dictionary of multimedia and internet applications: a guide for developers and users. francis botto

Print ISBN 0-471-98624-0 Online ISBN 0-470-84178-8

MacGregor, Scott A member of the ISG (Interactive Systems Group) at

Microsoft assigned with the task of developing the GUI that came to be known as Windows.

Macintosh (See Apple Macintosh.)

Macintosh Classic Reincarnation of the Apple Macintosh computer origin-

ally launched in 1984, supplied with HyperCard, integral mono monitor, based on a Motorola 68000 running at 8 MHz, supporting 1 to 4 Mbyte RAM, containing no expansion slots as standard, but with AppleTalk network capability and SCSI controller.

Macro A short program or series of instructions. Macros are useful for automating processes, or for performing tasks that would otherwise take a great deal of time to implement. Typically macros are written when the user interface is restrictive for a given task or for particular usage habits. They are also written when there is no predefined command or option that will perform a desired task. Sometimes certain predefined macros can be improved upon or edited so as to perform different tasks. Sophisticated word processors such as Microsoft Word, WordPerfect and Word Pro have indigenous macro languages. Standard macro languages include Visual Basic for applications.

(See VBScript and Visual Basic.)

Macro level Links which exist at the macro level relate comparatively

large documents or ‘chunks’. They are said to exist at a high level, forming part of the chunk-based model of hypertext and hypermedia.

Macromedia Director A tool used to create interactive movies; it is produced by Macromedia. The resulting productions may include Lingo

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Macromedia SoundEdit

scripts, and may be deployed over the Web using Macromedia Shockwave technology.

(See Lingo, Shockwave and Streaming*.)

Macromedia SoundEdit A wave file recorder and editor.

Macromedia xRes A graphics program that provides a number of manipulation tools.

Magazine drive A CD-ROM or DVD drive capable of reading from a number of discs. It may provide an inexpensive alternative to daisychaining.

(See CD-ROM and DVD.)

Magnetic tape A cost-effective means of storing large amounts of data where random access is not required, for example for data backup, archive purposes, and submission of CD-ROM data to replication companies. Used to back up hard disks, tape streamers offer a safety net in the event of a catastrophic system failure. Subsequent data recovery simply involves reading the tape contents back to a functioning hard disk.

(See ZIP.)

Mail bomb An e-mail message which contains a virus or other entity likely to be hostile to receiving systems, which include servers and clients.

(See Security.)

Mailing list An electronic forum using e-mail to exchange information.

main () A C++ program must have a main () function, which begins and ends with open { and close } braces. This is the first function called when the program is run, and can be used to define variable types.

(See C++.)

Mainframe A powerful computer that typically offers centralised processing, serving a number of connected dumb terminals. In terms of its positive characteristics, a modern mainframe may:

● process data at speeds beyond those attainable on desktop systems and

those based on conventional 32 bit and 64 bit processors, which might be CISC or RISC

● provide long-term archiving of data ● be a massively parallel processing (MPP) architecture, where processes

are run concurrently, offering efficient scalable processing

● offer industrial strength operation through robust operating systems and

applications

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Master/slave processing

● provide easy diagnosis of faults, as they are isolated to the network or to

the mainframe itself, though the mainframe with all its electronics and mass storage remains a complex fault diagnosis domain

● provide effective migration paths to client/server architectures ● prove a more durable IT solution in terms of longevity, because main-

frame technology advances more slowly than microcomputer technology.

The key disadvantages of mainframe computers revolve around the follow-ing factors:

● high initial cost

● high cost of ownership brought about by comparatively high mainten-

ance and servicing bills

● fault tolerance is at a low threshold, because a mainframe fault may

render an entire IT solution inoperable. However, the fault tolerance of the connected mass storage (which may be shared) might be high

● the dumb terminals are typically green-screen, but there is scope for

renovation (See Application renovation.)

● mainframe languages like COBOL tend to be old-fashioned, though this

is a changing situation.

(See PC.)

MAPI (Messaging Application Program Interface) A standard that per-

mits e-mail messages to be sent from any application. Originally developed by Microsoft, it is a DLL containing C functions that allows developers to exploit Windows messaging. Calls to the DLL may allow applications to be given e-mail functions.

Marquee A Microsoft ActiveX Control which scrolls a message across the bottom of Web pages. The messages might be promotions, adverts, announcements etc.

(See ActiveX*.)

