ZNOTES.

ORG

UPDATED TO 2017 SYLLABUS

CAIE IGCSE
ICT (0417)
SUMMARIZED NOTES ON THE SYLLABUS
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Arithmetic and Logical Unit (ALU) - performs

calculations and
logical comparison: A < B?
1. Types and Components of Immediate access store (IAS) - holds data and
program
instruction in current use
Computer Systems Microprocessor:
Used instead of CPU
1.1. Hardware & Software Single integrated circuit

Hardware Internal/Main Memory

Tangible physical components of a computer system
Stores all data: application software, operating system,
You can feel it or touch it
data files
Internal Hardware Devices:
Consists of ROM and RAM
Processor Both RAM and ROM are integrated chips
Motherboard
RAM:
RAM & ROM
Random access memory (RAM) is an internal chip
Video & Sound Cards
where data is
stored temporarily
Internal Hard Disk Drives
Memory can be written to and read from
External Hardware Devices:
RAM > ROM (usually; except washing machines)
Monitor
Stores anything that needs to be changed
Keyboard
All program and data being used are on RAM
Mouse Contents lost when computer is turned off
Printer
Referred to as volatile memory
External Storage Devices ROM:
Read only memory (ROM) is memory used to store
permanent
information
Software
Used to contain configuration data for a computer etc.
Programs that control computer systems Chips cannot be altered, only read from
Set of instructions that make computer do something Data not lost when computer is turned off
Referred to as non-volatile memory
You cannot physically touch software
Relates to ideas & instructions for using physical objects BIOS:
ROM contains boot file, referred to as BIOS (basic
Two types of software: input/output
system)
Tells computers what to do when it first starts
Application software: Does hardware check when computer is turned on
Programs that allow the user to do specific task Then it loads operating system into RAM
Design to carry out tasks BIOS stores date, time and system configuration
Can be general purpose software or custom-made
software
(specialist software)
 
E.g. Spread sheets, databases, word processing
System Software:
Input & Output Devices
Programs that allow the hardware to run properly
Control computer's hardware and application Input devices:
program Purpose is to provide data for processing
Communicate with user Data is raw facts which alone have no meaning
E.g. Operating system, device drivers, compilers Examples: keyboard, mouse
Output devices:
1.2. The Main Components of Computer Displays result of processing
Information is processed data which has been given
Systems meaning
Examples: monitor, printer
CPU

Processing done by central processing unit Secondary/Backing Storage

Three main components:
Control unit - coordinates input and output devices Stores data/information & programs not being used at
and carries
out program instructions current time

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Backing store device = reader or recorder Screen divided into windows allows different things on
Example: Hard disk drive each
Backing store media = hardware containing data WIMP - Windows Icons Menus Pointers
Example: Hard disk Advantages
Easy to use because requires little IT knowledge
Easy to explore and find your way around the system
Basic Computer Model Do not have to learn complicated commands
Exchange data between different software
Good help facilities provided with GUIs
Disadvantages
Larger amount of hard disk space than other
interfaces
Significantly more memory (RAM) to run than other
interface type
GUI use more processing power than other types of
interfaces
GUI can be slow for experienced programmers to use,
1.3. Operating Systems they find CLI much faster

Enables users to communicate with computer systems 1.4. Types of Computers

Controls operation of input, output & backing storage
Supervises loading, running & storage of application Desktop/Personal Computers
program
Deals with error in application programs Refers to general purpose computers
Maintains security of whole computer system PC refers to IBM compatible computers, distinguishing
Maintains a computer log them from the
Macs
Two main types of interfaces: CLI & GUI Made up of separate monitor, keyboard, mouse and
processing unit
Advantages
CLI - Command Line Interface
Spare parts standardized results in low costs
Tend to have better specifications
Types commands to tell the computer what to do
Large casing allows good dissipation of heat build up
The user must know all the commands
Disadvantages
Must not make typing errors
Not portable since they are made up of separate
Used by technicians
components
Can access everything on the computer system
Wiring clutters up desk space
GUI users can only access places they have icons for
Necessary to copy files as they aren't portable
Advantages
Knowing the correct commands, this can be much
faster than any other interface type Laptop/Notebook Computers
Uses much less RAM than any other interface type
Low resolution, cheap monitors can be used Refers to computers where monitor, keyboard, pointing
CLI does not require Windows to run device and
processor together in a single unit
Disadvantages Extremely portable systems
Can be confusing Low weight
Commands must be typed precisely, if there is a Low power consumption
spelling error the command will fail Processor doesn't generate too much heat
If you mistype an instruction, it is often necessary to Advantages
start all over again Portable because monitor, pointing device, keyboard,
Large number of commands need to be learned processor &
backing store units are together in one
box
No trailing wires
GUI - Graphical User Interface
Full advantage of Wi-Fi
Can link into any multimedia system
Uses graphics to stand for the complicated actions
Disadvantages
Uses icons
Easy to steal
Uses a mouse to select the icons
Limited battery; need to carry charger
Keyboard and pointing device awkward to use

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Heat dissipation is difficult due to laptop structure Can be used to accurately predict hazardous weather
conditions
and signal warnings automatically
Take over menial tasks for humans; increasing our
Tablet Computer leisure time
Can be used for safer automated travel; cars that can
These are small hand-held devices that can perform drive and
park by themselves
many functions
that PCs & laptops do Increases home safety by being able to tell the
Often use touch screens to operate difference
between owner & intruder; call authorities
On-screen virtual keyboard replaces physical keyboard automatically
Often used by graphic designers to digitalize their content Improved medical care as decision making skills and
with a
stylus pen precision
can be enhanced
Can be used like a PC and/or a Smartphone
Advantages:
Small light & portable Biometrics
Built in cameras for photos & videos
Touchscreen can be used with a stylus pen A part of a person’s body is used to identify that individual
Long battery life Can be:
Disadvantages: Fingerprints
Less storage spaces Retina
Lacks power of laptop/PC Iris
Digital keyboard can be difficult to use Face
Touchscreen may be difficult to use for detailed work Voice
These are all unique to everyone thus can be used as an
authentication technique
Smartphone Must be added initially to a system to use as identification
Impacts on everyday life:
Modern phones that can perform similar tasks to all the Better security at the airport since most use at least
above one form
of biometric check if not more
Main use of smartphones is social media & day-to-day Increased security in certain places as only authorized
planning personnel can gain entry
Use varies from person to person Reduced vehicle theft since newer car doors come
Advantages: with a
fingerprint lock on the door handle
Smallest lightest most portable More secure mobile devices as most now have some
Integrated/virtual keyboard sort of
biometrics integrated into them
Often the least expensive device
More practical for day-to-day use
Disadvantages: Vision Enhancement
Small screen may be difficult to use
Not as powerful as other devices LVES: low vision enhancement systems: video projected
Often has the lowest battery life inside a
headset in front of the user’s eyes. Brings the
Small size makes it easy to steal/lose objects closer for
the viewer.
NVE: Night vision enhancement: amplifies visible and
1.5. Impact of Emerging Technologies infrared light.
Light passed through image intensifier tube
where light is converted
to electrons, then amplified
This is technology that is being newly developed (increase in no.) and then light up
screen with phosphor
These can have several impacts on our society dust.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Robotics

Technology that focuses on creating a computer system Programmed machinery widely used to do physically
that can
closely mimic or simulate human intelligence demanding tasks
AI can be used to: Can be automated or manually operated
Enhance video games and computer tactics Used to perform several tasks:
Help decision making steps in expert systems Dangerous jobs such as bomb disposal
Make robots to imitate human behaviour Exploring extreme environments such as volcanoes
Understand different human languages Repetitive manufacturing jobs such as welding
Impact on everyday life: Moving heavy objects such as large engines
Impacts on everyday life:

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Increased personal time since robots can take over Better movie experiences since 3D viewing can
domestic
chores provide a more
immersive experience for the
Increased manufacturing efficiency since robots are audience
much faster
and less expensive than human labour Greater data storage since holographic layers can
Unemployment as robots replace humans in potentially
decrease the thickness of disc storage
autonomous jobs
Safer working environments since robots can perform
tasks that
are too dangerous for humans Virtual Reality (VR)

When computers create an artificial environment that

Quantum Cryptography users can
virtually interact with
Uses:
Technology that allows messages and data to be sent with Allow architects to walk around a virtual version of
complete
privacy; basically, advanced encryption their
design
Older encryption is based on mathematics, but this new Training soldiers for combat by allowing them to fight
tech uses
physics against
virtual enemies
Makes it much more complex to decrypt Training surgeons by allowing them to operate on
Impacts on everyday life: virtual
patients
Completely secure voting ensuring that votes cannot Playing games and enhance the level of immersion
be tampered
with or changed General VR equipment:
Completely secure communication eliminating the risk Eye goggles that produce 3D images to develop the
of being
read/heard by the wrong eyes/ears artificial
environment
Completely secure bank transactions so money goes Special gloves or controllers to perform precise
exactly where
it is intended actions inside
the simulation
Completely secure personal information preventing Headphones to control what is heard in the virtual
hackers access
to intrusive details about a person world
Powerful computer to run the entire VR system in real
time
Computer Assisted Translation (CAT) Impacts on everyday life:
Improved medical surgeons/soldiers
When human translators use computer software to help Stronger buildings
in the
translation process Treatment of phobias as certain situations can be
Can reduce translation time treated using
simulations
May not be 100% accurate More realistic education as students can learn in a
Common CAT tools: more
interactive environment
Spell checkers
Translation memory software
Language search-engine software 2. Input & Output Devices
Impacts on everyday life:
More accurate documents since most software can
automatically
detect errors 2.1. Input Devices & their Uses
More multilingual society since anyone with an
internet
connection can now essentially learn multiple Keyboards
languages using
translators
Quicker translations

3D & Holographic Imaging

Technology that makes images appear to be 3- QWERTY- layout

dimensional by adding a
layer of depth Ergonomic- reduces health related problems
Holograms use 2 regular 2D images and manipulate Uses
them to produce a
3-dimensional image Keyboards are used to input data into application
Different laser beams are used to record the 2D images software
onto a single
photographic plate Also used to for typing commands to the computer
This creates an illusion of one 3D images (CTRL + P)
Impact on everyday life: Advantages
Improved security since majority of credit/ID cards & Enables fast entry of new text into a document
bank notes
use holograms to prevent forgery Well-tried technology & well-known method of entry

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Most people find them easy to use Selection from a menu

Easy to do verification check as data is entered, as it Selecting an icon
appears
on the screen simultaneously Scrolling up/down and right/left
Disadvantages Advantages
Users with limited arm/wrist use can find keyboards Faster to select an option by a mouse than a keyboard
hard to use Enables rapid navigation through applications and the
Entering data is slow when compared to direct data internet
entry (e.g.
Optical mark recognition) Mice are small and don’t take much area
They use up desk space as they are quite large Disadvantages
People with restricted hand/wrist movement can find it
hard to
operate a mouse
Numeric Keypads Easily damaged and can easily be clogged up with dirt
They are hard to use if there is no flat surface
available

Touchpad
A numeric keypad is used to enter numbers only
Touchpads are used in many laptop computers as a
Although some have function key to allow input of
pointing device
alphabetical
characters
The pointer is controlled by the user moving their finger
Uses on the
touchpad
Used in Automatic teller machines (ATMs), where Uses
customers can
key in their personal identification
Used for opening, closing and minimising software
number (PIN), or an amount
of money
Used for grouping, moving and deleting files
Used to key in phone numbers into telephones Useful when editing images (e.g. controlling the size
Electronic point of sale (EPOS) terminals have numeric and
position of the image)
keypads
in case the barcode reader fails Used for controlling the position of a pointer on the
Used in Chip and PIN devices to key in PIN, or amount
screen to
allow:
of money
Selection from a menu
Used to enable fast entry of numeric data into a Selecting an icon
spread sheet Advantages
Advantages Faster to select an option by a touchpad than a
Numeric keypads are faster than standard keyboards
keyboard
for entry of
numeric data
Enables rapid navigation through applications and the
Since many are small devices (e.g. mobile phones),
internet
they are easy
to carry around Since the touchpad is integrated into laptop computer,
Disadvantages there is
no separate mouse, aiding portability
Can be difficult to use due to the very small keys
They can be used when no flat surfaces are available
Difficult to use for entering text
Disadvantages
Sometimes the order of numbers isn’t very intuitive People with limited hand/wrist movement can find
touchpads hard
to use
It can be more difficult to control the pointer when
Mouse
compared to
a mouse
An example of a pointing device They are more difficult when doing operations such as
The ball underneath the mouse is used to detect ‘drag and
drop’
movement
The left button is for selecting by double on it and the right
Tracker Ball
is to
bring drop-down menus
There is usually a scroll button which speeds up the
process of
moving through a document
Uses
Used for opening, closing and minimising software
Used for grouping, moving and deleting files Tracker ball is like a mouse except that it has a ball on the
Useful when editing images (e.g. controlling the size top of
the device
and
position of the image) Users control the pointer on the screen by rotating the
Used for controlling the position of a pointer on the ball
screen to
allow: Uses

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Have the same pointing/cursor control capability as a Advantages

mouse Easier to navigate round a screen compared to a
Used in applications where the user has a disability keyboard
(RSI) Control is in three dimensions
Used in a control room environment, where it is faster Disadvantages
than a
mouse to navigate through process screens More difficult to control the on-screen pointer with a
and more robust than a
mouse joystick
than with other devices such as mice
Advantages
Tracker balls don’t need the same fine control as a
mouse Touch Screen
People with limited hand/wrist movement find easier
to use than
a mouse User can choose an option by simply touching a
The pointer can be positioned more accurately on the button/icon on the
screen
screen than
with a mouse The selection is automatically made without the need for
They take less desk space than mice since they are any
pointing device
stationary Use
Disadvantages Used for service tills e.g. petrol stations
Tracker balls are not supplied with the computer as Used where selections are made on a screen e.g.
standard, so
they are more expensive ATMs, public
information systems, airports and
User may need training since they are not standard railway stations
equipment Used in PDA’s
Used in Interactive white boards
Used in computer-based training (CBT)
Remote Control Advantages
Enable faster entry of options than a keyboard/mouse
A remote control is used to control the operation of other Very easy to choose options
devices
remotely by using infra-red signals User friendly method for inputting data
Uses They are tamperproof, preventing people from
In home entertainment devices such as Televisions, keying in
information (which could corrupt the
DVD
player/recorder and satellite system system)
Used to control multimedia systems Disadvantages
Used in industrial applications to remotely control There is a limited number of options available
processes,
stop and start machinery Using touchscreens often can lead to health problems
Advantages e.g.
(straining of arm muscles and RSI)
Enable devices to be operated from any distance, The screen can get very dirty with constant touching
which is useful
for people with disabilities
Some chemical processes are hazardous, so it is safer
to operate
equipment from a distance Scanners
Disadvantages
People with limited hand/wrist movement can find Used to input information on hardcopy e.g. text document
them hard to
use Uses
The signal between the control and the device can be Used to scan in documents and convert them into a
easily
blocked format for use
in various software packages
Old and valuable documents and books can be
scanned, protecting
the original copies from damage
Joystick Non-digital photographs can be scanned for storing on
a computer
Advantages
Images can be stored for editing later
Scanners are much faster and more accurate than
typing in
documents again
It is possible to recover damaged documents and
By gripping the stick, a pointer on the screen can be
photographs by
scanning them and then using
controlled
appropriate software to produce an
acceptable copy
Buttons are used to make selections
Disadvantages
Uses
The quality can be limited depending on how good the
Video/computer games are often controlled by
scanner
resolution is
joysticks
They are used in simulators to mimic actual controls

