M.2

m.2, formerly known as the Next Generation Form Factor, is a specification for internally mounted computer expansion cards and associated connectors. M.2 replaces the mSATA standard.

M4V

The M4V file format is a video container format developed by Apple and is very similar to the MP4 format.

MAC

A popular model of computer made by Apple Computer. Introduced in 1984, the Macintosh features a graphical user interface (GUI) that utilises window, icon, and a mouse to make it relatively easy for novices to use the computer productively. Rather than learning a complex set of commands, you need only point to a selection on a menu and click a mouse button.

MAC Address

Media Access Control address, a hardware address that uniquely identifies each node of a network. In IEEE 802 networks, the Data Link Control (DLC) layer of the OSI Reference Model is divided into two sublayers: the Logical Link Control (LLC) layer and the Media Access Control (MAC) layer. The MAC layer interfaces directly with the network media.

Machine Code

Machine code is a computer program written in machine language instructions that can be executed directly by a computer's CPU.

Machine Intelligence

Machine intelligence is a specific kind of artificial intelligence that enables a machine to interact with an environment in an intelligent way.

Machine Language

Machine language is the lowest-level programming language. Machine languages are almost impossible for humans to use because they consist entirely of numbers.

Macro

Macros are used to make a sequence of computing instructions available to the programmer as a single program statement, making the programming task less tedious and less error-prone.

Mainframe

A data processing system employed mainly in large organizations for various applications. Mainframes are so called because the earliest ones were housed in large metal frames.

MalWare

Short for MALicious softWARE, is programming or files that are developed for the purpose of doing harm.

MAPI

Messaging Application Programming Interface, a system built into Microsoft Windows that enables different e-mail applications to work together to distribute mail. As long as both applications are MAPI-enabled, they can share mail messages with each other.

MAN

Metropolitan Area Network, is a network that interconnects users with computer resources in a geographic area or region larger than that covered by even a large LAN but smaller than the area covered by a WAN.

Marketing Automation

There are software or online services that measure marketing efforts through tools such as emails, social media, reporting, analytics and customer relationship management. Social media posts can be input and scheduled for release and then data collected to measure effectiveness.

MAU

(1) Media Access Unit, an Ethernet transceiver.

(2) Multistation Access Unit (also abbreviated as MSAU), a token-ring network device that physically connects network computers in a star topology while retaining the logical ring structure. One of the problems with the token-ring topology is that a single non-operating node can break the ring. The MAU solves this problem because it has the ability to short out non-operating nodes and maintain the ring structure. A MAU is a special type of hub.

Mbone

Multicast Backbone, on the Internet. MBone is an extension to the Internet to support IP multicasting.

MBR

Master Boot Record, is a special type of boot sector at the very beginning of partitioned computer disk drive.

MCA

Machine Check Architecture, is an Intel mechanism in which the CPU reports hardware errors to the operating system.

MDA

(1) Mail Delivery Agent.

(2) Monochrome Display Adaptor.

Megabyte

A collection of 1,024 Kilobytes.

MDR

Managed Detection and Response, denotes outsourced cybersecurity services designed to protect your data and assets even if a threat eludes common organizational security controls.

MEI

(1) Micro Electronics Inc.
(2) Master of Electronic Imaging.
(3) Management Engine Interface.
(4) Multiple Extension Internetworking.
(5) Message Exchange Interface.

Meme

An image, video, piece of text, etc., typically humorous in nature, that is copied and spread rapidly by Internet users, often with slight variations.

Memory

Memory is any physical device capable of storing information.

Meta Refresh

Refers to HTML coding that redirects a Web site visitor to a new page after a set and specified number of seconds. Meta refresh tags are used by Web sites that have changed addresses but want visitors to be able to access the new URLURL by going through the old one. When a user is automatically brought to a new page, this is known as redirection.

Meta Tags

A special HTML tag that provides information about a Web page. Unlike normal HTML tags, meta tags do not affect how the page is displayed. Instead, they provide information such as who created the page, how often it is updated, what the page is about, and which keywords represent the page's content. Many search engines use this information when building their indices.

MFA

(1) Multi-Factor Authentication.
(2) Message Frame Address.
(3) Management Functional Area.
(4) Measure of Functional Abstraction.

MHS

Message Handling System, is an important early email protocol.

Microblogging

A type of blogging allowing users to post or broadcast pictures and/or short messages or articles typically in the range of 140-200 characters.

MIB

Management Information Base, a database of objects that can be monitored by a network management system. Both SNMP and RMON use standardised MIB formats that allows any SNMP and RMON tools to monitor any device defined by a MIB.

Middleware

Middleware is a software layer situated between applications and operating systems.

MIDI

Musical Instrument Digital Interface, a standard adopted by the electronic music industry for controlling devices, such as synthesizers and sound cards, that emit music. At minimum, a MIDI representation of a sound includes values for the note's pitch, length, and volume. It can also include additional characteristics, such as attack and delay time.

MIME

Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions, a specification for formatting non-ASCII messages so that they can be sent over the Internet. Many e-mail clients now support MIME, which enables them to send and receive graphics, audio, and video files via the Internet mail system. In addition, MIME supports messages in character sets other than ASCII. MIME was defined in 1992 by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

MIMO

Multiple-In, Multiple-Out. Takes advantage of multiplexing to increase wireless bandwidth and range.

MIPS

Millions of Instructions Per Second

MIS

Management Information Systems, is an information system used for decision-making and for the coordination, control, analysis and visualization of information in an organization. The study of the management information systems involves people, processes and technology in an organizational context.