Mass storage device A device used to store data. Can be assumed to be

magnetic, optical or magneto-optical.

(See CD-ROM, DVD, Hard disk and RAID.)

Master disc A glass disc from which CDs are manufactured.

Mastering system A system used to produce a glass master disc or CD master which is used in the replication of CD-ROMs and CDs.

Master/slave processing An architecture where a master computer is

connected to slave (intelligent) computers, which are connected to dumb

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Maximise

terminals. Processing is distributed from the master computer, which can be assumed to be a mainframe, to the slave systems.

(See Client/server.)

Maximise A process by which an application or document window is enlarged to a size that might extend to that of the full screen size. Windows application and document windows contain a Maximise button near the top right-hand corner; a Maximise option also exists on the Control menu, which is invoked by clicking the Control button/icon in the top left-hand corner of the window.

(See Minimise.)

Mbone (Multicast backbone) A virtual infrastructure to deliver multicast

packets over the Internet. It is composed of tunnels and provides limited bandwidth, but enough for audio/visual data. A restriction mechanism integrated in MBONE routers or mrouters drops packets over tunnels where a predefined threshold rate is exceeded. Mrouters forward multicast packets to specified destinations. The Mbone topology maps are available at www.cs.berkeley.edu.

(See IP multicast and www.cs.berkeley.edu.)

MCA (Micro-channel Architecture) A standard 32 bit PC expansion bus developed and introduced by IBM in mid-1987 as part of its PS/2 (Personal System) range of computers. The launch of the PS/2 is also remembered as providing the PC with an analogue graphics port through VGA (Video Graphics Array) and MCGA (Multi-Colour Graphics Adapter). It also marked the introduction of OS/2 1.0 with its GUI (Graphical User Interface) in the form of Presentation Manager.

(See Local bus.)

MCI (Media Control Interface) An interface commonly referred to as the Windows multimedia extensions; it is integral to the Microsoft Windows multimedia extensions built into Windows 3.1 (and higher). There is a suite of drivers together with a command set able to control connected MCI-compliant multimedia devices.

MCIS (Microsoft Commercial Internet System) An evolving suite of servers used to architect Web solutions. The servers are Windows NT-compliant, and include:

● Address Book

● Chat

● Content Replicator

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Media type

● Internet Locator

● MCIS Mail

● MCIS News

● Membership

● Merchant Server

● Personalisation.

(See Address Book, Chat, Content replicator, Internet Locator, MCIS Mail, MCIS News, Membership, Merchant Server and Personalisation.)

MCIS Mail A Windows NT-based server which can be used to imple-ment mailboxes across multiple Web sites. DPA (Distributed Password Authentication) and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) are supported. E-mail protocol support includes:

● POP3 (Post Office Protocol)

● SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) ● MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions). (See DPA, MIME, POP3, SMTP and SSL.)

MCIS News A Windows NT-based server which is part of the MCIS and supports electronic conferencing and newsgroups. It supports the NNTP (Network News Transport Protocol) together with its extensions.

(See MCIS.)

MDI (Multiple Document Interface) A user interface in which each document occupies its own window.

Media Player A Windows program able to play a variety of different media files. With the appropriate driver selected and installed using the Control Panel it can be used to play various different media types including:

● CD-DA

● Midi files

● Wave (.WAV) files

● Video files.

When launched it shows controls common to typical audio/visual appli-ances, including Play, Pause, Stop and Eject. Finer control over playing various media files and tracks is provided by a horizontal scroll bar.

(See Video* and Wave audio.)

Media type A conduit for communicating information. Speech, text, audio, still images, computer animations and video are media types. The balance of multimedia elements (or media types) is determined by content,

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Megabyte

volume of multimedia material, budget, the authoring station used and the delivery systems targeted.

Megabyte (Mbyte, MB) A megabyte (Mbyte) equates to 1024 Kbyte. Sometimes it is wrongly referred to as 1000 Kbyte, as is the case when some manufacturers specify hard disk data storage capacities. Derived from 20 address lines resulting in 220 (1 048 576) memory addresses.

Meiko (See MPP and Transputer.)

Membership A Windows NT-based server which is part of the MCIS and allows visitors to become members of your site.

(See MCIS.)

