| Term | Description |
|---|
| mA | Milliampere
|
| MAC | Macintosh (Apple Macintosh Computer) +
Mandatory/Media/Medium Access Control +
Message Authentication Code
|
| Mac OS | Mac OS is the OS used on Macintosh computers. There are two distinctively different versions of it; everything prior to version 10 (sometimes called Mac OS Classic) and everything version 10 or later (called Mac OS X). |
| Mac OS Classic | The OS created by Apple and originally used by Macs is frequently (albeit slightly incorrectly) referred to as Mac OS Classic (officially Mac OS Classic is this original OS running under the modern Mac OS X in emulation. Mac OS combines the functionality of both an OS and a window manager and is often considered to be the easiest OS to use. It is partially multitasking but will still sometimes crash when dealing with a buggy program. It is probably the second most popular OS, next only to Windows 'XP (although it is quickly losing ground to Mac OS X) and has excellent driver support and boasts a fair selection of games. Mac OS will run on PowerPC and 68xx based machines. |
| Mac OS X | Mac OS X (originally called Rhapsody) is the industrial strength OS produced by Apple to run on PowerPC systems (replacing what is often referred to as Mac OS Classic. Mac OS X is at its heart a variant of UNIX and possesses its underlying power (and the ability to run many of the traditional UNIX tools, including the GNU tools). It also was designed to mimic other OSes on demand via what it originally refered to as "boxes" (actually high-performance emulators); it has the built-in capability to run programs written for older Mac OS (via its "BlueBox", officially called Mac OS Classic) and work was started on making it also run Windows '95 / '98 / ME software (via what was called its "YellowBox"). There are also a few rumors going around that future versions may even be able to run Newton software (via the "GreenBox"). It provides a selection of two window managers built-in: Aqua and X-Windows (with Aqua being the default). |
| MacBinary | A file format for transferring Macintoshfiles between different computer platforms, that allows the separate data andresource forks of the Macintosh to be stored together in a datafork. MacBinaryfiles are distinguished by the .bin file extension. Binhexis generally preferred over MacBinary. |
| MACH | Multilayer Actuator Head [Epson]
|
| machine language | Machine language consists of the raw numbers that can be directly understood by a particular processor. Each processor's machine language will be different from other processors' machine language. Although called "machine language", it is not usually what people think of when talking about computer languages. Machine language dressed up with mnemonics to make it a bit more human-readable is called assembly language. |
| Macintosh | Computer developed by AppleComputers, first released in 1984. The Macintosh was one of the firstcomputers to use a graphicaluser interface. Today, Apple continues to produce many different models ofMacintosh. |
| MacOS | The operatingsystem produced by Applefor their Macintoshcomputers. |
| Macro | A sequence of commands and/or datainput that has been stored for the purpose of fast and easy playback. |
| MADE | Manufacturing and Automated Design Engineering
|
| MADYMO | Mathematical Dynamic Modeling [TNO]
|
| MAE | Merit Access Exchange + Metropolitan Area Ethernet
|
| MAGMA | Minimal Architecture for Generalized Markup Applications
|
| mAh | Milliampere-Hour
|
| MAI | Multiple Applications Interface
|
| mainframe | A mainframe is any computer larger than a small piece of furniture. A modern mainframe is more powerful than a modern workstation, but more expensive and more difficult to maintain. |