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Digital Cameras

Photographs are stored in memory Can be connected directly to a computer

They can be easily transferred to a computer using a USB Sounds can be inputted and manipulated
Uses Uses
Digital cameras can produce photographs for direct Microphones are used to input speech/sounds to be
transfer to a
computer or to print out used in
various applications
Digital cameras allow short video clips to be produced They are used in voice recognition software- for
Photographs can be uploaded directly into application conversion of
speech into text, and recognition of
software
such as word processor commands
Advantages AdvantagesFaster to read in text than to type it using a
Easier to produce better quality photographs than with keyboard
a
tradition camera Possible to manipulate sound in real time using
Easier and faster to upload photographs to a special software
computer If used in a voice activation system, this has the
There is no need to develop film and print out advantage of
improving safety
photographs
(saves paper and no longer needs the Disadvantages
chemicals to produce
photographs from films) Sound files can use up a lot of computer memory
Easy to delete an image from the memory if it’s not Voice recognition software isn’t as accurate as typing
satisfactory in
manually
The memory card can store several hundred
photographs
Disadvantages Sensors
The camera user needs to be computer literate to use
the camera
properly Type of sensor Applications
There is some artistry lost since clever software Automatic washing machines, central
corrects
errors in the photographs Temperature heating systems, automatic green
The resolution is not yet as good as traditional houses, ovens
cameras Burglar alarm systems, robotics,
Images often need to be compressed to reduce the Pressure environmental monitoring, Automatic
amount of
memory used washing machines
It is possible to fill up computer memory very quickly
Automatic doors, street lighting
with
several photos of the same subject (to find the
Light control, Burglar alarm systems,
perfect snap
shot)
automatic greenhouses
Burglar alarm systems, monitoring
Sound
Video Camera liquid and powder flow in pipes
Automatic greenhouses,
DV (digital video) camera store compressed photo frames Humidity/moisture environmental monitoring, factories
at 25 MB/s – motion jpeg. where moisture levels are crucial
Light turned into electronic signal through light sensitive Automatic greenhouse, chemical
sensors and automatically converted to a digital file pH
processes, environmental monitoring
format.
Advantages
Advantages
Easy to edit footage in a video editing.
Readings by sensors are more accurate than taken by
High quality video captured, therefore
humans
Disadvantages
Readings are continuous, there is no break in
Storage medium (Memory cards) more expensive to
monitoring
buy than films.
Because it is a continuous process any necessary
action or
warning will be initiated immediately
Microphone The system can be automatic, removing the need for
human
intervention, this is particularly important if the
process is
hazardous

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Disadvantages The stripe contains useful information such as start and

Faulty sensors can give spurious results expiry date
Uses
Credit and debit cards have magnetic stripes that are
Graphic Tablet used by
ATMS or EFTPOS (electronic funds transfer
point of sale)
terminal
Security cards for entering building e.g. hotel rooms
Travel systems e.g. train and underground tickets
Advantages
Data entry is fast compared with keying in using a
A graphic tablet is used with a stylus to produce freehand keyboard or
keypad
drawings System is error free, no typing involved
Uses Information is secure since there is no typing and the
Graphics tablets are used to produce drawings, information can’t be read directly by a person
computer graphics Can prevent access to restricted/secure areas
In countries where characters are complex e.g. japan, Magnetic stripes are unaffected by oil water and
they are
used as a form of input moisture
They are used in computer aided design (CAD) work No moving parts therefore physically robust
Advantages Disadvantages
It is possible to modify drawings before they are input If the magnetic stripe is damaged the data is lost
They offer an accurate method of drawing Card needs to be in close contact with the reader
Disadvantages Since the information is not human readable, they
They are more expensive than other pointing devices need to find a
way to show the information to the
customer (e.g. hotel room
number not printed on
cards)
Web Cam

Chip & PIN readers

Connected directly to a computer via a USB port

Uses
While chatting online webcams can be used to have
conversations The device has a slot where the card is placed, and the
Used to enable video conferencing to take place chip is read
Advantages A small screen is part of the reader which gives
Can be left on constantly and activated when required instructions to the
operator
Allow people to keep in contact with each other Uses
without the need
to travel, particularly useful for Chip and PIN readers are used where payments are
disabled or elderly people made using
cards e.g. travel agents
Disadvantages Advantages
Webcams have limited features and the picture is Provide a more secure payment system than requiring
often of poor
quality a signature
or using magnetic stripe, since the PIN
They need to be connected to a computer typed in must match up
with the PIN stored on the chip
Provide a more robust system than magnetic stripe
2.2. Direct Data Entry & Associated since the chip
does not need to be in contact with the
reader
Devices Disadvantages
Customer needs to be careful when typing in the PIN,
Magnetic Stripe readers so nobody
reads it giving an opportunity for Fraud

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Readers

RFID readers work in similar ways to a bar code reader

Used to read information on the magnetic stripe An RFID tag is attached to/inside a surface

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

The reader reads the data held on the tag which is then A very fast way of inputting results of a survey
input into
the computer system for processing Since there is no typing, it is more accurate than
Radio waves are used to transmit data thus can be used keying in
data
through most
materials OMR is more accurate than OCR
Uses Disadvantages
Used in retail or supermarkets as barcode Forms need to be carefully designed to make sure that
alternatives the
marks/shadings are correctly positioned to gather
Used to identify pets accurate
information
Used in passports There can be problems if forms aren’t filled correctly,
Advantages sometimes they must be checked manually before
Can hold a lot of data being read by an
OMR, this is both time consuming
Can be read from long distances and expensive
Does not require direct line of sight
Information can be read faster than barcodes
Can alter information Optical Character Reader
Disadvantages
Thieves can steal information easily
RFID tags are expensive
Radio waves can experience interference
\
Optical Character recognition is a software that takes
scanned text
and converts it into a computer readable
Magnetic Ink Character Reader (MICR) form
Uses
Processing of passports and Identity cards
OCR is used when scanning documents to modify
them using a
suitable software
Advantages
Much faster data entry system than manually keying
Magnetic ink character recognition is a system which can
in data
read
characters printed in a special ink
Since there is no manual data entry, the number of
Uses
errors is
reduced
Used to process cheques in banking operations –
Disadvantages
cheque is read
using a batch processing method
The system has difficulty reading handwriting
Advantages
It is still not a very accurate technique
MICR offers great security than OCR since the oriented
characters cannot be altered  
There is no manual input, thus errors are reduced
If somebody writes over the magnetic ink characters,
it can
still be read
Barcode readers
Disadvantages
Only certain characters can be read, and the number
of different
characters is very limited
It is a more expensive method than other methods
used for direct
data entry
Used to read information in the form of a barcode
Optical Mark Reader Handheld scanners or wands are very common for
reading barcodes
Uses
Used in supermarkets and other shops where the
goods are marked
with a barcode
Optical mark recognition is a system which can read Used in libraries to scan user’s library card and
marks written in
pen or pencil barcodes on
books (to keep track of books on loan)
Uses Used as a safety function in many companies to
OMR devices are used to read questionnaires, ensure that
electrical equipment is checked on a
multiple choice
examinations papers and other types regular basis
of forms in the form of
lines or shaded areas Advantages
Advantages

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Faster than keying in information, and fewer mistakes Thin Film Transistor monitors
are made Taking over from CRT monitors as the main output device
Used as a way of recording data, can improve safety The progress in TFT technology is one of the reasons for
Barcodes enable automatic stock control the rapid
development of laptop computers
Barcode scanning is a tried and trusted technology The screen is made up of thousands of tiny pixels which
When an item price is changed, only the central are made up
of transistors controlled by a
database needs
to be updated, there is no need to microprocessor
change the prices
individually on each item Each pixel has three transistors-red, green or blue; the
Disadvantages intensity
of each determines the colour of the pixel seen.
Barcode scanning is an expensive system to Uses
administer since
every item in the shops needs a Primary output device for computers, user can
barcode and every barcode needs
to be entered on immediately see
what they are typing in
the system Integral part of laptop computers
Also, there is a need to invest in the computer Advantages
technology
together with staff training, which can all Lightweight, so no weight hazards like CRT monitors
be expensive Less glare produced than in CRT monitors; also emit
The system is not fool proof- barcode can be swapped less
radiation
around on
items Consume much less power and generate less heat
than CRT monitors
2.3. Output Devices & their Uses Disadvantages
Angle of viewing is critical; image appears unclear if
CRT Monitor viewed
slightly from the side
This is an issue if several people are looking at the
Cathode Ray Tube monitors screen at
the same time
Least expensive type of monitor, becoming rarer as TFT They cannot yet be used with light pens,
monitors take
over
Come in various sizes
IPS/LCD Monitor
Picture created is made up of tiny dots (red green or
blue), the
intensity of the colour of the dot determines the
Front layer made from liquid crystal diodes; grouped
colour perceived
by the eye together to
form pixels (RGB or RGBY-more vivid colours)
Uses Receive analogue and digital signals, although most
Primary output device for computers, user can
modern
projectors only work with digital inputs
immediately see
what they are typing in
IPS (In-plane switching) is the technology used in LCD
Used with light pens to allow designs to be created on
monitors.
screen Advantages
Advantages Colour can be seen accurately from different viewing
Produce higher quality images than TFT monitors
angles
Angle of viewing is better than a TFT monitor
No lightening on touching
They work with light pens in CAD and CAM
Disadvantages
applications (Computer
Aided Design/Manufacturing) Expensive
Disadvantages High power consumption
Tend to be heavy, weight hazard if not supported
Slow response time
properly
Note: Old LCD monitors used CCFL (cold cathode
Run very hot, can cause fires if left unattended –
fluorescent lamp)
technology to light up the screen.
especially if
they are old
Consume more power than TFT monitors
They can flicker, this leads to headaches and eyesight LED Monitor:
problems
with prolonged use
Front layer made from liquid crystal diodes; grouped
together to
form pixels (RGB or RGBY-more vivid colours)
TFT Monitor For the image to show up on-screen a light source of LED
backlight
is used.
Advantages (over LCD monitors):
Lighter and thinner
Longer life
Lower power consumption
Greater contrast and more vivid colour

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Relatively more robust e.g. when looking at a video clip on the internet,
Disadvantages everybody can
see the video on the large screen
Glare gives viewers headaches rather than logging on to
several computers
Images too sharp, so can cause eye strain Disadvantages
Images can sometimes be fuzzy
Expensive to buy
Touch Screen Setting up projectors can be a little difficult

Automatic selection without a pointing device

Uses Laser Printer
Automatic teller machines
EFTPOS (electronic fund transfer point of sales)
PDA
Smartphones
Public information points
Advantages
Faster data entry
Easy to choose options Produce very high-quality hard copy output
User-friendly and intuitive Print rate per page is fast if many pages are being printed
Disadvantages Rely on large buffer memories – the data for the whole
Limited options document is
stored before pages can be printed out
Frequent usage can lead to RSI, etc. Uses
Constant usage results in the screen getting dirty; Used where noise levels need to be kept low e.g. in an
visibility
and sensitivity decreases office
The best option for fast, high quality, high volume
printing
Multimedia Projector Advantages
Printing is fast for high volumes, slightly faster than
inkjet
if only a few pages are to be printed
Can handle very large print jobs
Quality is consistently high
Toner cartridges last for a long time; laser printers
can be a
cost-effective option if colour outputs are not
Receive analogue and digital signals, although most
required
modern
projectors only work with digital inputs
Disadvantages
The signal source is usually from a computer, television,
Expensive to buy
or DVD
player
Only fast if several copies are being made
The image from the source is magnified and projected
Colour laser printers tend to be expensive to run since
onto a large
screen
four
cartridges are needed as well as diffuser kits, etc.
The devices usually work with a remote control, but can
Produce ozone and volatile organic compounds
also use
virtual mouse technology – cordless PC mouse
because of their
printing method and type of toner/ink
(has a laser pointer)
used
It is then possible to direct the presentation without
These have been linked to health hazards in the office
being
tied to the computer
Most multimedia projectors take input from various
types of
video format e.g. PAL, NTSC or SECAM Inkjet Printer
Uses
Used for training presentations (allows the whole
audience to
see the images from a computer)
Also used for advertising presentations (shown at
exhibitions,
shopping malls etc.)
Home cinema systems (projecting the images from a
DVD or
television) use multimedia projectors
Advantages Used to produce good quality hard copies – the quality is
Enables many people to see a presentation rather not as
good as in laser printers but much better than that
than all of
them crowded around a small computer of dot matrix
printers
screen Do not have large buffers like laser printers, so printing is
Avoids the need for several networked computers done a
bit at a time

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Therefore, printing is sometimes paused – the whole page

can’t be
stored in the buffer, it must wait for the computer
to send more
data
Uses
Used where low volume outputs are needed
Ideal for high quality printing for small print jobs or
Devices that produce hard copies but operate in a
single
pages e.g. for photo quality printouts
different way to
printers
Advantages
Not limited to normal printer paper size and can produce
High quality output
highly
accurate, very large drawings and posters
Cheaper to buy than laser printers
The most common types are pen plotters, electrostatic
Very lightweight and take up little space (small
(similar
method to laser printers) and inkjet plotters
footprint)
With pen plotters, coloured pens are controlled by a
Do not produce ozone and volatile organic
computer
and the paper can move backwards and
compounds, unlike
laser printers
forwards to allow accurate
shapes to be drawn
Disadvantages
Uses
Output is slow if several copies needed – there is little
Used to produce large drawings e.g. blueprints of
buffer
capacity to store the pages
buildings; are
often used with CAD applications
The ink cartridges run out too quickly to be used for
Used to produce large pictures for use on billboards
large
print jobs
or giant
posters
Printing can smudge if the user is not careful
They can also print on plastic coated paper
Can be expensive to run if they are used a lot –
If the pens are replaced by cutting tools, it is possible to
original ink
cartridges are expensive
make
large signs
Advantages
Dot Matrix Printer Can produce huge printouts
Print quality is extremely high
Disadvantages
Slow in operation
Expensive to buy and maintain

A type of impact printer 3D Printer

A print head made up of a matrix of pins presses against
an inked
ribbon
Uses
Can be used in noisy environments e.g. garage
workshops
Can be used in applications were the print quality is
not very
important A new type of printer that produces solid 3D models using
Advantages modified
inkjet technology called tomography
Can be used in environments which would be a Very thin layers of fine powder (plaster, resin, starch) are
problem for laser
and inkjet printers – dusty, dirty or bonded
together as a 3D model is slowly built up
moist atmospheres Items produced are known as prototypes
Carbon copies or multi-part outputs can be produced Uses
Very cheap to run and maintain Used to produce prototypes which work from CAD
Easy to use if continuous stationary is required e.g. packages,
photograph images, stored drawings etc.
long print
jobs such as wage slips Scale models are produced in colour before the real
Disadvantages thing is
manufactured
Very noisy – not good in an office environment The ultimate objective is to produce organic objects
Cost more than an inkjet printer to buy using this
layering technology (such as replacement
Very slow human organs)
Printing is of poor quality Advantages
Save a lot of money, other methods of making
prototypes are very
time consuming and expensive
Wide Format Printer The powders used can often be ground up and reused
Physical scale models are produced with working
parts, which
gives a better idea of how the product will
look

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Disadvantages
Expensive to buy
Slow at producing their output
Product is sometimes a little rough, often further work
needs to
be done Turned on or off by the actuator
Uses
Used in many domestic appliances
Speakers Automatic washing machines (to make the drum
rotate)
Cookers (to switch on fans)
Water pumps in central heating systems
Automatic greenhouses to open windows and switch
on fans
Used to control robot arms in the industry
Operate fans, disk drives and DVD drives in computers

