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`Microsoft
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`PUBLISHED BY
`Microsoft Press
`A Division of Microsoft Corporation
`One Microsoft Way
`Redmond, Washington 98052-6399
`
`Copyright © 2002 by Microsoft Corporation
`All rights reserved. No partof the contents of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
`or by any means without the written permission of the publisher.
`
`Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
`Microsoft Computer Dictionary.--5th ed.
`p. 5 cm.
`ISBN 0-7356-1495-4
`{. Computers--Dictionaries,
`
`2. Microcomputers--Dictionaries.
`
`AQ76.5. M52267
`004'.03--de21
`
`2002
`
`200219714
`
`Printed and bound in the United States of America.
`
`123456789 QWT 765432
`
`Distributed in Canada by Penguin Books Canada Limited.
`
`A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
`Microsoft Press books are available through booksellers and distributors worldwide. For further informa-
`tion about international editions, contact your local Microsoft Corporation office or contact Microsoft
`Press International directly at fax (425) 936-7329. Visit our Web site at www.microsoft.com/mspress.
`Send comments to mspinput@ microsoft.com.
`
`Active Desktop, Active Directory, ActiveMovie, ActiveStore, ActiveSync, ActiveX, Authenticode,
`BackOffice, BizTalk, ClearType, Direct3D, DirectAnimation, DirectDraw, DirectInput, DirectMusic,
`DirectPlay, DirectShow, DirectSound, DirectX, Entourage, FoxPro, FrontPage, Hotmail, Intellifye,
`IntelliMouse, IntelliSense, JScript, MapPoint, Microsoft, Microsoft Press, Mobile Explorer, MS-DOS,
`MSN,Music Central, NetMeeting, Outlook, PhotoDraw, PowerPoint, SharePoint, UltimateTV, Visio,
`Visual Basic, Visual C++, Visual FoxPro, Visual InterDev, Visual J++, Visual SourceSafe, Visual Studio,
`Win32, Win32s, Windows, Windows Media, Windows NT, Xboxare either registered trademarks or
`trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Other product and
`company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
`The example companies, organizations, products, domain names, e-mail addresses, logos, people,places,
`and events depicted herein are fictitious. No association with any real company, organization, product,
`domain name, e-mail address, logo, person, place, or event is intended or should be inferred.
`
`Acquisitions Editor: Alex Blanton
`Project Editor: Sandra Haynes
`
`Body Part No. X08-41929
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`knowledgeable about how the operating system and appli-
`cations used memory. See also memory managementunit,
`RAM.2.In programming, the process of ensuring that a
`programreleases each chunk of memory whenit is no
`longer needed. In some languages, such as C and C++,the
`programmer must keep track of memory usage by the pro-
`gram. Java, a newer language, automatically frees any
`chunk of memory that is not in use. See also C, C++, gar-
`bage collection, Java.
`
`memory management program n. 1. A program used to
`store data and programs in system memory, monitor their
`use, and reassign the freed space following their execu-
`tion. 2. A program that uses hard disk space as an exten-
`sion of the random access memory (RAM).
`memory managementunit n. The hardware that sup-
`ports the mapping of virtual memory addressesto physical
`memory addresses. In some systems, such as those based
`on the 68020, the memory management unit is separate
`from the processor. In most modern microcomputers,
`however, the memory managementunit is built into the
`CPUchip. In some systems, the memory managementunit
`provides interfacing between the microprocessor and
`memory. This type of memory managementunitis typi-
`cally responsible for address multiplexing and, in the case
`of DRAMs,the refresh cycle. Acronym: MMU.See also
`physical address, refresh cycle, virtual address.
`
`memory model #. The approach used to address the code
`and the data that are used in a computer program. The
`memory model dictates how much memory can be used in
`a program for code and how much for data. Most comput-
`ers with a flat address space support only a single memory
`model: Computers with a segmented address space usually
`support multiple memory models. See also compact
`model, flat address space, large model, medium model,
`segmented address space, small model, tiny model.
`memory module x. A removable circuit board,cartridge,
`or other carrier that contains one or more RAM memory
`chips. See also memory card, memory cartridge, RAM.
`memory-resident adj. Permanently located in a com-
`puter’s memory, rather than swappedin and out of mem-
`ory as needed. See also memory, TSR.
`memory scrubbing n. 1. In mainframe computers, the
`process of a computer reading its own memory during idle
`periods in orderto find andfix errors. 2. The process of
`
`examining and Correctingerrors as datais transferred from
`memory to the CPU of a computer.
`memory size n. The memory capacity of a computer, ugy-
`ally measured in megabytes. See also megabyte, memory.
`memory typewriter 7. An electric typewriter with inter.
`nal memory andtypically a one-line liquid crystal display
`for viewing the contents of that memory. Memory type-
`writers can usually hold one page of text at a time, to
`which small modifications can be made. Memory type-
`writers usually do notretain the contents of memory when
`poweris turnedoff.
`:
`MEMS »n. Acronym for micro-electromechanical systems,
`A technology combining computers with extremelytiny
`mechanical devices. MEMSdevices contain microcir-
`cuitry on a tiny silicon chip onto which a mechanical
`device such as a sensor oran actuator is attached. MEMS
`devices are used in switches, pacemakers, games, GPS
`tracking, data storage, and for accelerometersin air bags.