| MAJC | Microprocessor Architecture for Java Computing [Sun]
|
| MAN | Manual [Unix] + Metropolitan Area Network
|
| MANIAC | Mathematical Analyzer Numerical
Integrator and Computer
|
| MANPAGE | Manual Page [Unix]
|
| MAP | Maintenance Analysis Procedures +
Manufacturing Automation Protocol +
Memory Allocation Map
|
| MAPI | Mail/Messaging Applications Programming
Interface [Microsoft]
|
| MAPICS | Manufacturing, Accounting and Production
Information Control System [IBM]
|
| MARC | Machine Readable Cataloging +
Multi-Technology Automated Reader Card
|
| MARVEL | Machine-Assisted Realization of the Virtual
Electronic Library [Library of Congress]
|
| MASM | Macro Assembler [Microsoft]
|
| MASS | Maximum Availability and Support
Subsystem [Parallan]
|
| MAT | Maintenance Access Terminal
|
| Math Coprocessor | See FloatingPoint Unit. |
| MAU | Media Access/Adapter Unit + Multistation Access Unit
|
| MAVDM | Multiple Application VDM
|
| MAX | Maximum
|
| MB | Megabyte (1,024 kilobytes) +
Middle Button (of 3 button Mouse)
|
| MBASIC | Microsoft BASIC [Microsoft]
|
| MBCS | Multi-Byte Character Set [IBM]
|
| MBONE | Multicast Backbone [Internet]
|
| MBps | Megabytes Per Second
|
| MBR | Master Boot Record
|
| MBX | Mailbox
|
| MC-PGA | Metallized Ceramic - Pin Grid Array
|
| MC-QFP | Metallized Ceramic - Quad Flat Pack
|
| MCA | Micro Channel Adapter/Architecture [IBM]
|
| MCAD | Mechanical Computer Aided Design
|
| MCB | Memory Control Block
|
| MCF | Meta Content Framework
|
| MCGA | Multicolor Graphics Array
|
| MCH | Memory Controller Hub [Intel]
|
| MCI | MCI Communications Corp. (name from initials of
original company - Microwave Communications, Inc.) +
Media Control Interface [Microsoft]
|
| MCL | Microsoft Compatibility Labs [Microsoft]
|
| MCM | Multi-Chip Module
|
| MCNE | Master Certified Novell Engineer [Novell]
|
| MCPS | Microsoft Certified Product Specialist [Microsoft]
|
| MCR | Modem Control Register
|
| MCSD | Microsoft Certified Systems Developer [Microsoft]
|
| MCSE | Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer [Microsoft]
|
| MCU | Microcontroller Unit + Multi-Chip Unit [DEC] +
Multipoint Control Unit
|
| MD | Make Directory + Mini Disk [Sony] + Monochrome Display
|
| MDA | Model Drive Architecture + Monochrome Display Adapter +
Multidimensional Analysis
|
| MDDBMS | Multidimensional Data Base Management System
|
| MDI | Memory Display Interface +
Multiple Document Interface
|
| MDIC | Manchester Decoder and Interface Chip [AT&T]
|
| MDK | Multimedia Developers Kit [Microsoft]
|
| MDLP | Mobile Data Link Protocol
|
| MDR | Metadata Repository + Minimum Design Requirement
|
| MDX | Multi-Dimensional Expressions
|
| MDY | Month Day Year
|
| MEB | Memory Expansion Board
|
| MED | Minimum Expected Delay
|
| Media | Items used to hold data, including floppydisks, harddisks, tapes, CD-R0Ms,etc. |
| MEG | Megabyte
|
| Megabyte | 1024 kilobytes(about one million byteshence megabyte). Usually abbreviated Mb or MB as in 30 Mb. |
| MegaFLOPS | Million Floating point Operations Per Second. Ameasure of computing power; specifically, the speed at which certainmathematical functions are performed. Also called MFLOPS. |
| megahertz | A million cycles per second, abbreviated MHz. This is often used misleadingly to indicate processor speed, because while one might expect that a higher number would indicate a faster processor, that logic only holds true within a given type of processors as different types of processors are capable of doing different amounts of work within a cycle. For a current example, either a 200 MHz PowerPC or a 270 MHz SPARC will outperform a 300 MHz Pentium. |