Can be connected directly to a computer or are built into

the
monitor or casing (as in laptop computers) Buzzers
Uses a digital to analogue converter (DAC) to convert
digital data
from the computer to analogue from so the Switched on or off by the actuator
speakers can process it;
the signal is then amplified Uses
through the speakers. Used in cookers and microwave ovens to tell the
Uses operator when
the cooking process is complete
Used to output sound from multimedia presentations Used in burglar alarm systems to warn if intruders are
Used in home entertainment centres present
They can help blind people through audio output of
text on the
screen (together with speech generation
software) Heaters
Used to play downloaded sound files
Actuators are connected to switches which turn the
Advantages
heater on or off
Usually long lasting and durable (if operated within
Uses
their
intended power levels)
Used in automatic washing machines, cookers and
Often provided with the computer/laptop although
central heating
systems
these may not
be the best quality
Used in automatic greenhouses to control the
Disadvantages
temperature
Can take up a lot of desk space, compared to
headphones
Can distract people around you, everyone can hear Lights
what you are
playing
May not be able to hear the full sound spectrum, this The actuator is connected to the switch that turns the
requires
multiple speakers lights on or
off
Uses
Security lights
Actuators Used in greenhouses to control the lighting conditions
A type of controlling device
Transducers that are used to take signals from a
computer and
convert them into some form of motion e.g.
3. Storage Devices & Media
operating motors, pumps,
switches and valves
Digital signals are sent from the computer to an actuator 3.1. Magnetic Backing Storage Media
to operate
a device
Conversion of the digital signal to analogue is required Fixed Hard Disks/Drives
first
(using a DAC)
Available on all computers and is the main method used
for data
storage
Motors Uses a read/write head to write and read data from it
Disk surface coated in magnetic film, storage is done by
altering
binary codes to 1s or 0s
Uses

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Used to store operating systems and working data Holds more data than floppy disks
Used for storing application software Less expensive than hard disk drives
Real time systems and online systems used fixed hard Disadvantages
drives Data transfer rate and data access time are slower
Used in file servers for computer networks
Advantages  
Very fast data transfer rate and fast access times to
data CD-R/DVD-R
Have very large memory capacities
Disadvantages The letter ‘R’ means the disc is recordable only once and
Can be easily damaged then it
becomes ROM
They lack portability Use a thin layer of an organic dye as the recording media
DVDs also use an additional silver alloy or gold reflector
Laser beam produces heated spots and unheated spots
Portable & Removable Hard Disks/Drives Uses
They are used for home recording of music (CD-Rs)
Like fixed hard disks but are usually connected via and films
(DVD-Rs)
universal serial
bus
They are used to store data for later use
Uses Used in applications where it is necessary to prevent
Can be used as backup systems to prevent loss of
the
deletion or over-writing of important data
data Advantages
Can be used to transfer data, files and software
Cheaper than RW disks
between
computers Once burned (and finalized) they are like ROM
Advantages
Disadvantages
Data access time and transfer rate is very fast Can only be reordered once
Large memory capacities
Not all CD/DVD players and can read CD-R
Can be used to transfer information between
computers
Disadvantages CD-RW/DVD-RW
Can be easily damaged
‘RW’ means that these disks are re-writable media can be
written
over several times
Magnetic Tapes & Drives Unlike CD-R/DVD-R they don’t become ROMs
The recording layer uses a special phase-changing metal
Thin strip of plastic which is coated in a magnetic layer alloy
Read and written by read/write head
The alloy can switch between crystalline and amorphous
Uses (non-crystalline) phases, thus changing its reflectivity to
Application where batch processing is used
light,
depending on the laser beam power
Used as a backup media Spots are produced which can be read by a laser
Advantages
System allows data to be written, erased and re-written
Generally, less expensive and very robust technology many times
Data transfer rate is fast
Uses
Disadvantages CD-RWs and DVD-RWs are used to record radio and
Access time is very slow television
programs
When updating another tape is needed
They are used in closed circuit television (CCTV)
systems
3.2. Optical Backing Storage Media Advantages
Can be re used many times
CD-ROM/DVD-ROM Different file formats can be used each time
Less wasteful than R format since files or data can be
Read only memory – cannot be overwritten added at
a later stage
Data is stored as a series of pits and lands formed by a Disadvantages
laser beam
etching the surface at manufacturing stage Relatively expensive media
Uses Possible to accidentally overwrite
Store music files and software.
Very large storage capacity and are used to store
films. DVD-RAM
Advantages

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Recent addition to optical media group Used primarily as removable storage devices and are
Unlike other CD and DVD formats, DVD-RAMs have collectively
known as flash memory
several discrete
concentric tracks rather than a single
spiral track
Gives them advantage that writing, and reading can occur Solid State Drives
at the same
time
Makes it possible to watch an already recorded television Supports reading/writing data & maintains stored data in
a permanent
state even without power
program at
the same time as a different program is being
recorded Functions much like a hard drive but different tech
Recording layer is made from similar phase-changing Built with an array of semiconductors that form its
memory and
operated using an integrated circuit
material to that
used in RW technology
Shiny and dull marks represent data to a computer where Uses
Used to store operating systems and working data
they are
interpreted
Uses Used for storing application software
DVD-RAMs are used in recording devices such as Used in file servers for computer networks
satellite
receivers to allow simultaneous recording Advantages
Faster than hard disks because they do not need to
and playback
They are used in camcorders to store films ‘spin up’ the
disk
Advantages Robust because no mechanical parts
Have a long life (30 years) Read performance is fast even when data fragmented
Less susceptible to data loss
Can be re written on more than the DVD-RWs (100,000
times) Lighter, quieter and require less power than hard
disks
Very reliable as they have built in verification software
to
ensure accuracy of data Disadvantages
Access is very fast More expensive than hard disks
Have a smaller capacity than modern hard disks
No need to finalize the disk
Very large capacities Lower number of write cycles causing performance to
diminish
over time
Ability to read and write data at the same time
Disadvantage
DVD-RAMS are not as compatible as R or RW, many
Flash Drives/Memory Sticks
systems will not
recognize this format
More expensive than DVD-RW Otherwise called pen drive/memory stick/USB stick
Can store several GBs of data and use solid state
technology
Blu-Ray Discs
Connected to a computer through USB port and power to
Uses operate drawn
from host computer
Blu-ray disks are used in home video consoles Some expensive software increasingly uses these storage
methods as a
form of security
Used for storing and playing back films
PCs can use this technology for data storage or Uses
backing up hard
drives Used to transport files between computers
Camcorders can use this media to store film footage Used as a security device – a dongle – to prevent
Advantage software
piracy
Advantages
Very large storage capacity
Data transfer rate is very fast Very compact and portable media
Data access speed is faster than with other optical Very robust
media Disadvantages
Not possible to write protect the data and files
Disadvantage
Disks are relatively expensive Small physical size and are easy to lose.
Lower storage capacity than hard disk
Blu-ray disks still have encryption problems

3.3. Solid State Backing Storage Flash Memory Cards

Solid state systems control the movement of electrons A form of electrically erasable programmable read only
within a
microchip: if the transistor conducts a current, memory (EEPROM)
this is equivalent
to a 1, otherwise it is a 0 Uses
Have no moving parts, consume much less power and are Used to store photos on digital cameras
extremely
robust Mobile phones use them as memory cards

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Used in MP3 players to store music Occurs globally using multiple routers & re-routing until
Used as a backup in hand held devices the data
reaches its intended IP address
Advantages
Very compact
4.2. Common Network Devices
Very robust
Disadvantages
Network Interface Cards
Very expensive per Gb of memory when compared to
hard drive disks Used to connect individual computers/devices to a
Has a finite life in terms of the number of times they network
can be read from/written to. NICs come in two distinct types:
Wired: cards that have ports which allow network
4. Networks & the Effects of cables to be
plugged in directly
Wireless: cards that connect to networks using Wi-Fi

Using them signals

4.1. Routers Hubs

A device that enables data to be sent between different They are devices that can have multiple devices
types of
networks connected to them
Main task is to receive data from different ports and send
Commonly used to connect computers and other network
it to
each device
capable devices
to the internet
They can be connected to through cables or wirelessly The information will be received to the device whether its
relevant,
or not

Function
Bridges
Makes decisions on messages being passed between the
It connects 2 different types of networks together e.g. a
networks
Reads information about the message and decides where bus and
star network
It can only connect networks that use the same way for
the message
should go and the best route for it to get
there handling
messages
They do this by changing the form of message to suite the
Formats the messages making it suitable for the new
network different
type of network

How it Works Switches

To send data to a specific device, a router needs a More efficient than hubs in distributing data
something like
an address Each device has an access control media address MAC
which identifies
it uniquely
Internet Protocol Address: a unique number assigned to
all
computers and devices connected to the internet which MAC Address: a number unique to each device connected
to the
network (like fingerprints)
can determine
its exact physical location
A router can use this IP to send data from the internet to Data sent will have a mac address which tells the source
and
receiving device
the exact
device that requested it
Storing IP Addresses:
Routers store IP addresses in a routing table
Modems
Routing tables list all the different routes to other
networks It stands for modulator demodulator.
Routing table determines best route for data
Converts computer’s digital signals (modulates it) into
analogue for
transmission through telephone lines
Reverse this process- analogue signal from a telephone
Sending Data between Devices
line into
digital for a computer to process the data
(demodulates it)
Routers can also send ‘packets’ of data between devices
on different
networks The main use it to connect to computer networks over
long distances
using existing telephone lines
Each packet contains the data itself and the IP address of
the
device being sent to
Types of Modems:

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Dial-up modems: operate at 60 kilobits/sec Type of access Description

slow compared to modern standards Fastest download speed
Asymmetric: faster at downloading than uploading Internet access via DSL
connections (at least 11000kbps)
(ADSL) asymmetric digital subscriber line modems
operate at
11,000 kilobits/sec
Don’t tie up line while accessing internet, which allows 4.5. Web Browser
simultaneous internet access and usage of telephone
Cable modems: allow cable TV users to receive TV signals Software used to retrieve, present & traverse the World
as well as
internet access Wide Web
World Wide Web: system of interlinked hypertext
documents
accessed via the Internet
4.3. Wi-Fi & Bluetooth
Wi-Fi HTTP Proxy Server

Any system which allows you to connect to a network or Type of server that acts as a buffer between a WAN and a
computer
through wireless communication LAN
Examples: Retrieves web pages and passes them onto the computer
WLANs that made a
request
PDAs Stores any page retrieved on the server, which means
Laptop computers that when a
different computer requests the same page it
Peripheral devices such as printers would be available
Wi-Fi Hotspots Speeds up the browsing process
Wi-Fi systems rely on AP (radio frequency technology)
to enable
the device to receive and send signals
Wi-Fi hotspots are places where you can access Wi-Fi Websites
(free or
paid)
Hotspots are found in public places like Airports, Web is made up of millions of websites and web pages
hotels, and
cafés Web pages are documents on a computer screen
War driving: The act of driving and searching for containing various
multimedia and text, pictures
unsecured
Wi-Fi hotspots A website consists of many of these pages linked together
This gives a risk to the Wi-Fi system

Uniform Resource Locator (URL)

Bluetooth
Web browsers use URLs to retrieve files
Bluetooth is an example of wireless personal area They are multiple ways of locating on the internet
networking (WPAN)
technology Standard form: 4 numbers e.g. 194.106.220.19
Spread spectrum transmission (radio waves) is used to Alphanumeric form:
provide
wireless links between to devices such as mobile protcol://web address/path/filename
phones and allow
connection to the internet Where; Protocol is usually http
A small home network can be created with this system Site address consists of: computer name, domain
Uses name, domain
type, and country code
Transfer photos from camera to mobile phone Path is the web page
Wirelessly connect different external devices Filename is the item on the page

4.4. Accessing the Internet 4.6. Email

User can access by web browser A method for sending text and attachments from one
computer to
another over a network
Type of access Description Advantages
Slowest type (60kbps), Telephone Speed of sending and receiving replies is quick
Dial up internet access line gets tied up while a dial up Low cost (no stamps, paper etc.)
modem is in operation Not needing to leave home to send the mail
Disadvantages
Local cable television operators
Cable internet access give user access through cable Possibility of virus threats and hacking
Need for the email address to be correct
networks
Inability to send bulky objects via emails

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Devices and computers will be connected to hubs or

4.7. Internet Service Provider (ISP)
switches
These are companies that provide users with access to One of the hubs or switches will usually be connected to a
router/modem to allow LAN to connect to the internet
the internet
In doing so it then becomes part of a wide area network
Provider in return for these services is charged a monthly
Advantages
or annual
fee
The sharing of resources
After paying this fee, a username and password are
issued which can
be used to connect to the internet Communication between users
Network administrator can control and monitor all
aspects of the
network
4.8. Common Network Environments Disadvantages
Easier spread of viruses throughout the whole
Internet network
Development of printer queues
A worldwide collection of networks and computers that Slower access to external networks e.g. internet
have joined
together
Increased security risk
Uses of the Internet: If main server breaks down, usually the networks will
Web Browsing
no longer
function
Email
File Sharing
Entertainment Wireless LANs (WLANs)
Video Conferencing
Online Banking Do not involve any wiring or cabling
Advertising & Blogging Provide wireless network connection overs a short
Social Media distance
They use radio or infrared signal's instead of cables
Devices known as Access Points (APs) are used for a
Intranet larger range
APs usually use spread spectrum technology (larger
Like the internet but only accessible to specific users
range)
Basically, a private internet where outsiders cannot Advantages
connect to it All computers can access the same services and
Uses of an Intranet: resources
Web Browsing
No cabling is involved
Email The system is more flexible
File Sharing Adding new computers and devices is very easy
Schools: share information and learning resources Cost is reduced, and safety is improved
with students Disadvantages
Businesses: share private information within a large
Security is an issue
company
securely Problems and interference can affect the signal
The data transfer is slow than in the wired LAN

Comparing Internet & Intranet

Wide Area Networks (WAN)
Internet Intranet
Phrase Internal Restricted WAN is formed by several LANs being connected through
International Network
Origin Access Network a router or a
modem
Purpose Globally share data Privately share data Some companies set up Private WANs, it is expensive
however it comes
with a more enhanced security
Specific company or
Audience Wide range of people It is common to use an Internet service provider (ISP) for
organisation
connections to the internet and communicate via this
Anywhere if you are Only from within the
Access network system
connected company Additional hardware is needed for a WAN: Routers,
modems and proxy
servers

Local Area Networks (LAN)

4.9. Using Different Types of Computers
Not over a large geographical area (e.g. in one building) to Access the Internet
Typical LAN will consist of several computers and devices

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

LAPTOP COMPUTERS Advantages Disadvantages

Much easier to connect to Small keyboards make it
Advantages Disadvantages internet on-the-go difficult to type
More portable than desktops Allow children access to
Less portable than
can access internet in more internet anywhere; can be
tablets/smartphones
locations dangerous
Larger screen than tablets & Screens not as large as
smartphones which allows desktop PCs may not appear
4.10. Network Security Issues
easier reading as clearly
Keyboards are bigger than CPUs are not as powerful as Connection to a network exposes a user to:
those on tablets/smartphones those in desktops Hacking: Unauthorised access
given to computer.
Touchpads allows easy Phishing: Phishing involves
getting sensitive
navigation even on slanted information such as usernames, passwords, and
surfaces credit card detail, for malicious reasons, by mimicking
a
reliable webpage on the network
DESKTOP COMPUTERS Pharming: Explained in chapter 8 card 2 (E-Safety)
Viruses: Explained in chapter 8 card 2 (E-Safety)
Advantages Disadvantages
Most websites are designed Not portable so are limited to
Policing the Internet
to be viewed on a desktop use in one room
Have larger keyboards Require keyboard and mouse Currently, the internet has no boundaries
making it easier to type on as extra peripheral devices Anything and everything can be put online
Screens are larger so giving For Policing:
Screen and Monitor consume
an easier and better viewing Prevent illegal material being posted
separate power.
experience People can easily find info on how to become hackers
Cannot usually connect to or make
bombs
Usually use wired internet Prevent children from accessing undesirable websites
devices like Bluetooth
connections which is more Could reduce the amount of incorrect information
speakers without external
stable/reliable than Wi-Fi Against Policing:
adapter
Material already available in other sources i.e. books
Robust Take up large desk space
Very expensive
Good heat dissipation- large Users would have to fund
Bulky to carry around
body. Difficult to enforce rules
Against freedom of information
TABLET COMPUTERS Laws already exist to deal with perpetrators

Advantages Disadvantages
Smaller & lighter than Inappropriate Websites
Larger & less portable than
desktops & laptops making it
smartphones Risk of finding undesirable websites
easier to carry
Risk of doubtful websites which are not genuine
Uses Wi-Fi to connect to the They could lead to problems such as undesirable web
Larger screen than
internet which is less reliable links, security
risks
smartphones
than wired
On-screen keyboards larger Screens are smaller than
4.11. Password Interception
than those on smartphones those on laptops & desktops
On-screen keyboard is not Spyware
easy to type on
Spyware is software that gathers user information
MOBILE PHONES through their
network connections without them being
aware that this is happening
Advantages Disadvantages Once spyware is installed, it monitors all key presses and
Smallest most portable of all Websites are often not fully transmits
the information back to the person who sent out
devices displayed the spyware
People more likely to carry Small screen size makes This software can install other spyware software, read
cookies and
personal information, and change the default
this wherever they go viewing websites difficult

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

home page or web

browser the person attempting to access the data using a face
Anti-spyware can be used to search out this software and recognition
algorithm and identifies facial features by
correct the
corruption extracting landmarks, or
features, from an image of the
subject's face.