`Because MEMSdevices havethe potential to be manufac-
`tured in large quantities forlittle cost, many additional
`MEMSproducts are being plannedorstudied.
`menun. A list of options from which a user can make a
`selection in order to perform a desired action, such as
`choosing a commandor applying a particular format to
`part of a document. Manyapplication programs, espe-
`cially those that offer a graphical interface, use menusas a
`meansof providing the user with an easily learned, easy-
`to-use alternative to memorizing program commands and
`their appropriate usage.
`
`menu bar rn. A rectangular bar displayed in an application
`program’s on-screen window,often at the top, from which
`menus can be selected by the user. Namesof available
`menusare displayed in the menu bar; choosing onewith
`the keyboard or with a mouse causesthelist of optionsin
`that menuto be displayed.
`menu-driven adj. Using menusto present choices of
`commands and available options. Menu-driven programs
`are usually considered friendlier and easier to learn than
`programs with a command-line interface. Compare com-
`mand-line interface.
`
`menu item x, A choice on a menu, selectable byeither
`the keyboard or a mouse. In some instances, a menu item
`that is not available (that is, not appropriate) for a given
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`situation is “grayed” (dimmed in comparison to the valid
`menu choices).
`
`Merced n. Former code namefor the next-generation 64-
`bit microprocessor designed by Intel and Hewlett-Packard
`and released in 2000. Based on the IA-64architecture, the
`64-bit microprocessor contains upwards of 10 million
`transistors and is used primarily in servers and high-per-
`formance workstations. See also IA-64.
`
`Mercury x. A logic/functional programming language
`that combinesthe clarity and expressiveness of declarative
`programming with advancedstatic analysis and error-
`detection features.
`
`merge vb. To combine two or more items, suchaslists, in
`an ordered way and without changing the basic structure
`of either. Compare concatenate.
`
`merged transistor logic x. See integrated injection
`logic.
`merge sort n. A sorting technique that combines several
`sorted (input) lists into a single sorted (output)list. See
`also bubble sort, insertion sort, quicksort, sort algorithm.
`
`mesa n. An area of a germanium orsilicon wafer that was
`protected during the etching process and is therefore
`higher than the surrounding etched areas. See also photoli-
`thography.
`
`mesh network n. A communications network having two
`or more paths to any node.
`messagen. 1. In communications, a unit of information
`transmitted electronically from one device to another. A
`message can contain one or more blocksof text as well as
`beginning and ending characters, control characters, a
`software-generated header (destination address, type of
`message, and other such information), and error-checking
`or synchronizing information. A message can be routed
`directly from senderto receiver through a physicallink, or
`it can be passed, either whole or in parts, through a switch-
`ing system that routes it from one intermediate station to
`another. See also asynchronoustransmission, block (defi-
`nition 4), control character (definition 1), frame (definition
`1), frame (definition 2), header (definition 2), message
`switching, network, packet (definition 1), packet switch-
`ing, synchronous transmission.2. In software, a piece of
`information passed from the application or operating sys-
`tem to the user to suggest an action, indicate a condition,
`or inform that an event has occurred.3. In message-based
`
`operating environments, such as Windows, a unit of infor-
`mation passed among running programs, certain devices
`in the system, and the operating environmentitself.
`messageheadern. A sequence ofbits or bytes at the
`beginning of a message that usually provides a timing
`sequence and specifies such aspects of the message struc-
`ture as its length, data format, and block identification
`number. See also header (definition 2).
`
`messageof the day ». A daily bulletin for users of a net-
`work, multiuser computer, or other shared system. In most
`cases, users are shown the messageof the day when they
`log into the system. Acronym: MOTD.
`
`Message PassingInterface n. See MPI.
`
`message queue 7. An orderedlist of messages awaiting
`transmission, from which they are taken up ona firstin,
`first out (FIFO) basis.
`Message Queuing n. A message queuing androuting
`system for Microsoft Windowsthat enables distributed
`applications runningat different times to communicate
`across heterogeneous networks and with computers that
`maybeoff line. Message Queuing provides guaranteed
`messagedelivery, efficient routing, security, and priority-
`based messaging. Message Queuing was formerly known
`as MSMQ.
`
`messagereflection n. In object-oriented programming
`environments, such as Visual C++, OLE, and Activex, a
`functionthat allows a control to handle its own message.
`See also ActiveX controls, control (definition 2), OCX,
`VBX.
`
`Message Security Protocol n. A protocolfor Internet
`messages that is based on the use of encryption and verifi-
`cation to ensure security. It also allows for permissionsat
`the server level for delivery or rejection of e-mail. Acro-
`nym: MSP.
`message switching n. A technique used on some com-
`munications networks in which a message, with appropri-
`ate address information, is routed through one or more
`intermediate switching stations before being sentto its
`destination. On a typical message-switching network, a ,
`central computerreceives messages, stores them (usually
`briefly), determines their destination addresses, and then
`delivers them. Message switching enables a network both
`to regulate traffic and to use communicationslineseffi-
`ciently. Comparecircuit switching, packet switching.
`
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