Sending an email and using an online messaging service (e.g. WhatsApp) are example of digital communication.

A device driver is software installed as part of the computer’s operating system which manages communication to/from and the functions of a specific device on a computer system.  All devices attached to a computer, e.g. mouse, keyboard, printer, camera, have drivers which tell the computer how they operate.  Different makes and models of device have different drivers.

A Database enables the user to create, store and manage structured data.  Many of the world’s computer systems and software used by companies are database programs, handling large amounts of data, mainly about people.

Cloud Storage is data stored on an internet server in a different place rather than a local computer or server.

When a number of files are compressed (made smaller to save storage space), they can be ZIPPED to a special folder.  This folder is shown using a folder with a ZIP across it.

Phishing is an attempt to obtain sensitive information from a user by pretending to be a trustworthy entity, e.g. a bank or reputable company.  Someone who is phishing might send an email to someone (or a number of people) pretending to be from the person’s bank.  The email might ask for information such as account number, internet banking details or PIN, or might have a link to an untrustworthy website which looks very similar to a real company website.

RAM standards for RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY.  It is the memory on the circuit board that the computer uses to store data and process programs and user instructions on a temporary basis.  The computer can WRITE to and READ from RAM.  The data stored in RAM changes all the time in a computer as different data and programs are processed.  It is different to ROM which is READ ONLY MEMORY – this has data stored permanently and the computer can only read it.

Digital Literacy is not to do with reading or writing about computers or digital devices.  It is the ability to use digital devices in different ways, effectively and safely, knowing how to navigate, evaluate and create information effectively.

HTTP means HyperText Transfer Protocol.  The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is the foundation of the World Wide Web, and is used to load webpages using hypertext links.

The icon is used for TOOLS.

A web browser is software on a device (including mobile devices) that enables the user to look at pages from different websites.  Web browsers interpret the code of the website and display the text, images, video and other features on the screen, formatting everything in the right place.  Examples of web browsers include Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome and Safari (usually on Apple devices).

URL means Uniform Resource Locator.  A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is a unique identifier used to locate a resource on the Internet. It is also referred to as a web address. URLs consist of multiple parts, including a protocol and domain name, that tell a web browser how and where to find a resource (a page, image, document or anything else that can be accessed on the internet)

A FIREWALL is a piece of software which monitors the traffic or data entering a network and allow or blocks content according to the rules which have been set.  This is called filtering.  For example, a firewall can stop people outside the network from accessing the network and can stop certain types of content (e.g. harmful content) from being access and displayed by users of the network.

The format is pdf which means Portable Document Format.  A PDF file can be created from a text file (e.g. in Microsoft Word) and then made available for people to read.  A PDF file can usually be display and read on different devices, which is why it is known as Portable.

A jpg (joint photographic expert group) is used for images.
An exe file is an executable program on a computer.
An mp3 is a sound file.

The icon is the icon for a FOLDER

Adobe Photoshop is an example of graphic design software.  It can be used to create and manipulate images in lots of creative ways.

A search engine is used to search for pages on the internet.  Examples of search engines are GOOGLE, Microsoft Bing, Yahoo! and Ask.com.  A web browser is the software used to view pages on the internet, including search engines and the results from a search engine.

A web browser cache stores data from the websites a user has visited frequently or recently so that the loading time for these websites is fast when they are access again.  A web browser cache can be deleted.