Weak & Strong Passwords Fingerprint Scanning: Scans the pattern

Strong passwords: A random mix of alphabets (uppercase on fingers and verifies it against a stored database of
and
lowercase), numbers, and keyboard symbols (@, %, ^ authenticated
fingerprints using pattern-matching software
etc.) to allow access to a
user.
Weak passwords: Easy to guess, e.g. users name or date
of birth or
1234556, etc. 4.13. Data Protection Act
Frequent password changes can help reduce the chances
of password
interception too Failure to abide to rules can lead to fines or imprisonment
Passwords must not be shared; their strength is then of
little use.
Rules (SAREF DES SAS)
4.12. Authentication Techniques 1. Data must be Fairly and lawfully processed
2. Data can only be processed for the Stated purpose
Magnetic Stripes: Card swiped through a
3. Data must be A**dequate, Relevant and not Excessive
magnetic stripe reader that authenticates the user after 4. Data must be Accurate
reading
iron-based magnetic particles on a band of magnetic 5. Data must not be kept longer than necessary (Short
material on
the card which is also called a magstripe. time)
6. Data must be processed in accordance with the data
ID Cards: Usually a photo ID with a QR Subject’s right
7. Data must be kept Secure
or barcode that authenticates the user. 8. Data must not be transferred to another country
unless
(Domestic) they have adequate protection

Guidelines
Passports: Have an RFID chip on it that Do not leave personal information lying around
Lock all filing cabinets when leaving an office
responds to a signal sent by a RFID reader that sends
Do not leave computer without locking or logging off
information about
the passport holder to the computer
Protect passwords
system
Change passwords regularly
Physical Tokens: A security token Do not fax or email anything of sensitive nature.

(sometimes called an authentication token) is a small 4.14. Network Communication

hardware
device that the owner carries to authorize access
to a network service.
The device may be in the form of a
Facsimile (Fax)
smart card or may be embedded in a
commonly used object
such as a key fob. A system that scans documents electronically and
Retina Scans: Scans the converts them into
a bit map image (a bit is a binary digit
and is a 1 or a 0)
unique pattern of blood vessels in the
eye of a user using an Then transmitted as a series of electrical signals through
unperceived beam of low-energy infrared
light into a person's the
telephone network
eye as they look through the scanner's
eyepiece. Receiving fax machine converts the electronic image and
prints it
out on paper
Iris Scans: A scanner scans and It is also possible to generate fax signals from a computer
to allow
documents to be sent to a fax machine
compares the pattern in the iris of a user to a database of
Saves printing out the document first and then passing it
stored iris
patterns, if it finds a match, the user is
through
the fax machine
authenticated. Iris scans are
generally more accurate than
Fax/modem software in the computer converts the image
retinal scans.
into a form
fax machines can be recognized
Face Recognition: Verifies the face of

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Physical Faxing: dedicated fax machine connected via However, there are several problems with these as
telephone
line that copies and electronically sends files to the conference
call often lags and quality not always
the dialled
recipient high.
Electronic Faxing/Online Faxing: uses the internet to send Also, as travelling tickets increase in price, terrorists
documents through computers. can
use this way of communicating with each other,
increasing risk
Physical Faxing Electronic Faxing
Associated with a phone no. Associated with an email
Only address and phone no. Audio-Conferencing
Need actual fax machine, Cheaper- no fax machine,
Same as video-conferencing but without webcam
paper, etc. paper and ink
VOIP is often used
No encryption Better safety- encryption VOIP (Voice over internet protocol) is a method used to
The signal can get busy No busy signal issues talk to
people over internet
VOIP converts sound (picked up by a microphone) into
discrete
digital packets that can be sent to a destination
Email via internet
Advantage: free and can be used all over the world
A method for sending text and attachments from one Disadvantage: sound quality is usually bad
computer to
another over a network Security Issues:
Identity and service theft
Viruses and malware
Comparing Faxing & Email Spamming (sending junk mail)
Phishing attacks (illegitimate scams)
Fax Email
More secure (user id and
Singed faxes are legally
acceptable
password needed to access 5. The Effects of Using ICT
files)

Poor quality prints at times

Digital files (no need to print – 5.1. Effects of IT on Employment
eco-friendly)
Delay is telephone line busy Better quality IT led to unemployment in many areas
Files can be transferred Manufacturing - robots have taken over many tasks
Slow if several documents and are much
faster
between any device
need to be sent Computer controlled warehouses – automatic, does
connected to the internet
not need people
Faster sending of documents
Every recipient must be Labour intensive work - printing industry and filing
per document and even if
dialled up one by one New jobs have been created in ICT
multiple recipients
Writing software
Expensive to buy No dedicated device needed Maintenance of robots
Internet related jobs
4.15. Web-Conferencing Effects on People:

Video-Conferencing People need to be retrained due to new technology

Cleaner working environment
This is a method of communication between people at 2 De-skilling of workforce
or more
separate locations Computers can now do tasks that required high skill level
It is done in real time and makes use of LAN, if internal, or Safer working environment
WAN if
through the internet Fewer manual tasks such as heavy lifting
Uses hardware like; webcam, microphones, speakers and
monitors Effect on Companies:
It also uses special software like CODEC converts and
compresses
analogue data into digital data to send down Can employ less people
digital lines Robots do not take holiday, get sick or need breaks
Greater consistency in products made
How it works:
Delegates at one end speak into a microphone and
consider the
webcam 5.2. Effects of IT on Working Patterns
The other delegates can see them and hear them
using speakers
and monitors

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Part-time working: A contract where someone works Causes Prevention

fewer hours
per week than a full-time employee, in shifts. Not sitting upright while
Flexible working (flexi-time): Workers can choose their Take periodic breaks
working
working
time but will have to complete the day’s work.
Use adjustable chairs with
Job sharing: Two or more part-time workers divide their Sitting with poor posture
good back support
job,
replacing one full-time worker.
Compressed hours: Employees can work longer hours per Working in a cramped space Sit upright with good posture
day but
over fewer days, completing the workload sooner. Incorrect computer screen
Keep feet flat on floor
positioning
5.3. Microprocessor-Controlled Devices
Eye Problems
in the Home
Headaches are a potential consequence
Positive effects Negative effects
Lead to more leisure time Causes Prevention
since devices can be Unhealthy diets Staring at a computer for
Take periodic breaks
programmed to do tasks extended periods of time
People become lazy and rely Working with poor room lighting Use TFT rather than CRT
More time to socialize
on devices Computer screen glare/flicker Use anti-glare screens
Becoming very sophisticated Dirt can cause eye strain Ensure good room lighting
Dependency on technology
and can make use of No direct light on screen
increases
embedded web technology
Clean dirt
More wasteful society since
Save energy - switch off
devices thrown away if they
automatically
fail, not economic to repair 6. ICT Applications
Easier to program device
Leaving on standby wastes
rather than set timings &
dates manually
resources 6.1. Communication Applications
Newsletters
5.4. Potential Health Problems
Paper-based communication used to inform people about
Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) their
interests
Schools use these to inform parents about events/dates
This is when joints such as the shoulder, wrist or fingers Advantages
swell,
causing pain Released regularly
Damage gets worse if left untreated The recipients have a permanent copy
Can lead to hand/arm immobility Disadvantages
Requires distribution
Causes Prevention There are no special effects; sound/video/animation
Typing for extended periods There are printing costs; paper/ink
Take periodic breaks
of time
 
Use ergonomic keyboard &
Typing with incorrect posture
mouse
Websites
Clicking on mouse
Use a wrist rest
rapidly/extendedly Collection of webpages, text, graphics, video and sound
Ensure sufficient space for Hosted on a web server on the internet
Holding mouse incorrectly
comfortable work Need to write code or use a web authoring application
Working in a cramped space Hyperlinks to other pages can be added
Interactive websites require programming knowledge
Can use a camera, scanner, microphone to input data
Back Problems
Usually hire space from web hosting company
Headaches are a potential consequence Advantages
Ability to add sound/video/animation
Causes Prevention Links to other websites/hyperlinks
The use of hot spots
Buttons to navigate/move around the website

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Hit counters to see who has visited the websites Flyers & Posters
Disadvantages
Can be hacked and modified or viruses introduced A Word processor/Desktop publisher is used to create it
Need for a computer and internet connection Need to hold minimum amount of information and be
Lack of portability compared with paper-based system accessible very
quickly
Need to maintain website once it is set up Need to make an immediate impact when people look at
them
  Anyone can produce them but there are highly skilled
professionals
who can produce expert posters
Multimedia Presentations Some posters require larger printers than A4
Sequence in which a flier or poster is produced on a
Uses a mixture of media to present information:
computer system
animations, video,
sound, transitions, hyperlinks
A word processor or DTP application is opened
Produced using software packages
The user creates frames, boxes and text boxes
Used with a projector so large audience can view
If necessary, photos are taken, using a camera
Advantages
The images are uploaded from the camera, loaded
Use of sound and animation/video effects
from a CD/DVD,
scanned from hard-copy photos or
Interactive/hyperlinks built into presentations
downloaded from the internet
More likely to hold audience’s attention
The photos are saved to a file
Disadvantages
The photos are imported or copied and pasted into the
Need for special equipment – expensive
document
May require internet access
The photos are edited and typed in or imported from a
  file and
then put into required style

 
Music Scores
Mobile Phones
Music samplers and mixers allow original tracks that were
recorded
in a studio to be modified
Wireless devices that allow users to make phone calls
Electronic instruments can play back through electronic
from anywhere
with cell reception
effects
machines
They connect to the telephone system using radio signals
Synthesizers combine simple wave forms to produce
This requires them to be in range of a mobile tower
complex music
creations
Used for communication via
Electronic organs can mimic any other instrument
Phone calls
Music scores can be generated from music itself using
Text messaging
software
Social Media
Software can automatically correct music notes in a score
There is no need to understand music notation to write a  
music score
Music notes are automatically printed out in the correct Internet Telephony/VOIP
format
VOIP (Voice over internet protocol) is a method used to
  talk to
people over internet
VOIP converts sound (picked up by a microphone) into
Cartoons discrete
digital packets that can be sent to a destination
via the internet
Animations can be produced using computer hardware
and software  
With 3D animations objects are designed on a computer
and a 3D
skeleton is produced Publicity & Corporate Image
Parts of the skeleton are moved by the animator using key
frames Publications
The difference in appearance of the skeleton in these key
frames is
automatically calculated by the software and is Business Cards:
known as tweening or
morphing Miniature printed documents that provide information
The final stage is to make a realistic image by a technique about the
business/organisation
known as
rendering Usually printed on thick cards
Easily distributable to potential clients
 

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Information includes company logo, services, address, Online questionnaires

contact
numbers, email, website Usually use radio buttons
Gives a professional impression No data preparation needed
Letterheads: Results sent directly to database for analysis
Found at the top of official printed documents to be
mailed to
clients or for internal use  
Makes it clear to reader who the sender is
Information includes company logo, name, address, Address Lists
contact
numbers
An address book on a computer or mobile phone might have
Gives a professional impression
a contact’s
home address, phone number, email address,
Easy to reply to
personal information like the
date of birth etc.
Flyers:
Generally printed on single sheets of A4 paper
Handed out directly to people for promotions
Cheap to produce and easily distributable (locally)
Information includes company logo, promoted product
or service,
contact details  
Makes it easier to target a specific audience
Brochures: Clubs & Society Records
Also called leaflets & are like flyers
Difference is that they are often folded into sections Need to keep a record on members usually in a database
Left on counters for pick up rather than handed out Usually payment details, contact details and interests
Information includes company logo, promoted product It makes it easy to match people with interests and send
or service,
contact details information
about what they are interested in
Makes it easier to target a specific audience This can be done my using mail merging
Easy to check memberships and send out reminders
6.2. Data Handling Applications It is important to follow the data protection act

 
Surveys
School Reports
All data handling starts with data collection
Data capture forms can be used for many applications
Database applications such as SIMS store large amounts
Decide what needs to be collected and then what
of data which
can be used to create annual and termly
questions should
be used to collect it
school reports
Paper or electronically
Things able to be gathered from here are:
Rules for creating forms
Data individual to student – tests/exam results
Make them look official
Student progress – target grades being met or not
Spaces should be thought about giving enough space
Number of absences – create a percentage of amount
for answers
of days
attended school
Restrict the amount of possible answers, do not use
Teacher comments – adds comments on to report
open
questions
If open questions are used limit the amount of space
available
for answers 6.3. Measurement Applications
Asking for ‘Name’ needs to be carefully thought about
Are you asking for sensitive information? Sensors are used to send data to a computer where the
People may not feel comfortable being truthful data is
processed
What names do you want? The computer simply reviews the data from the sensors
First name, family name etc. (by comparing
it to data stored in memory) and updates
Date of Birth its files and/or gives a
warning signal if the values are
What format do you want it in? outside given parameters
Give instructions about how to answer questions No changes to the process are made
How will the data be collected? Examples:
Paper surveys are scanned using OMR or OCR Scientific experiments
Advantages Weather stations
Faster to get results
 
Fewer errors
It is easier to do statistical analysis
Analogue & Digital Data
Less expensive to carry out; requires fewer people

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Digital data: discrete, fixed value (used by computers) Intensive Care Units in Hospitals
Analogue data/signals: continuous value that varies
smoothly Sensors read key vital signs (such as pulse/heart rate,
Analogue device = measure length, weight, temperature,
blood pressure, respiration, etc.)
temperature etc. The data from the sensors is converted into digital using
E.g. Thermometer – represents temp. by the height of an ADC
the liquid
column The data is stored in the computer memory
Sensors: measure physical and analogue qualities The computer compares the data from the sensor with
Analogue data from sensors needs to be converted into the values
stored in its memory
digital data
using an analogue to digital data converter The results are output on a screen in the form of graphs
(ADC) so that the
computer can understand and process and/or
digital read-outs
the data from the sensors An alarm is activated if any of the data is outside
If the computer sends signals to motors, valves, etc. then acceptable
parameters
this data
also needs to be converted to analogue using a The system continues to monitor the patient until the
digital to analogue
converter (DAC) so that the computer computer is
turned off
can effectively control these
devices
 
