m-commerce
|
E-commerce via a network where the
buyer makes a wireless connection to the merchant.
|
Macro
|
A simple form of programming which can
be written to help take the chore out of repetitive tasks – as in Excel
macros. It can be thought of as a
more user-friendly form of programming.
The drawback with this is that it is not usually possible to build
sophisticated applications. For this
you would need to use ‘proper ’programming languages like C# or Java.
|
Mainframe
|
A self-contained piece of hardware,
which is essentially a centralised resource for many users. IT managers like them because it keeps
processing and storage control within the IT department. They are also quite
difficult to steal. However if it goes wrong it can send the organisation
concerned into a corporate industrial coma. Old school technology. Mainframe
vendors today refer to them as super servers or high-end servers.
|
Maintenance
|
The activity associated with systems
that are operational. The focus of maintenance is to keep the operational
systems available to the users.
|
Malware
|
Software that is created with the
interests of the recipients definitely not at heart. Spyware and viruses are
examples.
|
MAN
|
Metropolitan Area Network. Simply a LAN that spans a city.
|
MAPI
|
Message Application Programming
Interface developed by Microsoft. This standard allows application developers
to write software that can access / manipulate emails.
|
Metasearch engine
|
A web search engine concept. The
ability to search many search engines by submitting search to just one search
engine.
|
Method
|
An approach to doing something, for
example project management, baking a cake or analysis. Sometimes referred to
as a methodology.
|
Micropayments
|
Payments that are too small to be put
on a debit or credit card, typically under $10 or £5. A big headache for
those developing web based payment systems for low priced items such as video
clips.
|
Middleware (1)
|
Software used to enable applications
to communicate with each other across a network. Examples include EJB and
Soap.
|
Middleware (2)
|
Software used to manage transactions,
where the volume of the transactions is likely to be high, such as cash point
management systems and popular ecommerce web sites.
|
Midrange
|
A smaller version of a mainframe. Old
school terminology.
|
Mifid
|
Markets in
Financial Instruments Directive. European Union financial legislation to
harmonise the selling of financial products across the member states. In
effect it will make it easier to sell financial products across national
borders.
|
MIS
|
Management Information Systems. It
refers to technologies that help managers make better business decisions.
|
MMS
|
Multimedia Messaging Service. A
standard mainly associated with cellular technology that enables users to
send audio, graphics and video.
|
Mobile client
|
An architecture where the user’s
(client) device is untethered from the network i.e. wireless.
|
Mobile phone
|
Once used for making untethered phone
calls and thus voice-centric. Today they are increasingly data-centric
handling music and images. Where they handle email and web access they become
what might be referred to as a personal digital assistant.
|
Modem
|
Acronym for
Modulator-Demodulator. It is
hardware, which converts digital data into analogue signals that can be sent
over an analogue telephone line. At
the other end a modem is also used to convert the signal back into digital
data.
|
Modular
|
A software development design goal.
Modular software tends to be easier to build and maintain.
|
Molap
|
Multidimensional Olap.
|
Moore’s Law
|
A law promoted by Intel founder Gordon
Moore that chip capacity would double every 18 months. This law has largely
held up since its creation in 1965.
|
Mozilla
|
A name associated with Netscape. It
was associated with Netscape’s products prior to its acquisition by AOL. It
was also the name of Netscape’s logo, which looked remarkably like Godzilla.
|
MP3
|
A digital audio standard.
|
MP4
|
A digital audio and video standard.
|
MPE
|
Legacy operating system from HP.
|
MPEG
|
Moving Pictures Expert Group. A
working group associated with the development of audio and video encoding
standards.
|
Mumps
|
Massachusetts General Hospital Utility
Multi-Programming System. This is an
old programming language originally designed for managing medical
records. But subsequently went on to
be a general purpose programming language with good database access and
transaction processing capabilities. Old school.
|
MVS
|
Multiple Virtual Storage - This is an
old operating system for the IBM mainframe.
|
Mysap
|
An enterprise applications solution
from Sap that enables users to access Sap applications via the web.
|
Mysql
|
An open source relational database
management system.
|