Memex An information and storage system concept which was put forward in the 1940s by the visionary Vannevar Bush, Science Advisor to President Roosevelt and administrator of the wartime Manhattan Project. He believed that all published information should be made available through access points, and clearly set out the advantages of association through links. Calling the system Memex, and describing it as a sort of private file and library, he thought that some kind of workstation would be used with user-interaction accommodated through mechanical levers. If there were errors in his vision, they were a total underestimation of the sheer quantity of information that would be published in the future, and an overestimation of the technology of the day, i.e. microfilm, facsimile and telegraph. It was Bush’s misfortune to live in the era of valves. The solid state transistor had yet to be invented, and it was some thirty years before the first reasonably sophisticated microprocessor was made commercially available. As such, Memex remained in the minds of a select few.

(See As We May Think, Bush, Vannevar, Hypertext, Multimedia, Web and Xanadu.)

Merchant Server A Windows NT-based server which is part of the MCIS

and permits the construction of virtual shopping sites. (See E-commerce and MCIS.) The server consists of a:

● Controller, which is used to define language, currency, date and other

preconfigurable parameters

● Router, which is an ISAPI (Internet Service Application Programming

Interface) DLL. This routes requests from the client to relevant parts of the Store Server, and routes responses to those requests back to the client browser

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Metaphor

● Store Server, which is the system’s backbone, and functions to im-

plement tasks such as order requests and to interact with the backend database.

The Merchant Server can be used to implement sites which allow customers to:

● peruse product databases

● purchase items using a shopping cart metaphor ● receive e-mail confirmation of orders placed. The Merchant Server permits the vendor to:

● query customer details and purchase habits ● conduct promotions

● conduct marketing campaigns ● create membership accounts using IDs and passwords ● offer membership discounts

● integrate ActiveX, OLE and COM components into the server ● use ODBC-compliant databases ● secure credit card transactions using the SET (Secure Electronics

Transfer) protocol together with Verifone’s vPOS application.

(See Server.)

Message A request sent from one object or component to another, commonly used in OO systems. The message will be of a standard or proprietary format, with address information and appropriate data. The messages might require an acknowledge message before the originating component may continue processing. OO client/server architectures use messages and underlying protocols as their collective glues.

(See Glue.)

Message format A template for a message, which includes headers and user data payload.

Metadata A term used to describe data that indicates the information types and subjects. The data may be stored in an information storage and retrieval system. In the context of the Web, metadata such as indexes and URLs are gathered and stored by search engine implementations. This provides clients with the ability to search and retrieve documents from the Web.

(See Search engine.)

Metaphor An emulation or representation of a process or entity. A flat file database can be a card-box metaphor, for example. Equally, a GUI can be a desktop metaphor.

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Method

Method An item of code (or procedure) attached to an object. It defines the object’s behaviour in terms of how it will respond to an expected event such as a mouse click, and to other stimuli. Other events might be the reception of messages from other objects, and the underlying methods might interpret them and initiate an appropriate response. The response might be an acknowledge message or a return value such as the contents of a variable.

(See Java, OOP, OpenScript and Visual Basic.)

MHz (megahertz) A measurement that equates to one million cycles or pulses per second. It is commonly used to describe the clock speed of computers, thus providing an indication of speed of operation. A 50 MHz machine will therefore yield 50 million clock cycles per second, and a single clock cycle will have a duration of 1/50 000 000 of a second.

Micon (Motion icon) An animated icon represented by a number of frames run in a continuous loop. Invented by Hans Peter Brondmo, these manifest more clearly the purpose, feature, application or program to which options lead. Micons manifest more clearly the information, features or applications to which screen options are tagged. It is reasonable to assume that they will consolidate with the current (commercial) user interface approach, coexist-ing for some time with the generally accepted buttons and icons.

Microbend A bend in an optical fibre link, which increases attenuation.

Micro-channel Architecture (See MCA.)

Microcomputer A computer in which the circuitry making up the CPU is accommodated on a single chip.

(See Mainframe, MPP, Pentium, Processor and SMP.)

MicroJava A processor from Sun Microsystems which is optimised for the Java programming language. It is used in network devices, tele-communications hardware and consumer games.

(See Java* and Sun Microelectronics.)

Microsoft A large software producer and vendor which was founded

jointly by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. Microsoft is a leading computer soft-ware company targeting mainly the PC platform. Its best known products are Windows, Microsoft Office and the MS-DOS operating system. It also produces multimedia titles, and has recently extended its operations to the Internet through the Microsoft Network (MSN) and numerous related ventures.