Mitigation

Mitigation is the reduction of something harmful or the reduction of its harmful effects inorder to minimise and address risks.

MKL-DNN

Math Kernel Library for Deep Neural Networks, is an open source, performance-enhancing library for accelerating deep learning frameworks.

MLC

(1) Multi-Level Cell is a memory element capable of storing more than a single bit of information.
(2) Multi-Loop Controller.

MLM

(1) Mailing List Manager.

(2) Multi Level Marketing.

MLPPP

MultiLink PPP, an extension of the PPP that allows the B-channels of ISDN lines to be used in combination as a single transmission line, doubling throughput to 128 Kbps.

MMI

Man-Machine Interface, is a software application that present information to an operator or user about the state of a process and to accept and implement the operators control instructions.

MMS

Multimedia Messaging Service is, as its name suggests, the ability to send messages comprising a combination of text, sounds, images and video to MMS capable handsets (mobile phones).

MMU

Memory Management Unit. The hardware component that manages virtual memory systems. Typically, the MMU is part of the CPU, though in some designs it is a separate chip. The MMU includes a small amount of memory that holds a table matching virtual addresses to physical addresses. This table is called the Translation Look-aside Buffer (TLB). All requests for data are sent to the MMU, which determines whether the data is in RAM or needs to be fetched from the mass storage device. If the data is not in memory, the MMU issues a page fault interrupt.

MNP

Microcom Networking Protocol, a communications protocol, that is used by many high-speed modems.

Mobo

Abbreviation for motherboard.

Module

(1) In software, a module is a part of a program. Programs are composed of one or more independently developed modules that are not combined until the program is linked. A single module can contain one or several routines.
(2) In hardware, a module is a self-contained component.

MOHLL

Machine-Oriented High-Level Language, refers to any machine language that has the capabilities of a high-level programming language.

Monero

Monero is an open-source cryptocurrency created in April 2014.

Mosaic

The first GUI web browser programme with the same interface for Macintosh, Windows and Unix.

Mount

(1) To make a mass storage device available.

(2) To install a device, such as a disk drive or expansion board.

Mouse Potato

The computer equivalent of a couch potato.

Mozilla

The original name for the web browser Netscape Navigator.

MPEG

Motion Picture Expert Group - a file format for encoding and compressing video and sound data. Well suited to transferring short films or movies over the internet.

MP3

An audio component of the MPEG file format which allows high-quality music playback from a significantly smaller file than otherwise possible.

MP4

MP4 is a digital multimedia container format most commonly used to store video and audio, but it can also be used to store other data such as subtitles and still images. Otherwise known as MPEG-4 Part 14.

MPLS

MultiProtocol Label Switching. An IETF initiative that integrates Layer 2 information about network links into Layer 3 within a particular autonomous system in order to simplify and improve IP-packet exchange. MPLS gives network operators a great deal of flexibility to divert and route traffic around link failures, congestion, and bottlenecks. From a QoS standpoint, ISPs will better be able to manage different kinds of data streams based on priority and service plan. For instance, those who subscribe to a premium service plan, or those who receive a lot of streaming media or high-bandwidth content can see minimal latency and packet loss.

MPOA

Multiprotocol Over ATM, is a specification that enables ATM services to be integrated with existing LANs that use Ethernet, Token-Ring or TCP/IP protocols. The goal is to allow different LANs to send packets to each other via an ATM backbone.  MPOA operates at level 3 of the OSI Reference Model.

MPP

Massively Parallel Processors.

MPPT

Maximum Power Point Tracking.

MSCDEX

Microsoft CD-ROM Extension, a driver that enables DOS and Windows 3.x systems to recognise and control CD-ROM players. The driver is located in a file called MSCDEX.EXE. Windows 95 replaces MSCDEX with a 32-bit, dynamically loadable driver called CDFS.

MSI

Micro-Star International Co., Ltd is a Taiwanese multinational information technology corporation.

MSP

Management Service Provider. A company that looks after another company's information technology services.

MTA

Message Transfer Agent, the program responsible for receiving incoming e-mails and delivering the messages to individual users. The MTA transfers messages between computers. Hidden from the average user, it is responsible for routing messages to their proper destinations. MTAs receive messages from both MUAs and other MTAs, although single-user machines more often retrieve mail messages using POP.

MUA

Mail User Agent, the software that allows a user to access and manage e-mail, including reading, composing, disposing, printing and displaying e-mail messages. The MUA provides the interface between the user and the MTA.

MUD

Multiple User Dungeon - a glorified chat room based on the idea of role-playing games where gamers interact and compete in exploring a virtual map and solving puzzles.

Multi-Media

A combination of any of the following: text, sound, still or animated graphics and video images. The term is typically used in reference to electronic media, such as the Internet and CD-Roms.

Multicasting

To transmit a single message to a select group of recipients. A simple example of multicasting is sending an e-mail message to a mailing list. Teleconferencing and videoconferencing also use multicasting, but require more robust protocols and networks. Standards are being developed to support multicasting over a TCP/IP network such as the Internet. These standards, IP Multicast and Mbone, will allow users to easily join multicast groups.

MVP

Minimum Viable Product. When a startup team is trying to get its company off the ground, it will often work toward creating its MVP: the simplest functional iteration of its product that will be improved upon as the team goes.

MVS

Multiple Virtual Storage , the operating system for older IBM mainframes.