 
Advantages of Using Computers in
Analogue to Digital Converter (ADC)
Measurement
Used when you want to attach an analogue input device to
a digital
device such as a computer. The computer will not forget to take readings
This is so the analogue data can be The computer’s response time is much faster, which is
understood/processed by the
computer since computers particularly
important in the patient monitoring example
only work w/digital data Doctors, nurses, scientists, etc. can all get on with other
E.g. When processing data sent from a sensor tasks
while the monitoring is done automatically
Computer give 24 hours cover every day (i.e. 24/7)
  The readings will tend to be more accurate
Readings can be taken more frequently if they are done
Digital to Analogue Converter (DAC) by a computer
and sensors
It could also be safer if whatever is being monitored may
Used when you want to attach an analogue output device have
potential hazards (e.g. children falling into the river
to a digital
device such as a computer whilst
attempting to take readings)
E.g. If the computer is being used to control a device
(motor/valve)
the device will be controlled by variable  
voltages; the DAC will be
used to send out analogue
signals Disadvantages of Using Computers in

  Measurement

Pollution Monitoring Expensive to purchase and set up

If performed for educational purposes, reduced practical
Example: monitoring oxygen levels in a river hands-on
experience and learning.
Sensors read data from the river (oxygen levels and Will not function in a power cut if no backup power
acidity levels
using a pH sensor) present
(expensive to have reliable backup power)
The data from the sensors is converted into digital using
an ADC 6.4. Microprocessors in Control
The computer stores the received data
The oxygen levels and acidity levels are compared to the Applications
historical
data stored in memory and they are also
compared to alarm levels
stored in memory Sensors are used to send data to a computer where the
data is
processed
One of two things will now happen: either the data is
transferred to
a CD/DVD or to a memory stick and taken The computer reviews the data from the sensors (by
away for analysis later or
the computer is connected into comparing it to
data stored in memory)
a mobile phone network and transmits
the data back If the values are outside the given parameters/pre-set
automatically to the monitoring station value it acts
to try and get the values within acceptable
ranges
 

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

It does this by sending signals to devices controlling the Needs to be time for changes to have effect
process Unmanageable situations
Door may not be shut
  Needs to draw user’s attention
Usually a buzzer and light
Turtle Graphics
 
Based on computer language called LOGO and is now
usually known as
turtle graphics Central Heating System
It is the control of the movement of a ‘turtle’ on a
computer screen
by several key instructions which can be Applying factors
typed in Inputs
The use of ‘repeat’ instructions makes a piece of code Inputs from the user
more
efficient Room temperature required
Time systems turns on/off
Command Meaning Inputs from the system
FORWARD x Move x cm forward Actual room temperature
BACKWARD x Move x cm backward Clock giving the time
Outcome
LEFT d Turn left through d degrees
Heating or cooling room during the required times
RIGHT d Turn right through d degrees Outputs
REPEAT n Repeat next set of instructions n times Boiler
ENDREPEAT Finish the repeat loop Air conditioner
Processing
PENUP Lift the pen up
Check time against the one input and switches on
PENDOWN Lower the pen when that
time is reached
Same done to check when to turn off
  When on, microprocessor reads temperature from
sensor and
compares it with desired temperature
Automatic Washing Machines If too low, it will heat up by turning the boiler on
and
if it’s too high it will turn the air conditioner
Have a microprocessor in them which contains the
on
software which
controls the washing machine
These will stay on until desired temperature is
Appling the factors
reached
Inputs
Pressure sensor on the door to detect if open or  
closed
Sensor to detect if the required level of water is in Automatic Cookers
Temperature sensor to check temperature
Outcome Have temperature sensors and timers with manual
Clothes have been washed controls to set
start and end times, and temperature for
Outputs cooking.
Heater Working similar to Central Heating System.
Motor to spin drum
Lights on machine to show user stage the cycle is  
at
Actuators to turn the inlet valves on to allow hot Burglar Alarms
and cold
water into the machine
Burglar alarms detect any intrusion.
Actuator to turn the outlet valve on to let the water
Sensors such as motion sensors, door and window
out of
the machine when the wash is complete
sensors,
magnetic sensors, multi-functional sensors
An actuator to control the pump
(vibration, shutter,
and temperature) measure the
Processing
physical quantity and inputs the
value to a
Software to make decisions which will allow the
microprocessor.
clothes to
be washed
The microprocessor compares the input values with
Time taken before next inputs
the preset
values, if changes are detected, the
Timer as part of the software
microprocessor sends
signals to the actuator
Time different cycles (when to add
The actuator activates the sirens or gives a phone call
soap/conditioner/etc.)
or
messages the input mobile number.
Time delay in measuring temperature

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

 
6.6. Applications in Manufacturing
Glasshouse Industries
Temperature controlled the same as central heating Robotics
system
Humidity must also be controlled Robots are used in many areas of manufacturing, from
Humidity sensor tells computer how humid it is heavy work
right through to delicate operations e.g. car
Computer then decides to turn the water supply to bodies, welding
bodywork, manufacturing of microchips
sprayers etc.
Windows also operated by the computer Control of robots is either through embedded
Need to find the balance of how often to have windows microprocessors or
linked to a computer system
open Programming of the robot to do a task is generally done in
Blinds that can be computer controlled two ways:
Light sensor measures light intensity The robot is programmed with a sequence of
When sun is strong the computer actuates electric instructions which
allow it to carry out a series of tasks
motors which
close blinds Alternatively, a human operator manually carries out
Control in glasshouse is more likely to be used in a series of
tasks and how each task is done is relayed
commercial areas
or large glasshouses not in gardens back to the robot
(embedded processor) or controlling
computer. The sequence of
instructions is
6.5. Modelling Applications remembered so that the robot can automatically
carry
out each task identically each time (e.g. assembling
A mathematical computer model is created to manipulate parts
in a television)
variables
and see real time changes in terms of figures. Robots are often equipped with sensors so they can
Used to find how mechanisms control a system. gather important
information about their surroundings
Advantages: Sensors also prevent them from doing ‘stupid things’, such
Cheaper than building physical system to test as
stopping a robot spraying a car if no car is present, or
Safer than building system and experimenting stopping
the spraying operation if the supply of paint has
Easier to experiment with various scenarios run out etc.
Quicker as no need to build system Robots are very good at repetitive tasks
Near-impossible tests involving space and volcanic However, if there are many different tasks (e.g. making
scenarios
can be modelled risk-free specialist
glassware for some scientific work) then it is
What if analysis can be conducted that allow a certain often better to still
use human operators
figure to
be computed by letting the computer change
other variables that
affect the value needed to be set. Advantages
E.g.

Robots can work in environments harmful to human

operators
The can work non-stop (24/7)
They are less expensive in the long term (they don’t need
wages)
however they are expensive to buy initially
Productivity is higher, since they do not need holidays, are
not ill
etc.
There is greater consistency – every car coming off a
production
line is identical
They can do boring, repetitive tasks, leaving humans free
to do more
skilled work

Disadvantages

Robots find it difficult to do ‘unusual’ tasks (e.g. one-off

glassware for a chemical company)
They replace skilled labour, leading to unemployment
Since robots do many of the tasks once done by humans,
there is a
risk of de-skilling
When making a computer model, consider:
Because robots are independent of the skills base,
What and how data should be collected
factories can be
moved anywhere in the world, again
Working of the system in real life.
causing unemployment

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

6.7. School Management Systems Advantages Disadvantages

Unauthorised access will have
Reduced workload for
Learner registration and attendance to be prevented as there is
teachers.
ID cards with magnetic tapes: The students will have lots of personal information.
to
swipe their ID cards, which contain the student’s They are helpful for the
name, school’s
name, date of birth and the decision making of the
registration ID, when they enter and
leave the school, administration department
this way time is saved and the attendance is
more
accurate.
Biometrics: Every student’s fingerprint is stored on a 6.8. Booking Systems
database along with their personal information, the
students
must put their finger on a fingerprint scanner Booking systems are used for transport (flights, trains and
buses),
cinemas and theatres
to enter or leave
the school premises.
Theatre booking system example:
Advantages Disadvantages
Fingerprints are unique, so Customer clicks on performance they wish to see
another student can’t give Collecting every student’s They enter date and time of performance and required
their attendance for fingerprint initially is time- number of seats
somebody else, like with an ID consuming. A seating display at theatre is then shown on screen and
card. user clicks
where they want to sit
Fingerprint scanners are Database searched to check availability of selected seats.
ID cards can be lost, whereas If
seating plan shown on screen, this isn’t required
more expensive than
fingerprints can’t be. If seats available, seat numbers are shown together with
magnetic stripe readers.
total price
Magnetic fields can affect an Damages on the finger will
If customer is happy with this, they select ‘confirm’
ID card. deny access.
The seats are now temporarily set at ‘no longer available’
There is an invasion of privacy
Copies of ID cards can be The customer then enters their personal details or
in storing fingerprints on a
made easily. indicates that
they are a returning customer
school database. They select a payment method and make the payment
The theatre seats are then booked in the customer’s
Learner performance name
Spreadsheets can be used to record students’ The final details are shown on the screen, together with a
performances. It is
easier to compare each other’s reference
number
performances and an individual
student’s An email is sent to the customer which they print out as
performance over the academic year. their proof
of purchase. In some cases, this also acts as
Organising examinations their printed ticket
when they go to the theatre – an e
Makes sure that the students are enrolled for the right ticket
exams. The database is updated with the transaction
Prints the exam timetables.
Allots examination rooms and the invigilator.

Disadvantages
Gathers the results and puts them into the student Advantages
database. No double booking as very Set-up and Maintenance
Creating timetables and managing teaching
minimal delay. expensive
cover/substitution
Immediate booking and Computer and reliable
Considers the student’s choices, availability of
selection of seats internet access required
teachers and
rooms, subject clashes and the number
of hours needed for each
subject to produce accurate Sever crashes can result in
Bookings can be made any
timetables that can easily be made
changes to and the bookings completely
time
cover with teacher to be substituted. stopping
School management systems: Digital ticket; printing and Need for website to be well
postage costs designed to ensure ease of
Advantages Disadvantages reduced/eliminated use
Absenteeism can be Operating the software will QR codes for authentication; No special relation built with
addressed more easily. need some training. no need for human, can use booking agent who can give
The initial cost of the software scanner; reduced costs special promotions etc.
Parents are kept updated.
is expensive.

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

in
booking seats if the response is not immediate then can
cause
problems like double booking)
6.10. Computers in Medicine
 
Patient records: Database that holds patient details and
Real-time Process Control
can be
accessed from any computer within the hospital
intranet.
An example of online processing
Patient identification: Barcodes on wristbands of the
Very different to real-time (transaction) processing
patients
can be used to access their patient record.
System usually involves sensors and feedback loops
Pharmacy records:
In real-time process control, physical quantities are
Generates labels for drugs
continually
monitored and input is processed sufficiently
Checks if the patient is allergic to a particular drug.
quickly to influence
the input source
Patient monitoring:
Sensors measure changes in temperature, heart rate,
6.9. Banking Applications breathing
rate, brain activity, blood pressure, blood
sugar levels and
oxygen levels in the patient’s body.
Online banking systems rely on the ability to update files The analogue signals from the sensors are converted
immediately, thus preventing double booking, which could into digital
signals using an analogue to digital
happen if
the system response time was slow converter.
The use of computer technology has revolutionized how Graphs are produced to show trends over time.
we do our
banking transactions, for example: The readings are constantly compared with the pre-
Internet banking set values, if
the values aren’t in the prescribed range,
The use of automated teller machines (ATMs) the medical staffs
are notified.
Chip and PIN technology Hospital management system: All the above-mentioned
points come
under the hospital management system
 
which holds all of them, and
can be used to access data
Automated teller machines (ATMs) from all the departments.
Expert systems:
Automated teller machines (ATMs) are places where The interactive screen asks a series of question for
customers can get
cash (or carry out certain other the doctor
to answers, using a keyboard or a touch
banking activities such as order a
statement) using their screen.
credit or debit card The inference engine compares the symptoms with
the knowledge
base, using the rule base to find
What goes on behind the matches
Sequence at ATM
scenes The system suggests the possible illness with a
Customer puts card into Contact is made with bank’s probability of
each, cures and recommendations on
ATM computer the next step to be taken.
The explanation system will explain how that
PIN is checked to see if it is
particular
diagnosis was suggested.
PIN is entered using the correct
Using 3D printers in medicine:
keypad Card is checked to see if it is
Surgical and diagnostic aids: A CT or MRI is used to
valid
produce
images of the internal parts of the body. A 3D
A number of options are printer can then
be used to reproduce the internal
given: change PIN, top up organs as a solid object.
mobile, see balance, get Prosthetics: 3D printers are used to print out artificial
money body parts such as false tooth, artificial limbs, hearing
The customer selects the aids,
etc. This is a less expensive method of replacing
cash option & several cash body parts.
options are shown Tissue engineering: Used to produce layers of cells to
The customer’s account is replace damaged tissues.
The customer accepts one of accessed to see if they have Design of medical tools and equipment: Tools can be
the options or types in a sufficient funds, it is checked to made
faster and with reduced costs. They can also be
different amount see if they are withdrawing made changes to
easily, whereas it wasn’t the same
more than their daily limit with traditional methods.
The customer is asked if they
want a receipt 6.11. Computers in Libraries
The card is returned Transaction is okay
Many library systems are computer controlled
Money is dispensed Customer’s account is updated

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

They usually involve the use of barcodes on the books A knowledge base is designed and then created
being borrowed
and on the borrower’s library card The rules base is designed and created
The following describes a computerized library system The inference engine is designed and created
based on
barcodes The input screen and output format are also designed and
There are two files: created –
this is known as the user interface
Book file, containing fields for example: barcode, book The expert system is tested against known conditions and
title,
name of author etc. scenarios
Borrower’s file, containing fields for example: It is also checked to see if it meets the original
borrower’s
number, borrower’s name etc. specification
When a borrower takes out a book, the book’s code is Experts are interviewed about how effective it is before
scanned the expert
system goes out on general release
The book details are then found on book file
The borrower’s library card barcode is then scanned for Advantages
the
borrower’s unique number
Expert systems provide consistent answers
The book file is linked to the borrower’s file and both files
They never ‘forget’ to answer a question when
are
updated to indicate which book has been borrowed
determining the logic
and when it is due
back
Using expert systems reduces the time taken to solve a
The borrower’s file is interrogated daily by the computer
problem
to see
which books are overdue for return:
A less skilled worker force is needed, which gives the
The computer reads a record from the book file
potential of
saving money, but also allows areas of the
It compares the date due back with the current date
world access to expertise
which they could not normally
If the date due back is less than (or equal to) the
afford
current date
(i.e. earlier date) …
…using the barcode number of the book… Disadvantages
…the book file is linked to the borrower’s file…
…and the corresponding record is read from the They tend to lack common sense in some of the decision-
borrower’s file making
processes
The customer details are then found and a letter or Errors in the knowledge base can lead to incorrect
email is
automatically sent out decisions being
made
The next record in the book file is then read… It can be expensive to set up in the first place
…until the whole file has been checked Considerable training is necessary to ensure the system
is sued
correctly by the operators

6.12. Expert Systems  

These systems have been developed to mimic the Components of an Expert System
expertise and
knowledge of an expert in a particular field
Examples include: User Interface
Diagnosing a person’s illness
Diagnostics (finding faults in a car engine, finding This is the only thing that the end user sees
faults on a
circuit board, etc.) Allows the user to interact with the system
Prospecting for oil and minerals Often requires training to operate effectively
Tax and financial calculations
Knowledge base
Chess games
Identification of plants, animals and chemical This is a database designed to allow the complex storage
compounds and
retrieval requirements of a computerized knowledge-
Road scheduling for delivery vehicles based management
system (in support of an expert
system)

