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COMPUTING ACRONYMS & TERMS' SMORGASBORD
Copyright © 1994-2003, Daniel Frankl, Ph.D. |
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COMPUTING ACRONYMS & TERMS' SMORGASBORD
Copyright © 1994-2003, Daniel Frankl, Ph.D. |
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H |
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| I | J+K | L | M | N | O | P | Q |
| R | S | T | U | V | W | X+Y+Z |
| M AC | Media Access Control | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MACE | Middleware Architectural Committee for Education (a group of leading higher education information technology architects) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mailing List | An account of all the members on a LAN [Local Area Network] that receive and send e-mail type messages. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mail- server | Software for the retreival and sending of e-mail | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| .mak | file extension of a record of individual component files of a project in VB [Visual Basic] for example) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MAPI | Messaging Application Programming Interface (application development software feature that builds e-mail capabilities into an existing program) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MathML | Mathematical Markup Language ("MathML is a low-level specification for describing mathematics as a basis for machine to machine communication. It provides a much needed foundation for the inclusion of mathematical expressions in Web pages." For more information see: W3C's Math Home Page | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MB | Megabyte (A digital MB equals 1,048,576 decimal bytes which represents 2 raised to the 20th or 1024 * 1024 bytes; a decimal MB equals 1,000,000 bytes; also see GB & TB) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MBone | Multicast Backbone (also see Backbone) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mbps | Megabytes per second (describing the rate at which data is read or transferred) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mb usage | Total number of hits per month multiplied by web page size in kb (e.g., 10,000 hits by 30kb per page = 300 MB per month (method by which Web Host Service Providers assess fees for Web page publishing on the Internet) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MC | Miniature Card (Intel's miniature storage technology that allows consumer electronics, such as, digital cameras and videos to store data and interface with PCs) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MCA | Micro Channel Architecture (Technology first unveiled in 1987 by IBM when it introduced the PS/2 (Personal System/2) with the 80286 CPU. The MCA Bus transfers data at 32-bit. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MCF | Meta Content File format (early version of the RDF [Resource Definition Format specification) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MCI | Multimedia Control Interface | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MCIS | Microsoft Commercial Internet System | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MCSE | Microsoft Certified System Engineer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MDA | Monochrome Display Adaptor (see also HGB; there may have been a time that there was no color, but we at least HAD hair...) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MDI | Multiple-Document Interface (For example, the MDI file in VB [Visual Basic] is designed especially for document-centered applications. MDIs make it possible to open several applications simultaneously or have more than one active window within the space of one application). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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MDIChild Window | Multiple-Document Interface window that is controlled by the MDIClient Window that allows the user to pick images, for example, to add to a working document. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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MDIClient Window | Multiple-Document Interface window placed on top of the client area of an active application. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MEDLARS | Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System (digital medical information retrieval tool). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Megabyte | A digital MB equals 1,048,576 decimal bytes which represents 2 raised to the 20th; a decimal MB equals 1,000,000 bytes. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MEMs | Microelectromechanical system | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MetaCrawler | Internet metasearch (across search engines) engine that scans major search engines, such as: Excite, Galaxy, Go, Google GoTo, HotBot, Lycos, WebCrawler, and Yahoo. You may also search the web using MetaCrawler. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Metafile | A file that stores an image in terms of graphical objects (lines, circles, polygons) rather than pixels. When resized, a metafile tends to preserve an image better than bitmap does (also see bitmap). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ME/U | Mind EExtension University (cable channel) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MFC | a) Microsoft Foundation Classes (programming in Visual C++ 1.0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MFC | b) Multi-Function Centers (combine a laser printer, copier, scanner, and fax/modem all in one). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MFM | Modified Frequency Modulation (Disk) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MHZ | Megahertz or millions of cycles per second. An approximate assessment of CPU performance. The higher is the speed of the clock the faster the performance of a CPU from the same group. For example, a 100 MHZ 80486DX4 was approximately 50% faster than a 66 MHZ 80486DX2, yet a 100 MHZ Pentium based PC was twice as fast (also see Hz). New groups, such as, Pentium II and Pentium III are much faster than the MHZ number would suggest in comparison to older CPU groups | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MIB | Management Information Base | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mic-In | Jack on sound card for microphone plug in via cable. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MID | Mobile Information Device (profile for the Palm OS [Operating System] platform). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MIDI | Musical Instrument Digital Interface (an interface that enables your PC to send and receive messages for the purpose of creating music, sound, or lighting). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| .mid | Musical Instrument Device file extension. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MIDS | Matrix Information Directory Services | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MIF | Management Information Format (.mif file extension) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MIME | Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (lets multiple binary attachments to be encoded, decoded, and sent in a single message). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mirror Sites | Duplicates of FTP [File Transfer Protocol] sites that help in alleviating traffic congestion in heavily used sites on the Internet. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MKS | Mortice Kern Systems Inc., specializes in software for application developers. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MLDs | Multilingual Domains | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MMX | MultiMedia Extension | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MNP | Microcom Network Protocol (error correction protocol) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MO | Magneto-Optical technology (utilized in CD drives that use magnetic & laser fields to write and read data) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MODEM | MODulator/DEModulator (A piece of hardware that transforms signals between a computer's digital language and the telephone's analog language so computers can exchange information across telephone lines). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Modu- Lation | The mechanism of impressing a data-carrying signal onto a carrier. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MOM | Microsoft Office Manager (also see WordPerfect's DAD [Desktop Application Director]; even mom and dad isn't what it used to be). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MOO | Object Oriented, Multiple-user domain (in Cyberspace) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MOS | Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MOSAIC | Early, free, and very popular Internet browser which I believe was the precursor of Netscape (originally developped at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MOVs | Metal Oxide Varistors keep the total line voltage at normal level in Surge Protectors. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MP | MultiProcessing or MultiProtocol | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MPC | Multimedia Personal Computer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MPEG | Moving Picture Expert Group | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MPOA | Multi-Protocol Over ATM [Automated Teller Machine]) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MPR II | The 1990 Swedish government's Department of Labor standards on monitor emissions (MPR I is the 1987 standard). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MPTP | Micro Payment Transfer Protocol | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MRU | Most Recently Used (software function that the user to go directly to the last project when starting an application; available, for example since the WordPerfect's 6.1 for Windows version) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MSB | Most Significant Bit ([bit – binary digit i.e., 1111] The value of a binary number is the sum of the digits following its multiplication by its weight.) Also see LSB [Least Significant Bit] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MSCDEX |
MicroSoft Compact-Disk Read-Only Memory Extension
Driver (required by CD-ROM drives)
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.MSD
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Microsoft Diagnostics (The msd program may be loaded by typing "msd"
at the C:> prompt (this is a DOS based feature).
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MSDL
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Microsoft Down-Load (direct Internet connection for
technical information by MS).
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MSDN
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Microsoft Developer Network Library (CD-ROM based programing
and toolkits for MS Windows developers)
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MSN
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Microsoft Network
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MSP
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Message Security Protocol
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MTBF
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Mean Time Before Failure (e.g., 100,000 hours).
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MTF
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Modulation Transfer Function scores offer an objective
assessment of a monitor's image sharpness.
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MTU
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Maximum Transmission Unit (used to configure a PCs SLIP [Serial
Line Internet Protocol])
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MUDs
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Multi-user Domains or Dungeons (Internet)
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Multi- | boot Utility
Software that supports the ability to run a large number of OSs [Operating Systems)
on a PC.
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Multi- | layering
Utilizing two or more samples of MIDI [Musical Instrument Digital
Interface] sounds in one wavetable slot or patch; also see Multitimbral Parts.
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Multi- | timbral Parts
The number of distinct musical instrument sounds a synthesizer can play simultaneously.
Thus, a virtual trio, quartet, etc... effect may be achieved.
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"Mumble"
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A neat piece of hardware in "programese."
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MUX
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Multiplexer (the transmitting data selector, from multiple inputs to a smaller number of outputs, in digital systems)
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MVA
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Motion Video Acceleration (driver for playing video clips)
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MX | Record
Mail Exchange Record
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Comments, corrections, additions, and questions are welcome:
Page updated: Jan. 08, 2003 |