| Megahertz (Mhz) | Describes the speedat which a computer runs. Abbreviated MHz or Mhz. Do not take the speed at whicha processor runs to be absolute. For instance a machine with a PowerPCprocessor running at 90 MHz may perform some tasks more quickly than an Pentiummachine running at 120 MHz, and the Pentium may be faster at others. |
| MEM | Memory
|
| Memory | A temporary storage area forinformation and applications. RAM,ROM,conventionalmemory, expandedmemory, and extendedmemory are all different types of memory. RAM and harddisk space should not be confused. RAM is temporary storage while the harddisk offers semi-permanent storage. |
| Memory Protection | Acapability of some operating systems to control a program's access to memory, sothat one program cannot corrupt the memory allocated to another program. Memoryprotection will often allow a single program to crash without affecting otherprograms, or the system as a whole. |
| Memory Resident Program | See TSR. |
| MEMS | Micro-Electro-Mechanical System
|
| Menu | A screen image displaying a series ofoptions from which the user can choose. |
| Menu Bar | A one-line, horizontal menu at the top of thescreen; usually found in GUIs. |
| Merced | The Merced is a RISC processor developed by Intel with help from Hewlett-Packard and possibly Sun. It is just starting to be released, but is intended to eventually replace both the x86 and PA-RISC processors. Curiously, HP is recommending that everyone hold off using the first release and instead wait for the second one. It is expected some day to be roughly as fast as an Alpha or PowerPC. It is expected to be supported by future versions of Solaris, Windows-NT, HP-UX, Mac OS X, and Linux. The current semi-available Merced processor is called the Itanium. Its overall schedule is way behind, and some analysts predict that it never will really be released in significant quanitities. |
| MERCI | Multimedia European Research Conferencing Integration
|
| MES | Manufacturing Execution System
|
| MESI | Modified, Exclusive, Shared and Invalid (protocol)
|
| MET | Memory Enhancement Technology [Hewlett-Packard]
|
| MFC | Microsoft Foundation Class [Microsoft]
|
| MFFS | Microsoft Flash File System [Microsoft]
|
| MFI | Multifunction Interpreter
|
| MFIOP | Multifunction I/O Processor
|
| MFLOPS | Million Floating Point Operations Per Second
|
| MFM | Modified Frequency Modulation
|
| MFP | Multi-Function Peripheral/Printer/Product
|
| MFPI | Multifunction Peripheral Interface
|
| MFS | Macintosh File System [Macintosh] +
Magnetic Tape Field Search + Memory File System
Modified Filing System [Revelation Technologies]
|
| MFT | Master File Table +
Multiprogramming with a Fixed number of Tasks
|
| MGA | Monochrome Graphics Adapter
|
| MGCP | Media Gateway Control Protocol
|
| MGE | Modular GIS Environment
|
| MGET | Multiple Get [Unix]
|
| MGML | Minimal Generalized Markup Language
|
| MGR | Manager
|
| MHS | Message Handling Service + Message Handling System
|
| MHz | Megahertz
|
| MI | Management Interface
|
| MI/MIC | Mode Indicate/Mode Indicate Common
|
| MIB | Management Information Base
|
| MIC | Message Integrity Check
|
| MICR | Magnetic Ink Character Recognition
|
| MICRO | One-millionth
|
| Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) | A busstandard developed by IBMfor the high-end models of their PS/2 line of personal computers. MCA is nolonger used. |
| Microchip | A small, silicon object containing microscopiccircuitry. |
| Microsoft | A huge softwarecompany founded and run by Bill Gates. Microsoft produces MS-DOSand Windows.Microsoft also produces a number of applications including Word for Windows andthe Macintosh,Excel for Windows and the Macintosh, and Flight Simulator. |