Inference engine

This is software that attempts to derive answers from the

knowledge
base using a form of reasoning
It is how expert systems appear to use human-like
Expert System Setup reasoning when
accessing information from the
knowledge base in an effort to find a
conclusion to a given
Experts in the field are interviewed to find out what is
problem
needed in
the expert system
The inference engine is a type of reasoning engine
Data is then collected from these experts

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Rules base Paying for a meal example

This is made up of a series of ‘inference rules’ (e.g. IF the Waiter inserts card into chip and PIN reader
country is in South America AND the language used is Restaurant’s bank contact customer’s bank
Portuguese THEN
the country must be Brazil) Card is checked to if valid
These inference rules are used by the inference engine to If card is stolen or expired, then transaction is terminated
draw
conclusions Customer enters PIN using keypad
They closely follow human-like reasoning PIN is read from chip on card and is compared to one just
keyed in
  If they are the same, the transaction can proceed
Check is then made on whether they have enough funds
Suggesting Diagnoses If there are not enough funds available, transaction is
terminated.
Otherwise, transaction is authorized
The interactive screen asks a series of question for the
Authorization code is sent to restaurant
doctor to
answers, using a keyboard or a touch screen.
Price of meal is deducted from customer’s account
The inference engine compares the symptoms with the
Same amount of money is credited to restaurant’s bank
knowledge base,
using the rule base to find matches.
account
The system suggests the possible illness with a probability
Receipt is produced as proof of purchase
of each,
cures and recommendations on the next step to
be taken.  
The explanation system will explain how that particular
diagnoses
was suggested. Internet Shopping

6.13. Computers in the Retail Industry Online shopping: Shopping over the internet.
To customer:
Automatic Stock Control Advantages
Cheaper goods (the company doesn’t have to pay
Automatic stock control systems rely on the use of rent for
stores and doesn’t need more employees)
barcodes Wide range of products
Barcodes now appear on most products sold in shops Delivery at your doorstep
They allow quick identification of product details once the You can shop 24/7
barcode
has been scanned by a barcode reader Shop from any part of the world
Supermarkets use electronic point of sale (EPOS) You save the travelling costs of going for shopping
terminals, which
incorporate a barcode reader that scans Disadvantages
the barcode, retrieve the
price of the article and relay Quality isn’t assured
information back to the computer
system allowing it to People are worried about giving their card details
update its files online.
Barcodes are made up of alternating dark and light lines Packing and postal charges are added
of varying
thickness Personal services that you get from stores are
A number underneath the barcode usually consists of four missed.
parts:
country code, manufacturer’s code, product code, Returning the products is harder
and a check digit No relaxation that you get from actual shopping
The check digit is a form of validation which is used to Bogus sites are present where you pay and never
make sure
no errors occurred during the reading of the receive the
product
barcode To seller:
Every time the barcode is read, this calculation is Advantages
performed to
ensure that it has been scanned correctly No need to pay rents
No fixed working hours
  Less/no shoplifting
Sell goods to customers anywhere in the world
Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale (EFTPOS) Cheaper to contact customers (via e-mail)
Site warehouse where rental is cheap
Many credit cards are equipped with a chip as well as a Sell goods 24/7
magnetic
stripe – containing the PIN Disadvantages
This system is designed to enhance security since it is ICT knowledge needed to set up website
better than
relying only on a signature Unemployment
When paying for items using a chip and PIN card, a form Business abroad is lost if the prices are cheaper
of
electronic funds transfer (EFT) takes place there

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

At times of network failures, there will be no Worker monitoring/tracking: Workers are

access monitored/tracked in the
following ways:
Not everybody can access the internet, so a few Supermarket workers: have the number of items
customers
are lost passing
through the tills over a period of time
Customer’s personal data can be hacked monitored.
Postal charges discourage people at times Internet use is monitored by network managers: they
can
check sites visited and time spent on that site
6.14. Recognition Systems during working
hours.
Emails can be read: Employers can check that no
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems: personal
mails are sent during office hours.
A sensor sends signals to a microprocessor, which Delivery drivers: Their location can be tracked using
instructs a
camera to capture the front of a vehicle. GPS
systems. It can also be checked if they are
OCR software is used to read the number plate from following the
shortest route and aren’t speeding.
the image.
The characters are then converted to text Key logging: Software that records the keys pressed by a
format in order to
store it in a database user on
the keyboard. They are used to find username
Processing of cheques: and passwords of a
user.
The value of a cheque is printed in special ink Employee call monitors: Allows the employer to listen to
containing iron
particles when a cheque is presented. employee’s telephone calls. There are three ways it can
MICR is used to read the characters at the bottom of be used:
the cheque. Monitor: The manager/supervisor can listen to calls
A batch processing method is then used to process all without
the employee or the customer’s awareness.
the
cheques at the end of a specific time period. Whisper: The manager can help the employee with the
OMR media in schools: call,
but the customer can’t hear the manager speak.
School registers: Paper-based registers are fed into Barge: Both the employee and the customer can hear
OMR to
be scanned and are then stored on a the
manager
database. Employee call monitors: Allows the employer to listen to
Multiple-choice examination papers: The position of a employee’s telephone calls. Call monitors can be used:
mark
is stored in a computer’s memory after being to improve the employee’s performance
read by the OMR
device using a template that maps to allow the manager/supervisor to join a call where
out the X-Y coordinates of
each lozenge (pen/pencil necessary
mark). as a training tool
RFID in passports: Uses of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR)
The data on the RFID chip is read when the passport is systems:
scanned. Traffic enforcement: the system can check if a vehicle
A photo of you is clicked which is then compared with is
taxed, recognize cars parked illegally, cars speeding
the image
stored in the RFID chip. or going
through red lights so a fine can be imposed.
If the face-recognition passes, some checks are made Car park management: the system reads the
in turn to
make sure you are eligible to enter the registration
number and if allowed into the car park,
country, and if you are,
the gate opens automatically. the barrier is raised.
RFID in contactless payments: Electronic toll collection: the system recognizes the
The embedded chip on credit/debit cards and the vehicle and deducts the fare accordingly.
antenna enable
customers to wave their card over a
 
reader at the point of sale
terminals to make
payments
Cookies
Smartphone apps can also be used to make
contactless payments. Cookies are small files sent to a user’s computer via their
web
browser when they visit certain websites
6.15. Monitoring & Tracking Systems They store information about the users and this data is
accessed
each time they visit the website
Public monitoring/tracking: For example:
Ankle monitor: uses RFID chip to give out the person’s They remember who the user is and send messages
location and other details. It is tamper proof and will such as “Welcome
Sarah” each time they log onto the
alert
authorities if tried to remove. website
Phone call tracking: the service provider tracks the They recognize the user’s buying preferences e.g. if a
calls
and the exact position from which they were user buys
CDs, pop ups related to their buying habits
made will appear on the
user’s screen each time they visit
the website

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Without cookies, web server would have no way of

7.1. Introduction
knowing that the
user had visited website before
For this reason, cookies could be used to monitor one’s A systems analysis team is often brought in to review an
internet
activity
existing
system and suggest several improvements
The existing method used may be either a manual paper-
6.16. Satellite Systems based system
or a computer-based operation that is no
longer regarded as adequate
for the task
Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
7.2. Analysis
Used to determine the exact location of several modes of
transport The basic steps in the analysis stage can be summarized
Cars usually refer to GPS as satellite navigation systems as follows:
Satellites surrounding the Earth transmit signals to the
surface
Computers installed in the mode of transport receive and
interpret
these signals
Knowing their position on the Earth depends on very
accurate timing
– atomic clocks are used in the satellites
which are accurate to
within a fraction of a second per
day
Each satellite transmits data indicating its position & time
The computer on board the mode of transport calculates
its exact
position based on the information from at least
three satellites
1. Fact finding/collecting data from the current system
 
2. Description of the current system – establishing the
inputs, outputs
and processing being done
Satellite Navigation 3. Identification of the problems with the current system
4. Agreeing the objectives with the customer
Used to determine the exact location of a car.
5. Identifying and agreeing the customer’s requirements
The computers onboard can be used to show
6. Interpreting the customer’s requirements
directions to a
destination.
7. Producing a cost-benefit analysis
  8. Producing a data flow diagram

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Used to capture, manage, analyse and display

geographically
referenced information.
Use to determine distance between two places.
Used to find the nearest petrol station or restaurant,
etc.  
To protect animal and plant life in certain vulnerable
places. 4 Common Methods of Fact Finding
Can be used in geography, science or engineering
lessons. Observation

  Involves watching personnel using the existing system to

find out
exactly how it works
Media Communication Systems Advantages
The analyst obtains reliable data
Using satellite signals for communication. It is possible to see exactly what us being done
Used by media companies when sending It is a relatively inexpensive method
stories/videos/pictures
from remote locations. Disadvantages
People are generally uncomfortable being watched
and may work in
a different way
7. System Life Cycle If workers perform tasks that violate standard
procedures, they
may not do this while being watched

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Interviews what needs to be done, the next

stage is to design the key
parts of the recommended system
Involves a one-to-one question-and-answer session A list of tasks is summarized here
between the
analyst and the employee/customer Designing data capture forms/input forms
Advantages Designing screen layouts
It gives the opportunity to motivate the interviewee Designing output forms and reports
into giving
open and honest answers to the analyst’s Producing systems flowcharts and/or pseudo code
questions Selecting and designing validation rules that need to
It allows the analyst to probe for more feedback from be used
the
interviewee, as it is easier to extend a question Selecting the most appropriate data verification
It is possible to modify questions as the interview methods
proceeds and
ask questions specific to the interviewee Designing and agreeing the file structures and tables
It is a good method if the analyst wants to probe Selecting and designing the hardware requirements
deeply into
one specific aspect of the existing system Selecting and designing the software requirements
Disadvantages Producing algorithms or program flowcharts
It can be rather time consuming Designing a testing strategy/plan
It is relatively expensive, due to the use of the analyst’s
time  
The interviewee cannot remain anonymous
Verification
Questionnaires
A way of preventing errors when data is copied from one
Involves sending out questionnaires to the work force
medium to
another
and/or to
customers to find out views of the existing
Double entry: data is entered twice, sometimes by two
system and find out how
some key tasks are carried out
different people
Advantages The computer compares the two entries, either after
The questions can be answered quite quickly
data entry
or during the data entry process, and
It is a relatively inexpensive method
identifies any differences
Individuals can remain anonymous if they want
Visual check: checking for errors by comparing entered
It allows quick analysis of the data
data on
the screen with the data in the original document
Disadvantages
(not the same as
proof reading)
Often the number of returned questionnaire is low
The questions are rather inflexible since they have to  
be
generic
There is no immediate way to clarify a vague or Validation
incomplete
answer to a question
Process where data is checked to see if it satisfies certain
Looking at Existing Paperwork criteria when input into a computer, for example to see if
Allows the analyst to see how the paper files are kept, look at the data
falls within accepted boundaries
operating instructions and training manuals, check the Range Check: Checks whether data is within
accounts, etc. given/acceptable
values.
E.g. A person’s age should be in range > 0 but < 150
Advantages
Length Check: Checks if the input data contains the
It allows information to be obtained which was not
required
number of characters
possible by
any of the other methods
E.g. If a field needs six digits then inputting a five- or
The analyst can see for themselves how the paper
seven-digit number, for example should cause an
system operates
error message
It allows the analyst to get some idea of the scale of
Character/type Check: Checks that the input data does not
the
problem, memory size requirements, type of
contain invalid characters
input/output devices
needed
E.g. A person’s name should not contain any numbers,
Disadvantages
but a
person’s height should only contain digits
It can be very time consuming
Format/picture Check: Checks that data is in a specific
Because of the analyst’s time, it is a relatively
format
expensive
method
E.g. Date should be in the form dd/mm/yyyy
Limit Check: Similar to range check except that only one of
7.3. Design the
limits (boundaries) is checked
E.g. Input data must be > 10
Once the analysis has taken place and the systems Presence Check: Checks if data is actually present and
analyst has some
idea of the scale of the problem and has not
been missed out

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

E.g. In an electronic form, a person’s telephone  

number may be a
required field and if no data is
present this should give rise
to an error message Testing strategies
Consistency Check: Checks if fields correspond (tie up)
with
each other Testing of each module needs to be done to ensure each
E.g. If ‘Mr’ has been typed into a field called title then one functions
correctly on its own
the
gender field must contain either ‘M’ or ‘Male Once the development of each module is completed, the
Check Digit: Look at an extra digit which is calculated from whole system
needs to be tested (i.e. all modules
the
digits of a number and then put on the end of the functioning together)
number Even though each individual module may work
E.g. Check digits can identify three types of error: satisfactorily, when
they are all put together there may be
If two digits have been inverted during input data clashes, incompatibility
and memory issues
An incorrect digit entered twice All of this may lead to a need to improve the input and
A digit missed out altogether output
methods, file and database structures, validation
and verification
methods
Then the system will need to be fully tested again
7.4. Development & Testing
It is a very time-consuming process but the system must
be as
perfect as possible before it goes live
Once the design stage is completed, it is then necessary
Testing will use many different types of data, which will
to create
the system and fully test it
fall into
one of three categories: normal, extreme or
This section considers some of the development stages
abnormal
and testing
strategies which are often adopted by system
Let us suppose one of the fields in a database is the date
analysts
and this
must be in the form dd/mm/yyyy, where each
  element of the date must
be numeric:
Normal: this is data which is acceptable/valid and has
Development stages an
expected (known) outcome, e.g. the month can be
any whole number
in the range 1 to 12
If the system contains files (e.g. a database) then the file Extreme: this is data at the limits of
structure needs to be finalized at this stage (e.g. what acceptability/validity, e.g. the month can be either of
type of
data is being stored in each field, length of each the two
end values i.e. 1 or 12
field, which
field will be the key field, how the data files will Abnormal: this is data outside the limits of
be linked,
etc.) acceptability/validity and should be rejected or cause
Once the file structure has been determined, it is then an error
message
created and
fully tested to make sure it is robust when the For example, all the following values are not allowed
system actually goes
live as inputs
for the month:
Since it is important that correct data is stored in files, Negative numbers (e.g. -1, -15)
there
are certain techniques that need to be adopted to Any value greater than 12 (e.g. 32, 45)
make sure the data
populating the file and database is at Letters or other non-numeric data (e.g. July)
least of the right type &
that it conforms to certain rules Non-integer values (e.g. 3.5, 10.75)
Validation routines and verification methods are used to
ensure this
happens 7.5. Implementation
Again, routines have to be fully tested to ensure they trap
unwanted
data but also to make sure any data Once the system is fully tested, the next stage is to fully
transferred from a paper-based
system to an electronic implement it
system has been done accurately We will now consider changeover to the new system in
Any system being developed will have some form of user more depth
interface There are four common methods used for changing over
The types of hardware were chosen in the design stage from the old
system to the new system
How these are used to interface with the final system now Each one has advantages and disadvantages which need
needs to
be identified, for example how the screens will to be weighed
up before the most appropriate method is
be used to collect
the data and the way the output will be chosen for a particular
application
presented
If specialist hardware is needed (e.g. for people with
disabilities), then it will be necessary to finalize how these
devices are used with the system when it is implemented
This will be followed by thorough testing to ensure the
user screens
are user friendly and that the correct output
is associated with the
inputs to the system

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

If the latest part fails, it is only necessary to go back in

the
system to the point of failure, hence failure is not
disastrous
It is possible to ensure the system works properly
before
expanding
Disadvantages
This is more expensive than direct changeover, since
it is
necessary to evaluate each phase before moving
to the next stage
4 Common Methods of Changing Systems
 