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Microsoft FrontPage

Microsoft ActiveX SDK An SDK dedicated to the creation of ActiveX controls, compatible with Visual C++ 4.2 (or higher).

(See ActiveX*.)

Microsoft Beethoven: The Ninth Symphony A multimedia transcription

of Beethoven’s famous symphony which is recorded using Red Book Audio. It embodies a detailed interactive dissection of the work as well as a biography of the composer.

Microsoft CD-ROM extensions (See CD-ROM extensions.)

Microsoft Cinemania A multimedia title that provides a database of

mainstream movies. It embodies theme tunes, movie excerpts, movie stills, photographs of popular actors, and biographies of actors and directors.

Microsoft Commercial Internet System (See MCIS.)

Microsoft Design-Time Control SDK An SDK that is used to create Design-Time ActiveX Controls, which, as their name suggests, are active only during design. The resulting controls may be used with FrontPage, InterDev, Visual C++, Visual Basic etc.

(See Microsoft FrontPage, SDK and Visual InterDev.)

Microsoft DirectX SDK A toolset that is used to develop multimedia elements, which includes:

● Direct3D for three-dimensional graphics ● DirectDraw for 2-D graphics

● DirectInput for connectivity to input devices such as joysticks ● DirectSound for exploiting sound card/software capabilities ● DirectPlay for connecting to remote applications.

Microsoft Encarta A multimedia encyclopaedia.

Microsoft Forms 2.0 ActiveX Control A suite of ActiveX Controls included in Visual Basic Control Edition.

(See Visual Basic Control Edition.)

Microsoft FrontPage A Web page development package marketed and

sold by Microsoft, which:

● includes Explorer, which is used to display the navigation scheme

integrated in Web pages

● includes Editor, which is used to design Web pages ● includes Web Server, which is used to publish and test Web pages before

their deployment over the Internet or a compatible IP network

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Microsoft GIF Animator

● can be used to integrate ActiveX controls and Java applets in Web pages ● does not require programming skills ● can be used to create Web pages that interact with ODBC-compliant

databases

● includes the Server Extensions, which are building blocks for driving

predefined functionality gains through your Web site implementation.

FrontPage is bundled with Windows NT Server, and is also available separately.

(See PWS, ToolBook, Visual InterDev and Web Server.)

Microsoft GIF Animator A Microsoft animation program which can be used with the Microsoft Image Composer.

(See Animation and Autodesk Animator Pro.)

Microsoft Index Server A search engine which may be used to find

information on a Web site. It is included with Microsoft IIS, as is the Crystal Reports reporting engine.

(See Crystal Reports and IIS.)

Microsoft Internet Client SDK A comprehensive set of tools, components

and utilities for ICPs, Internet developers and Web authors.

Microsoft Internet Explorer (See Internet Explorer.)

Microsoft Internet News A technology which allows Web browser users

to subscribe to newsgroups, submit messages and read messages. Microsoft Internet News is invoked from Internet Explorer by selecting Read News on the Go menu.

(See Internet Explorer.)

Microsoft MDK (Multimedia Developers Kit) A collection of tools that may be used to develop sophisticated multimedia titles.

Microsoft NetShow A streaming technology server which may be inte-grated into a Web site/application. Its inclusion results in the ability to serve client browsers with streaming audio, video and multimedia. Web site and Web application developers may integrate it into IIS-based Web application solutions.

(See ASF, IIS, Multimedia and Streaming*.)

Microsoft Office An integrated software package, which features the

following applications in some or all versions of the package:

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Microsoft SQL Server

● Word word processor

● Excel spreadsheet

● Access database

● Outlook contact management program ● PowerPoint presentation program. ● Publisher desktop publishing program (See Application software, Microsoft* and Windows.)

Microsoft Office for Developers A development solution for building and

distributing Office-based business solutions.

Microsoft Proxy Server A server implementation which may be used to

deliver Internet access across an enterprise. The Internet Service Manager is used to manage the Proxy Server as well as the Chat and Mail servers. The Microsoft Proxy Server:

● is compatible with Intel and Risc platforms ● uses caching algorithms to optimise access to LAN data ● includes an Auto-dial features that connects the user with the ISP if the

user’s requested data does not reside in the cache

● assigns users with access rights to specified Web sites. (See Server.)