| MICS | Macro Interpretive Commands
|
| MID | Mobile Information Device
|
| middleware | Software designed to sit in between an OS and applications. Common examples are Java and Tcl/Tk. |
| MIDI | Musical Instrument Digital Interface
|
| MIDP | Mobile Information Device Profile
|
| MIF | Management Information Format
|
| MIG | Metal In Gap
|
| MII | Microsoft/IBM/Intel
|
| MIL | Machine Interface Layer [Go Corporation] +
|
| MIM | Map Image Metafile + Metal-Insulator-Metal (screen)
|
| MIMD | Multiple Instruction Multiple Data Stream (processor)
|
| MIME | Multimedia Internet Message Extensions +
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions
|
| MIN | Minimum + Mobile Identification Number
|
| MIND | Microsoft Internet Developer [Microsoft]
|
| MINUET | Minnesota Internet Users Essential Tools [Internet]
|
| MIPS | Million Instructions Per Second
|
| MIS | Management Information System +
Multimedia Information Sources [Internet]
|
| MISC | Miscellaneous
|
| MIX | Member Information Exchange
|
| MKDIR | Make Directory
|
| ML | Machine Language + Meta Language
|
| MLAPI | Multilingual Application Programming Interface
|
| MLC | Multilayer Ceramic +
Multilevel Cell (program) [Internet]
|
| MLE | Multi-Line Editor
|
| MLID | Multi-Link Interface Driver
|
| MLM | Mailing List Manager [Internet]
|
| MLP | Meridian Lossless Packing
|
| MLPPP | Multilink PPP
|
| MM | Minutes + Month
|
| MMA | Microcomputer Managers Association
|
| MMC | Matched Memory Cycle + Microcomputer Marketing Council +
Microsoft Management Console [Microsoft] +
Multimedia Card
|
| MMCD | MultiMedia Compact Disk
|
| MMCX | Multimedia Communication Exchange [Lucent Technologies]
|
| MMDS | Multi-channel Multipoint Distribution Service
|
| MMF | Multi Mode Fiber (cable)
|
| MMI | Man-Machine Interface
|
| MMIS | Materials Manager Information System
|
| MMPM | Multi Media Presentation Manager
|
| MMS | Multimedia Messaging Service
|
| MMU | Memory Management Unit
|
| MMVF | Multimedia Video File [NEC]
|
| MMX | Matrix Manipulation Extensions [Intel] +
Multimedia Extensions
|
| MNOS | Metal Nitride Oxide Semiconductor
|
| MNP | Microcom Networking Protocol [Microcom]
|
| MO | Magneto-Optical (disk drive)
|
| MOB | Memory-Order Buffer
|
| MOBO | Mother Board
|
| MOD | Module + Modulus
|
| MODEM | Modulator Demodulator
|
| Modula-2 | Modula-2 is an object-oriented language based on Pascal by its original author in 1977. Modula-3 is a further enhanced form. Both versions are compiled languages. |
| MOHLL | Machine Oriented High Level Language
|
| MOLAP | Multidimensional On-Line Analytical Processing
|
| MOM | Manufacturing Operations Management +
Message-Oriented Middleware +
Microsoft Office Manager [Microsoft]
|
| MONET | Multiwavelength Optical Networking
|
| Monitor | A hardware device used todisplay the visual output of a computer. Uses a CRTtube (the same tube used in a TV). |
| MONO | Monaural
|
| Monochrome | A monitor that displays only one color. Somemonochrome monitors can also display various shades of gray and are calledgray-scale monitors. |
| Monospaced Font | See Fixed-widthfont |
| MOO | MUD, Object Oriented [Internet]
|
| MOP | Maintenance Operations Protocol
|
| MOPS | Million Operations Per Second
|
| MOS | Magneto-Optic Storage + Mean Opinion Score +
Metal Oxide Semiconductor
|
| Mosaic | A freeware Webbrowser, developed by the NCSA (National Center for SupercomputingApplications). |
| MOSFET | Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor
|
| MOTD | Message Of The Day
|
| Motherboard | The main circuit boardin a computer. The CPUis located on the motherboard. |