Direct
Comparing Changeover Methods
The old system is stopped overnight and the new system
introduced
immediately
Changeover method Direct Parallel Pilot Phased
Advantages
The benefits are immediate Relative costs Low High Medium Medium
Costs are reduced - since only one system is used Input needed by the user Medium High Low Medium
there is no
need to pay for two sets of staff Input needed by systems
Low* Low Medium Medium
There is less likelihood of a malfunction since the new team
system
will have been fully tested Impact of failure High Low Low Medium
Disadvantage
This method can be disastrous if the new system fails
7.6. Documentation
Parallel Running
Once the new system is fully developed, a considerable
The old and new systems are run side by side for a time amount of
documentation needs to be produced
before the
new system takes over altogether For the end user
Advantages For people who may need to modify or develop the
If the new system fails, the old system is still available system further
at some later stage
as a
back-up There is some overlap between the two types of
It is possible to train staff gradually documentation, but
the basic requirements are shown
Staff have time to get used to the new system below
Disadvantage
It is more expensive than direct changeover, since  
extra staff
are needed to run both systems together
Technical Documentation
Pilot Implementation
Technical documentation is designed to help
The new system is introduced into one part of the
programmers & analysts
who need to make
company (e.g. into
a warehouse of a supermarket) and its
improvements or repair/maintain to the system
performance assessed
This can consist of any of the following:
Advantages
purpose of the system/program/software
If the new system fails, only one part of the company is
program listing/coding
affected
programming language used
It is possible to train staff in one area only, which is
flowchart/algorithm
much
faster and less costly than parallel running
input formats
The costs are also less than parallel running, since
hardware requirements
only one
part of the system is being used in the pilot
software requirements
Disadvantage
minimum memory requirements
It is more expensive than direct changeover, since
known bugs in the system
each pilot
scheme needs to be evaluated before the
list of variables used (and their meaning/description)
next stage is introduced
file structures
Phased Implementation sample runs (with test data and results)
output formats
Initially, only part of the new system is introduced validation rules
Only when it proves to work satisfactorily is the next part meaning of error messages
introduced, and so on, until old system is fully replaced
Advantages  

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

User Documentation new hardware comes on the market, making change

necessary
User documentation is designed to help users to learn there are changes within the company which require
how to use the
software or system new devices
to be added or updated
This can consist of any of the following: Software may need to be updated because:
the purpose of the system/program/software package of feedback from end users
how to log in/log out changes to the company structure or how the
how to load/run the software company works may
need modifications to the
how to save files software
how to do a search changes in legislation may need modifications to the
how to sort data software
how to do printouts
how to add, delete or amend records
screen layouts (input) 8. Safety & Security
print layouts (output)
hardware requirements 8.1. Physical Safety
software requirements
sample runs (with test data and results)
Ways of eliminating or minimizing
error handling/meaning of errors Safety hazard
hazard
troubleshooting guide/help lines/FAQs
tutorials Use a residual circuit breaker
(RCB), Check insulation on wires
Electrocution from
regularly, Do not allow drinks near
7.7. Evaluation spilling drinks
computers, Check equipment
regularly
Once a system is up and running it is necessary to do
Cable ducts- make wires safe,
some
evaluation and carry out any maintenance, if Tripping over trailing
necessary. Cover wires/tuck them away, Use
wires
wireless connections
This is done to ensure the efficiency of the system, the
ease of use
of the system, and the appropriateness of the Strong desk/tables to support
system. heavy hardware, Use large desks
Heavy equipment falling
The following is a list of some of the things considered and tables so that hardware
when
evaluating how well the new system has worked. doesn’t fall off edge
This can ultimately
lead back to a re-design of part of the Have a CO2 fire extinguisher
system if there is strong
evidence to suggest that changes nearby, Don’t cover equipment
Fire risk from
need be made. vents- can cause equipment to
overloading sockets or
To evaluate the system, the analyst will: overheat, Make sure hardware is
equipment overheating
compare the final solution with the original fully maintained, Do not overload
requirement sockets with too many items
identify any limitations in the system
identify any necessary improvements that need to be
made
8.2. E-Safety
evaluate the user’s responses to using the new system
E-safety refers to the safety of data and personal
compare test results from the new system with results
information while
using the internet.
from the
old system
E-safety is required to make sure a user’s personal
compare the performance of the new system with the
information is
not made vulnerable and even leaked to
performance
of the old system
hacker’s for e.g., which can
lead to identity fraud, bank A/C
observe users performing set tasks, comparing old
issues, etc.
with new
measure the time taken to complete tasks, comparing  
old with new
interview users to gather responses about how well Personal Data
the new
system works
give out questionnaires to gather responses about the Any data regarding a living person who can be identified
ease of
use of the new system against the
data or the data along with any other
Some results from the evaluation may require changes to information.
either
hardware or software. Hardware may need to be Examples of personal data:
updated because: Full Name
of feedback from end users

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Home Address Open emails from known sources, and do not click on an
Banking details (A/C no, pin, etc.) emails wit
hyperlinks without confirming with the sender
Medical history (suffered from depression, etc.) of the email. Think
before opening an email from an
Personal data like ethnic origin, political views, unknown person, never send any other
sensitive
criminal
activity, mental health history, information (picture in school uniform, credit card PIN,
Sexual orientation and religion can be used to etc.)
blackmail victims
of data breaches Ask their ISP to enable email filtering to classify spam
If personal data is leaked (data breach), the following can mails as spam.
occur:
Identity theft  
Bank fraud
Damages to personal property Social Media Safety
Kidnapping (if kidnappers get access to the victim’s
Block and report users who seem suspicious or use
address.
inappropriate language
Etc.
Never use you real name, only use a nickname
To prevent the above, it is essential that personal data is
Use appropriate language
protected.
Do not enter private chat rooms, as users can lure you
Personal data can be leaked intentionally and
into giving personal information by seeming too nice.
unintentionally.
Electronic data is at risk due to: hacking,
Do not meet anyone off the internet for the first time on
viruses, spyware,
phishing, pharming, Smishing, vishing,
your own, or at least speak to a trusted adult first.
ransomware (A malicious
program that encrypts data on
Do not misuse images (of someone to blackmail them, for
a computer system and demands for a
ransom to provide
e.g.)
and decrypt the data), spam, moderated and
un-
Respect the confidentiality of other users
moderated forums, cookies, etc.
If a student shares a photograph of themselves in their  
school
uniform on social media, then paedophiles, child
predators,
kidnappers, etc. can physically reach the Online Games
student. This should not
be done
Similar measures apply to that taken when using social
 
media.
Additionally, players should be careful about:
Internet Safety
In-game violence
Cyber bullying
To keep personal data safe, one must:
Keeping their webcams off (other potentially
Not give unknown people (on the internet) personal
dangerous players
have direct access to your image)
information
or send pictures of oneself to them.
Predators may use voice masking technology to lure a
Maintain privacy settings to control which cookies are
user to
reveal their age, sex etc.
on their
computer
Cyber-attacks involving viruses, ransomware, etc.
Use learner friendly search engines and websites
recommended by
your educational institution, e.g.
znotes.org 8.3. Security of Data
The website being accessed is from a trusted source,
or has a
padlock symbol/ https protocol (s for secure): Hacking

Hackers are people who get into your computer system

without having
the rights. It can lead to corruption or loss
of data or a data
breach
Some prove that a system is vulnerable - maybe
employed to test
(ethical hacking)
Some want to steal data
Alter or destroy data
For fun or a challenge
Prevention:
Protect with authentication techniques (user ID and
password,
etc.)
  Have a backup of data in case of damage
Firewalls
Email Safety

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

User IDs User’s web browser sends a message, so it can

connect with
required website which is secured by SSL
To log on to a network, a user must type in a user ID Web browser requests that the web server identifies
User ID assigns user privilege once user logs in itself
The top-level privilege for a network is an administrator: Web server responds by sending a copy of its SSL
Able to set passwords and delete files from server etc. certificate
User privilege may only allow to access their own work Web browser checks if certificate is authentic
area Sends signal back to web browser
Starts to transmit data once connection is established
Passwords If not secure, browser will display an open padlock

After typing in user ID, the user will be requested to type Features of a Secure Web Page
in their
password
Generally, it is a combination of letters and numbers Webpage URL: If the webpage is secure, it will start with
Passwords are shown as stars (***) so nobody ‘https’ instead of ‘http’.
overlooking can see
it
Many systems ask for password to be typed in twice as a Padlock sign

verification
check, in case of input errors
To help protect the system, user has a finite number of Phishing
attempts
If password is forgotten, administrator must reset it Phishing is a fraudulent operation involving the use of
If password is forgotten on a website, it will be sent to emails
your
e-mail The creator sends out a legitimate looking email hoping to
gather
personal and financial information from the
Biometric Data recipient of the email
The message appears to be from a legitimate source (e.g.
Uses features of the human body unique to every
a famous
bank)
individual, such as
fingerprints, retina, iris, face and voice When the user clicks on the link, they are sent to a spoof
recognitions. It is used
in authentication techniques as it is website
very difficult / impossible to
replicate. They will be asked for personal info e.g. credit card
Advantages details, PINs
Usernames and passwords don’t have to be This could lead to identity theft
remembered ISPs attempt to filter out phishing emails
Almost impossible to replicate body parts.
Somebody else can’t gain access, like with a stolen Pharming
card
They can’t be forgotten, like a card Pharming is a scam in which malicious code is installed on
Disadvantages a
computer hard disk or a server
The readers are expensive This code can misdirect users to fraudulent websites
Damages in fingerprints can deny access without their
knowledge
Some people worry about their personal Phishing requires an email to be sent to every person who
information being
stored has been
targeted, while pharming does not require
emails to be sent out to
anyone
Digital Certificate Pharming can target a larger group of people more easily
How pharming works:
A digital certificate is an electronic passport used in the A hacker will infect the computer with a virus, either by
security
of data sent over the internet. sending an email or installing software on their
They can be attached with mails so that the receiver can computer when
they first visit their website
know that
the mail is sent from a trusted source. Once infected, the virus sends user to a fake website
that looks
identical to the one they wanted to visit
Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Personal info. from the user’s computer can be picked
up by the
pharmer/hacker
Type of protocol that allows data to be sent and received
Anti-spyware, anti-virus software or anti-pharming
securely
over the internet
software can
be used to identify this code and correct
When a user logs onto a website, SSL encrypts the data
the corruption
https or padlock in the status bar
When user wants to access a secure website:
Smishing

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

An attempt to extract a user’s confidential information via Moderated Forums Unmoderated Forums
SMS
(short message service) by tricking the user into Highly secure due to Personal information can be
downloading a
Trojan horse (a virus that masks itself). moderation obtained from you
It is phishing via SMS.
Not secure due to lack of
moderation
Preventing Phishing, Pharming & Smishing

User education Spam

Set up anti-malware and anti-spyware software
Enabling protocols such as SPF and DKIM Spam is electronic junk mail and is a type of advertising
Do not download random .exe (executable file formats), from a
company sent out to a target mailing list
.php, .bat,
.com etc. Harmless but can clog up networks and slow them down
Users should be alert and look out for clues when being It is more of a nuisance than a security risk
redirected to other websites. Many ISPs are good at filtering out spam, and prevent the
Therefore, technology enables unauthorised users to gain user from
getting these spam emails.
access to
otherwise inaccessible information. It is often necessary to put a legitimate email address into
If a person on the internet is asking for personal a
contact list to ensure wanted emails are not filtered out
information, or
to meet in real life or acting suspicious, by mistake
they should be reported
to cyber security agencies, or
one’s parents/guardians. Encryption
Websites/pop-ups can be made to mimic legitimate ones,
The conversion of data to code by encoding it
or seem too
good to be true, for e.g.lotrei.net instead of
lottery.com Done by using encryption software
Since data is encoded, it appears meaningless to a hacker
This technique prevents illegal access
Necessary to use decryption software to decode the data
Used to protect sensitive data e.g. banking details
Encryption keys are complex algorithms which makes
codes almost
unbreakable

Computer Viruses

It is a malicious program that replicates itself and is

designed to
cause harm to a computer system. They
Banks and organisations will never ask for a PIN to be spread through downloadable
files, external store media
(e.g. pen drives, etc.)
entered on
website like this.
May cause the computer to crash
Effects of phishing, pharming and Smishing on a Loss of files, corruption of the data
Viruses infect computers through email attachments,
user
illegal software
or downloaded files
Personal and sensitive information is lost, which can be Prevention of Viruses
Anti-virus software - Detects and then removes or
used for
previously stated purposes.
isolates and
use firewalls
Moderated & Unmoderated Forums Do not use illegal software
Only download from reputable sites
Online forums are places on the internet where people can
join
discussions on almost any topic and also add their views. The threats of using credit cards online and
prevention:
There are two types of forums:
Key logging/spywares: records the keys pressed on a
Moderated Forums Unmoderated Forums keyboard.
Has a moderator who checks Can be used to obtain credit card details, passwords
No moderator who checks the
comments before they are and
personal information.
comments
posted Use virtual keyboards to type in password.
There will be no spams or Spams, rude and offensive Install anti-spyware software.
rude and offensive comments comments present Bogus sites: sites that look exactly like the original sites,
Diversions from topic are but aren’t.
No diversions from the topic
possible

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

They can steal your card details and personal Authentication

Advantages Disadvantages
information when
you make purchases. Method
Always type in URLs, sometimes links in the mails can Inexpensive, as
be of
bogus sites. Can be easily hacked,
Passwords nothing other than a
Phishing, pharming and Smishing: can be forgotten
computer is required
They trick you to reveal card and personal details as
Highly recognized
responses
to messages or mails.
everywhere, very
Open attachments only from trusted sources. Fingerprint Intrusive, Damages
Install anti-spyware software. high accuracy, Easy
scans will prevent access
Hacking into secure sites to obtain the details:
to use, Relatively low
Encrypting the details will make it of no use to the storage requirement
hacker. Non-intrusive, very Problems occur if
Use strong passwords. Signature little time to identify, sign is not consistent,
Use firewalls. recognition Relatively low High error rate (one
Tapping into wireless networks: expensive in 50)
Always use a password-controlled Wi-Fi since it is Very intrusive,
Very high accuracy,
relatively
hard to tap into a secured Wi-Fi. relatively slow to
no known way to
Retina scans verify retina scans,
*ALL PREVENTION TECHNIQUES WRITTEN HERE
ALSO APPLY replicate a person’s
very expensive to
FOR THE THREATS IN GENERAL (NOT SPECIFIC TO CREDIT retina
install and set up
CARDS)
*
Very intrusive, Lot of
Very high accuracy,
Cloud Storage memory needed for
Verification time is
Iris recognition storage, very
usually less than 5
Your data is stored remotely and not on your computer, expensive to install
seconds
so you don’t
have control over the physical security of and set up
your data. Affected by changes
Non-intrusive,
Some of the data stored may be personal data which are Face in lighting, person’s
Relatively
open to
hackers, and have to be encrypted in order to recognition hairstyle, age and
inexpensive
prevent hackers from
obtaining them. spectacles
The company providing the storage may go out of
business. In this
case what has to be done to the data will
have to be considered. 9. Audience
The company providing the storage will have to put in all
its
efforts and safety measures in order to keep your data
safe.
9.1. Audience Appreciation
If the company providing the storage doesn’t backup your
data, you
may lose it in case of power cuts or fires, etc.
Knowing Your Audience

