good manners, and some that protect you from criminals.
7 things to know
- Email sends messages and attachments over the internet almost instantly. It is fast and cheap, and can be sent to many people at once. Attachments are limited in size, and both people need accounts.
- Use acceptable language: nothing abusive, obscene or offensive. Employers set guidelines for the use of email at work, and can monitor it.
- Netiquette is the etiquette of the internet: be polite, do not type in capitals (it reads as shouting), check spelling, and keep messages short and clear.
- Carbon copy (cc) sends a copy to another person, and everyone can see who received it. Blind carbon copy (bcc) sends a copy without the other recipients knowing. Forward passes a received message on to someone else.
- An email group is a list of addresses under one name, so that one message reaches everyone on the list.
- Security: emails can be intercepted and can carry malware in attachments, so use strong passwords and take care with attachments and links.
- Spam is unwanted email sent to very many people. It fills inboxes, wastes time and can carry phishing links or malware. Reduce it with a spam filter, by not giving your address out freely, and by never replying to spam.
Worked example
A club secretary emails 60 members who do not know each other. Should she use cc or bcc, and why?
- With cc, every member would see the other 59 addresses.
- That would disclose personal data and give anyone on the list a ready-made list to send spam to.
- She should use bcc, so that each member sees only their own address.
Tips and tricks
- bcc hides the addresses from the other recipients. That protects privacy when emailing a group.
- Spam answers need a method of prevention that the user can actually do: a filter, or not replying.
It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.
Email: 5 questions and answers
These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.
What does bcc do?
It keeps addresses private.
What is spam?
It may carry phishing links or malware.
What is netiquette?
For example, not writing in capital letters.
Why should you not type an email in capital letters?
It is bad netiquette.
What is an email group used for?
One name stands for all the addresses.
Quiz
5 questions
Tap an answer and you’ll see straight away whether it’s right, and why.
Worksheet
2 questions, 5 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.
Cambridge IGCSE Information & Communication Technology 0417 · 5 marks · papermunch.org
Name ______________________________ Date ______________
Describe the difference between cc and bcc.[2]
Show answerHide answer
With cc, all recipients can see who else received the email. With bcc, the other recipients cannot see that the person received a copy.
Describe three ways of reducing the amount of spam received.[3]
Show answerHide answer
Use a spam filter. Do not reply to spam emails or click "unsubscribe" links in them. Do not publish your email address on websites.
Answers: Email
- 1. With cc, all recipients can see who else received the email. With bcc, the other recipients cannot see that the person received a copy.
- 2. Use a spam filter. Do not reply to spam emails or click "unsubscribe" links in them. Do not publish your email address on websites.