| Motif | Motif is a popular commercial window manager that runs under X-Windows. Free work-alike versions are also available. |
| Motorola | Manufacturer of computerchips. Makes the 680x0chip family, and is part of the industry group that developed the PowerPCchips. |
| Mouse | A mouse is a small device with aball on the bottom. As you move the mouse across a surface, the ball turns,turning receptors inside the mouse. These receptors send signals to the computerwhich cause a pointer or cursor on screen to move in a way which corresponds tothe direction and speed the mouse was moved (Try turning the mouse backward-away from the computer- and moving it.). There are also optical mouses, thattrack the motion of the mouse by reflecting light off of a special mouse pad. |
| MOV | Metal Oxide Varistor + Move
|
| MOVS | Move String
|
| MP | Massively Parallel (processing) + Multiple Processors
|
| MP3 | MPEG Audio Layer 3
|
| MPC | Multimedia Personal Computer + Multipath Channel
|
| MPCS | Mission Planning and Control Station (Software)
|
| MPE | Multiple Programming Executive [HP]
|
| MPEG | Moving Picture Experts Group
|
| MPI | Message Passing Interface + Multiprecision Integer
|
| MPLS | Multi Protocol Label Switching [Cisco]
|
| MPM | Message Passing Library [IBM]
|
| MPMD | Multiple Processor/Multiple Data
|
| MPOA | Multi-Protocol over Asynchronous-Transfer-Mode
|
| MPP | Massively Parallel Processing/Processors +
Message Posting Protocol + Message Processing Program
|
| MPQP | Multi-Protocol Quad Port [IBM]
|
| MPR | Multipart Repeater + Multi Protocol Router [Novell]
|
| MPS | Multiprocessor Specification
|
| MPTN | Multi-Protocol Transport Network
|
| MPTS | Multi-Protocol Transport Services
|
| MPU | Microprocessor Unit
|
| MQI | Messaging and Queuing Interface [IBM]
|
| MR | Magneto Resistive + Modem Ready
|
| MRAM | Magnetic Random Access Memory
|
| MRCF | Microsoft Realtime Compression Format
|
| MRCI | Microsoft Realtime Compression Interface
|
| MRI | Magnetic Resonance Imaging
|
| MRM | Most Recently-Used Master
|
| MRO | Multi-Region Operation
|
| MRP | Manufacturing Resources Planning +
Materials Requirement Planning
|
| MRPL | Main Ring Path Length
|
| MRS | Media Recognition System
|
| MRT | Mean Repair Time
|
| MRU | Maximum Receive Unit + Most Recently Used
|
| MS | Memory System + Message Store + Microsecond +
Microsoft Corporation + Millisecond
|
| MS-DOS | Microsoft - Disk Operating System [Microsoft]
|
| MS-DOS Prompt | See commandprompt. |
| MS-Windows | MS-Windows is the name collectively given to several somewhat incompatible OSes all produced by Microsoft. They are: Windows CE, Windows NT, Windows 3.1, Windows '95, Windows '98, Windows ME, Windows 2000, and Windows XP. |
| MSACM | Microsoft Audio Compression Manager [Microsoft]
|
| MSAU | Multi-Station Access Unit
|
| MSAV | Microsoft Anti Virus [Microsoft]
|
| MSB | Most Significant Bit
|
| MSBF | Mean Swaps Between Failures
|
| MSC | Mobile Switching Center
|
| MSCDEX | Microsoft Compact Disc Extensions [Microsoft]
|
| MSCE | Microsoft Certified Software Engineer [Microsoft]
|
| MSCHAP | Microsoft Challenge Handshake Authentication
Protocol [Microsoft]
|
| MSCS | Microsoft Cluster Server [Microsoft]
|
| MSD | Mass Storage Device + Most Significant Digit +
Microsoft System Diagnostics [Microsoft]
|
| MSDE | Microsoft Data Engine [Microsoft1)
|
| MSDN | Microsoft Developer Network [Microsoft]
|
| MSDR | Multiplexed Streaming Data Request
|
| MSDS | Microsoft Developer Support [Microsoft]
|
| MSFR | Minimum Security Function Requirements [IBM]
|
| MSG | Message
|
| MSI | Medium Scale Integration
|
| MSIE | Microsoft Internet Explorer [Microsoft]