Microsoft SDK for Java A superset of the JDK, it includes Microsoft class

libraries, a JIT compiler and the Microsoft Virtual Machine for Java. (See Java*.)

Microsoft SQL Server A relational database management system (RDBMS) which provides multi- and concurrent user access to enterprise data. The Microsoft SQL Server’s utilities include:

● SQL Enterprise Manager, which provides management features ● SQL Service Manager, which provides start and stop functions ● Interactive SQL for Windows, which permits sessions with multiple SQL

servers

● SQL Security Manager, which provides access to security features ● SQL Setup, which can be used to upgrade MS SQL Server, as well as to

change default settings

● SQL Client Configuration Utility, which is used to manage SQL Server

client software configurations

● SQL Performance Monitor, which offers performance readings ● SQL Server Web Assistant, which permits the generation of Web pages

that use SQL Server data

● SQL Trace, which is used to track SQL Server user habits. (See Server.)

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Microsoft Transaction Server

Microsoft Transaction Server A transaction manager. A Microsoft solution

for integrating transaction processing in Web applications. Its component architecture includes:

● Transaction Server Explorer, which is used for administration and

management purposes

● Transaction Server Executive, which is a DLL providing functions used

by the application’s server components.

● ActiveX Server Components, which is used to deploy ActiveX server

components

● Server Process, which hosts the application’s components ● ODBC Resource Dispenser, which manages database connectivity ● Shared Property Manager, which gives access to a Web application’s

properties

● Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator, which coordinates

transactions, and is integrated in Microsoft SQL Server 6.5

Other transaction managers include CICs and Encina.

(See ACID and Server.)

Microsoft Video for Windows (VfW) (See Video for Windows.)

Microsoft Visual Basic (See Visual Basic.)

Microsoft Web Wizard SDK A tool that can be used to create Wizards which can be used to build Web sites using tools like FrontPage and Visual InterDev. Tools created using the Design-Time Control SDK can be used with the Web Wizard.

Microsoft Windows (See Windows.)

Microsoft Windows CE (Compact Edition) A version of the Windows OS

designed for palmtops, organisers and other small-scale systems, including those targeting the consumer market.

Microsoft Windows Sound System A business audio system and pro-prietary sound system standard for the Windows environment. The full implementation consists of a 16 bit sound card, microphone and a suite of Windows applications. Many sound cards and sound features offer compatibility with the Microsoft Windows Sound System standard.

(See Speech recognition and ViaVoice.)

Microwave radio Short wavelength radio waves that have a frequency

above 1000 MHz (1 GHz).

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MIDI studio

Middleware 1. A software implementation or glue which exists between the client and the server. It makes the network protocols and other server workings transparent to the client. (See Glue.) 2. Database middleware connects client applications with back-end applications, and consists of:

● an application programming interface (API) ● network and database translators.

(See Glue.)

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) An industry-standard file format and specification for producing and playing electronic music using computers and compatible devices such as MIDI keyboards and MIDI guitar interfaces. It covers hardware, cables, connectors, data protocols (MIDI messages) and file formats. The single most significant advantage of MIDI is the compactness of the resultant so-called MIDI song files. These consume a fraction of the data capacity required by digitised wave form audio such as .WAV files. A one-hour stereo MIDI file may consume around half a Mbyte. Even using compression techniques, an equivalent .WAV file would consume literally hundreds of Mbyte.

(See Sound card and Wave audio.)

MIDI sequencer A program used to create or edit MIDI files. Midisoft Recording Session is a popular sequencer program supplied with numerous sound cards. In many respects it is a typical sequencer offering the sorts of editing facilities commonly found in similar programs. You can cut or copy selected tracks from one recording and paste them into another. At a much lower, and detailed, level you can add, copy, cut and delete musical notes.

(See MIDI.)

MIDI studio A system consisting of hardware, software and (usually) an interfaced musical instrument, which is most often a keyboard. The first thing you need to create your own MIDI studio is an appropriate sound card. The software required to create and edit your own MIDI songs is called a sequencer. Almost all sound cards come with a MIDI sequencer. You may get the Midisoft Recording Session MIDI sequencer or CakeWalk. The final piece of hardware required is a MIDI keyboard, which provides an easy method of entering sequences for the various MIDI tracks. Companies such as Roland and Yamaha are famous for the manufacture of MIDI keyboards, and it is certain that your local music store has a range of their MIDI compliant keyboards.

(See MIDI.)

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