When designing ICT solutions, you must consider

Firewalls
audience
There are 4 main characteristics of an audience
A firewall sits between the user’s computer and an
external
network (internet) and filter information in and Age:
Can affect audience’s interests in your product
out of the computer
Tasks carried out by firewall: Large fonts and colours attract children
More stylish and trendy layout attracts young adults
Examining ‘traffic’
Gender
Checking weather incoming or outgoing data meets
criteria Design product for a specific gender
If data fails the criteria, the firewall blocks ‘traffic’ Younger girls are often attracted to pink
Males generally prefer blue spectrum
Firewall can keep a list of all undesirable IP addresses
Income
Helping to prevent viruses or hackers entering the
user’s
computer Knowing this will help in attractive pricing strategies
Promoting certain products are targeted for people
Methods of Internet Security within a
specific range of incomes
Interests
Authentication Can help with advertising content
Advantages Disadvantages Content that meets the exact description of audience’s
Method
interest
is more likely to attract them to your product

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

  It is an automatic right and does not need applying for

The person who owns the rights must be asked before
Audience Needs it can be
used again
Software is a specific thing created and written on a
After finding out about your targeted audience you need computer
to aim to
meet those demands Needs to be protected as it is so easy for people to
Developers of the ICT product must ensure that they meet copy
as many of
these needs as possible This is a way of protecting software from being used
Common Needs for Common Audiences: without
permission
Users create a license which determines the terms
Audience Needs and conditions
Bright/cheerful colours
Animations/sounds/pictures  

Less text
Copyright Laws
Young children Simple wording
Large text It is not legal to make a copy of software, then sell it or
Games/activities give it
away to other people
Software cannot be used on a network unless a network
Easy to use
license has
been acquired
Attractive/stylish colours Not legal to use coding from software in your own
Interesting content software without
permission
Teens & adults Balance of pictures and text Renting out software without permission is illegal
Clear fonts It is illegal to use the name of copyrighted software
Bullet points without
permission

Contrasting/easy-to-read colours  
Include clear instructions
Use slightly larger font sizes Software Protection
Seniors
Fewer technical terms
Installed software will require a unique reference number
Consistent design User will have to accept license agreement
Easy to use Holograms are used to indicate software is original
Software may only run if CD-ROM or DVD-ROM is actually
  in the drive
Some software will only run if a memory stick is plugged
Potential Problems in USB
ports

If products are not built towards a specific audience well  

then
problems may arise
An older audience may not be able to understand or read Creating ICT Solutions
text due to
poor font design
A younger audience may not be able to understand ICT solutions, for e.g. a website should be made in
accordance to
the legal, moral, ethical and cultural beliefs
certain text due to
complex wording & structure
of the target
audience.
Several audiences may just not find content interesting
since it is
not relevant enough to them
 
Several audiences may not find content attractive enough
and thus
not purchase or use it at all Implications of ICT Solutions
Younger & older audience may not understand how to use
the product
due to lack of simple instruction When creating an ICT solution, all the following have to be
considered and the solution must be made in response
9.2. Legal, Moral, Ethical & Cultural and respect to
these factors:
Legal: Ensure copyright laws are abided by including
Appreciation not using
any coding or branding from existing
copyrighted software.
Copyright Legislation Morality: To distinguish from right or wrong.
Sometimes it
may not be illegal to carry out an act
A law that protects books, music art and other media that
however it could be
against your morals. For example,
are
written is copyright law

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

setting up a fake website to

deceive is not illegal but Some of the rules that the netiquette contains is:
questions your level of morality. Don’t be abusive
Ethics: Is to break a code of conduct. For example, Don’t send spam
disclosure of information about the new software to a Be precise
rival
software publisher or to the press. Check spelling and grammatical errors
Culture: When software is released in different Ensure attachments are not too large
cultures
then care must be taken so that people are Don’t use CAPITAL LETTERS to highlight comments
not offended. If
certain computer games mock religion Don’t plagiarize
or cultural beliefs, then
again this could cause offence. Don’t use too many emoticons

 
10. Communication
User ID and Password Protection
10.1. Email Email services require a user ID to authenticate users
Passwords should contain alphabets, numbers and
National Laws special characters
(#, *).
Email Groups
In some countries, emails are monitored or read, thus Easier to send out multiple mails by grouping them under
limiting the
topics on which you can speak. one name.
Companies and organization can group people according
 
to their
target group for marketing purposes.
Spammers can create email groups by buying addresses
Acceptable Language
of people from
a certain company and send in easier
Language used in emails must lie within an acceptable ways.
code of
practice. The following is a list of unacceptable Companies use email groups to set up meetings. Typing
content that are
beyond the code of practice: out individual
addresses may leave out a few mail IDs.
Obscene images
Abusive language 10.2. Internet Fundamentals
Racist, exploitative and violent messages
Use of illegal materials in messages *INTERNET AND INTRANET EXPLAINED IN CHAPTER 4*

  The world wide web (WWW) is a system of interlinked

hypertext
documents accessed via the Internet
Copyright Protocols are a set of rules that are followed between the
sender
and recipient of data which is being transferred
Copyright laws apply to text in emails. Forwarding a block between devices.
of text
or an image without the copyright owner’s HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP):
A protocol that is
permission, it would be
illegal. followed between the sending and receiving
devices when
data is being transferred using the internet.
 
HyperText Transfer Protocol secure variant
(HTTPS):
HTTP that is followed when data being transferred is
Employer Guidelines
encrypted.**
Hyperlink: Data that redirects
the user to another
If the rules in the ‘contract of employment’ set out by the
webpage/section of same webpage/file when
clicked.
employer
is not obeyed, you would be in breach of your
File Transfer Protocol(FTP): Used
to upload website files to
contract and could be
dismissed.
the web hosting space. To upload these
files successfully,
  the user needs:
An FTP client
Security Login details to the web hosting server (host and port
used,
username and password for FTP.
Emails containing personal information should be
encrypted to
prevent hackers from understanding the  
information if they manage to
hack into the email.
Cloud storage:
 
The storage of data (remotely) on the internet.
Netiquette This data is accessible by the user with the requirement of
an
appropriate authentication technique (e.g. user ID and

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

password). Vast amount of information on the internet- easier to

locate than
using indices in books
  Information on the internet however may be relevant or
correct, not
reliable, inaccurate or even biased- it does
Search Engine: not go through any
checking process
Information overload can make it difficult for the user to
A search Engine is used to find information on the internet
find
relevant information
without
knowing the (Uniform Resource Locator) of the
Ensure use of reliable websites that properly cite all their
webpage holding the
information.
sources
  Always look for primary sources of information & form
own
conclusions
Blog Do not quote/use secondary often biased opinions or
gossip
Personal internet journals where the writer posts their Do your research
observations
on a topic
No training is needed to do this
Blogs range from minor projects (e.g. people gossiping
11. File Management
about a
topic) to important subjects such as politics or
advertising
products 11.1. Manage Files Effectively
Comments are not immune from the law
Bloggers can be prosecuted for offensive comments Extension
Full form Used for/in:
name
 
Stylesheets in
css Cascading Stylesheet
Wiki webpages
Comma Separated
Software allowing users to easily create and edit web csv Store tabular data
Value
pages without
using any web browser Graphics Interchange
A wiki will support hyperlinks and has a very simple syntax gif Moving images
Format
(language rules) for creating pages
Hypertext Mark-up
Wikis are described as ‘web pages with an edit button’ htm Webpages
(Language)
Anyone can use wikis- content should be treated with
caution Joint Photographic
jpg Standard for images
Example of a wiki: Wikipedia Experts Group
Documents to be
  Portable Document
pdf circulated over the
Format
internet/email
Social Networking
Portable Network
png Compressed images
These sites focus on building online communities of users Graphic
who share
the same interests Word processed
rtf Rich Text Format
Enable people to share photos of themselves, their documents
favourite music
and videos, what they like to do, what they txt Text (File) Simple Text files
like to eat etc. Sending multiple files
Example: Facebook zip as one compressed file
These are becoming the modern way of interacting over the internet
socially
They allow people to communicate across the world and Generic file formats can be opened by any software to
share their
interests and views with many people.
access the
data held in them.

10.3. Information on the Internet 11.2. Reduce File Sizes for Storage or
Information is more likely to be up to date than in books, Transmission
since
websites can be updated very quickly
Much easier to get information from websites- search Files that are smaller in size upload and download faster
engines link
key words together and find information that than
larger ones and thus are better for transferring data.
matches the criteria-
cause for popularity

12. Images

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

An image should be edited when doing so will enhance its Page, section and column breaks are used to ensure that
usefulness. widows and
orphans are not present in a document (these
show poor typography).
A mail merge document is created in order to create a
13. Layout standard
template and then use it to send documents
personalised (by the
computer system) for the respective
Headers and footers ensure each page has all the recipient of the document
required
information like the page numbers, logos, titles,
etc.
A common mnemonic is "An orphan has no past; a widow 17. Data Manipulation
has no
future"
17.1. Create a Database Structure
14. Styles Flat file databases are tables that have data sorted in
rows and
columns, whereas relational databases are
Several organisations use a ‘corporate house style or
several tables grouped
together to from a link, thus
corporate
branding, which is used to print on websites,
preventing unnecessary repetition of
data.
visiting cards,
letters, etc. It refers to a specific style of
Primary key: The key field of a table which is unique and
fonts and formats
used in the making of ICT solutions by
identifies
each record
organisations.
Foreign key: The field linked to the primary field of the
A corporate house style when used effectively identifies
table
linked to through a relationship
the users
of the style.
Consistent styles enable users to associate a particular Relational database Flat-file database
organisation with a style and also show consistency in the
Complex queries can be
ICT
solutions created by the organisation Poor at complex queries
carried out
Better security Poor at limiting access
15. Proofing Cater for future requirements
Harder to update, so
inherently inefficient
15.1. Software Tools Data is only stored once Potential duplication
Require more planning Easy to design
When a person’s/organisation’s name is entered or Non-unique records
sometimes newly
coined terms are used, spell checkers Harder to change data
might pick these up as errors,
because they are not found format.
in the dictionary. This makes spell
checkers less efficient.
Validation ensures that the data being entered into an ICT
At times placeholders for media such as images, sound
solution
is reasonable and makes sense. Entered data is
bites and
video clips are used to enhance the usability of a
checked against set
criteria to be validated.
database

15.2. Proofing Techniques 17.2. Test the Data Model

Verification: checking of data when copied from one
A model prepared needs to be tested before being used
medium to
another to prevent errors.
to ensure that
all results computed are accurate. The test
Verification is also important and is a way of preventing a
plan must be justified
to be apt for the model. E.g. all the
difference in data when it’s being transferred from one
mathematical operations must
be tested in a model that
system to
another. This tries to make sure data entered is
relies on calculations.
correct, relative
to the source.
Definitions:
Testing: Checking if the designed model delivers the
16. Document Production expected
outcome when tested with data.
Test data: The input data used for testing model.
Expected outcome: The output a model is supposed to
Widow: A paragraph-ending line that falls at the beginning
give with
the test data.
of the
following page or column, thus separated from the
Actual outcome: The output a model actually gives the
rest of the
text.
user when
the test data is input.
Orphan: A paragraph-opening line that appears by itself
at the
bottom of a page or column, thus separated from
the rest of the
text. 18. Data Analysis

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

Testing: Checking if the designed model delivers the

18.1. Create a Data Model
expected
outcome when tested with data.
Test data: The input data used for testing model.
Charts: A graphical representation of (usually tabulated)
Expected outcome: The output a model is supposed to
data
give with
the test data.
Accurate data ensures the results obtained by the
Actual outcome: The output a model actually gives the
processing of data
is relevant, which is essential to the
usability of the model user when
the test data is input.
Formulae are mathematical operators defined by the user
to perform a
function, whereas functions are predefined
logical and mathematical
operations a user can use in a
19. Website Authoring
spreadsheet
Mathematical operations are performed in the order 19.1. Web Development Layers
PEMDAS
(Parenthesis [Brackets] Exponents Multiplication
Division Addition
Subtraction). Brackets are used to Content/Structure layer: Holds the content of the
notate data used by a function,
e.g. =SUM (A2:A10). webpage structure.
Relative cell referencing is made when the cell reference Presentation layer: The layer responsible for the
is
supposed to change when the cell it is referred to in is formatting of a
webpage(s) or elements (using a
changing.
It aids more efficient designing of models. stylesheet).
Absolute cell
referencing is made when the cell Behaviour layer: scripting language of a web page or an
referenced stays constant when the
cell it is referred to in individual
element
is changing. This aids the preparation of
a model when a
set of data is constantly being referred to
throughout the 19.2. Create a Webpage
model. Cell reference or relative cell reference
describes
how far away a cell or group of cells is from some other Tables make the basic structure of a webpage and
cell in the same spreadsheet. Basically, the cell’s address organise page
layout.
A model prepared needs to be tested before being used Anchor: An element in a webpage that creates a hyperlink
to ensure that
all results computed are accurate. between a
source anchor and a destination anchor. These
Definitions: can be used to link 2
resources together.
Cells: A space for data to be entered a table; a box Relative file paths are used for attached stylesheets as
formed by
the intersection of columns and rows the
stylesheet is going to be stored on a server in the
Rows: Horizontal boxes that divide the table in same directory
as the webpage, and not where it an
segments absolute file path says.
Columns: Vertical boxes that divide the table in Definitions:
segments Relative file path: A path referring to a file in the same
Sheets: A table of data directory relative to the page the reference is made in.
Tabs: A module of a database program that holds the Absolute file path: The full path of a file, which is not
tables on
the computer, relative to anything, whereas relative links only point
Pages: Full pieces of papers that contain information to a
file or a file path, the browser then redirects the
held on
one sheet of paper. user to
that location on the current site.
Ranges: A group of cells in a table Absolute paths always include the domain name of
Named cell: A cell in a table that is given a name (like the
website
‘profit
margin’) and can be referred to using that These should not be used to refer to locally saved
name. webpages as the computer the webpage is stored
Named range A group of cells in a table that are given on (the
server) is not the same as where the
a name
(like ‘Pricing’) and can be referred to using that webpage was developed
and thus an absolute file
name. path would point to the wrong
address.
Nested formulae/function: A formula/function used
inside a
formula/function as an argument
19.3. Use stylesheets
18.2. Test the Data Model CSS (cascading stylesheet) is a text-based language which
is
attached to webpages to set their format. CSS files have
A model prepared needs to be tested before being used a “.css”
extension
to ensure that
all results computed are accurate. The test These should be attached using relative file paths as they
plan must be justified
to be apt for the model. E.g. all the are
stored along with the webpage and thus can be linked
mathematical operations must
be tested in a model that relative to
them.
relies on calculations. Internal CSS have more preference over Inline CSS
Definitions:

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)

If several external stylesheets are attached to one web All files in one folder
page,
the stylesheet attached last (at the bottom of that Host Name/URL/IP address for ftp
part of the
code) is given preference over the other Host port to be used for upload
attached ones). Username and password
The test plan used to test a webpage must be justified
19.4. Test and Publish a Website based on the
elements being tested. E.g. If hyperlinks are
being tested, it makes
to check if all the hyperlinks are
To upload and publish content on a website using FTP, a redirecting the user to the
correct webpage/ section of
user must
have: webpage.
FTP client software

WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE
ICT (0417)

Copyright 2021 by ZNotes

These notes have been created by Krish Theobald, Akshya SP and Anand Sankar for the 2017 syllabus
This website and its content is copyright of ZNotes Foundation - © ZNotes Foundation 2021. All rights reserved.
The document contains images and excerpts of text from educational resources available on the internet and
printed books. If you are the owner of such media, test or visual, utilized in this document and do not accept its
usage then we urge you to contact us and we would immediately replace said media.
No part of this document may be copied or re-uploaded to another website without the express, written
permission of the copyright owner. Under no conditions may this document be distributed under the name of
false author(s) or sold for financial gain; the document is solely meant for educational purposes and it is to
remain a property available to all at no cost. It is current freely available from the website www.znotes.org
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-ShareAlike 4.0 International
License.