|
| MSIMN | Microsoft Internet Mail and News [Microsoft]
|
| MSL | Map Specification Library + Mirrored Server Link
|
| MSMQ | Microsoft Message Queue-Server [Microsoft]
|
| MSN | Microsoft Network [Microsoft]
|
| MSO | Multiple Service/Systems Operator
|
| MSQL | Mini SQL
|
| MSR | Microsoft Reserved Partition [Microsoft]
|
| MSRP | Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price
|
| MSS | Mass Storage System +
Multiprotocol Switched Services [IBM]
|
| MSTS | Microsoft Terminal Server [Microsoft]
|
| MSW | Machine Status Word
|
| MSXML | Microsoft XML [Microsoft]
|
| MTA | Message Transfer Agent + Multimedia Terminal Adapter +
Multiple Terminal Access
|
| MTBB | Mean Time Between Breakdowns
|
| MTBF | Mean Time Between Failures
|
| MTBJ | Mean Time Between Jams
|
| MTF | Microsoft Tape Format [Microsoft] +
Modulation Transfer Function
|
| MTH | Memory Translator Hub
|
| MTRP | Maximum Transfer Rate Performance
|
| MTS | Message Transfer Service/System +
Microsoft Transaction Server [Microsoft] +
Multichannel Television Sound
|
| MTSO | Mobile Telephone Switching Office
|
| MTST | Magnetic Tape Selectric Typewriter [IBM]
|
| MTT | Multi-Transaction Timer
|
| MTTD | Mean Time To Diagnose
|
| MTTF | Mean Time To Failure
|
| MTTR | Mean Time To Repair
|
| MTU | Maximum Transmission Unit
|
| MUA | Mail User Agent
|
| MUD | Multi-User Dialogue/Dimension/Domain/Dungeon [Internet]
|
| MUG | Multiuser Game
|
| MUL | Multiply
|
| MULTICS | Multiplexed Information and Computing Service
|
| Multimedia | Computer applicationsinvolving text, graphics, audio and video, or computers that are (or claim tobe) designed to provide high quality graphics and audio. Multimedia is largelyassociated with CD-ROM,because the large amounts of data involved are provided best by CD-ROM. |
| Multiprocessor | A computer systemthat uses more than one CPUrunning in parallel for faster performance. |
| MultiSync | In a monitor,the ability to run at different scan rates, allowing the monitor to displaydifferent resolutions. |
| Multitasking | The ability to runmore than one program at the same time. There are different types ofmultitasking. Cooperative multitasking requires a program to be written to allowother programs to access the system. In preemptive multitasking, the system cansuspend any program to allow other programs access. Preemptive multitaskingprovides better performance, as programs can switch with less overhead. The Macintoshand Windows3.1 use cooperative multitasking. Windows95 and Unixuse preemptive multitasking. |
| Multithreading | The ability tohave more than one task occurring in an application. For example, you could havea large spreadsheet calculate values while continuing to use that spreadsheet orprint a complicated document while continuing to work on that document. OS/2has multithreading capabilities. Applications must be written according tocertain specifications in order to multithread.N |
| MUMPS | Massachusetts General Hospital Utility
Multi-Programming System (Programming Language)
|
| MUSE | Multi-User Shared Environment
|
| MUSIC | Multiparty Multimedia Session Control
|
| MUT | Monitor Under Test
|
| MUX | Multiplexer
|
| mV | Millivolt
|
| MVB | Multimedia Viewer Book
|
| MVC | Multimedia Viewer Compiler
|
| MVD | Multivalued Dependencies
|
| MVDM | Multiple Virtual DOS Machines
|
| MVGA | Monochrome Video Graphics Array
|
| MVIP | Multi-Vendor Integration Protocol
|
| MVP | Multimedia Video Processor
|
| MVS | Multiple Virtual Storage
|
| MVT | Multiprogramming with a Variable number of Tasks
|
| MX | Mail Exchanger [Internet]
|
| MXS | Microsoft Exchange Server [Microsoft]
|
| MZR | Multiple Zone Recording
|
