MAGNETIC DISK

Digital media that uses magnetic particles to store data. Both hard disks and floppy disks are magnetic disks.

MAGNETIC INK

Printer's ink to which iron oxide particles have been added. In regard to MICR laser printing, it refers to toner that has magnetic characteristics.

MAGNETIC INK CHARACTER RECOGNITION (MICR)

Characters used to print or encode information on financial documents so they can be sorted and processed by high-speed magnetic and/or optical recognition equipment. Machine reading of a special print in magnetic ink, using a magnetic head. The most common use of MICR is to read the bank information printed on the bottom of checks in MICR font.

MAGNETIC TAPE UNIT (MTU)

Provides the capability to compose, send and read messages that include things such as spreadsheets, line drawings, animated graphics, high-resolution color images, digitized speech, video and WYSIWYG text that may contain characters in multiple fonts and styles, etc.

MAGNETIC TAPE, MAG TAPE

Plastic tape, similar to audio recording tape, but coated with magnetic material to enable a computer to record information on it in parallel tracks.

MAGNETO OPTICAL RECORDING

Recording data using optical means to change the polarity of a magnetic field in the recording medium. NOTE: Data is erasable and/or rewritable. See also rewritable optical disk.

MAIL EXPLODER

Part of an electronic mail delivery system, which allows a message to be delivered to a list of addressees. Mail exploders are used to implement mailing lists.

MAIL GATEWAY

A machine that connects two or more electronic mail systems (especially dissimilar mail systems on two different networks) and transfers messages between them. Sometimes the mapping and translation can be quite complex and generally it requires a store-and-forward scheme whereby the message is received from one system completely before it is transmitted to the next system after suitable translations.

MAIL LIST

A system (usually automated) that lets people send e-mail to one address, whereupon their message is copied and sent to all of the other subscribers to the mail list.

MAILBOX

A file of e-mail messages on which a UA can operate as if they were incoming messages (read, reply, forward, delete, etc). Compare with. Inbox.

MAIN MEMORY

Usually the fastest storage device of a computer and the one from which instructions are executed. The RAM memory located within the CPU.

MAINFRAME

The CPU of a large computer system.

MAINFRAME, MINICOMPUTER, MICRO-COMPUTER

Three sizes of computers. Big corporations use mainframes and large school systems might use a mid-range computer, sometimes called a minicomputer, as a file server and administrative tool. The common term for microcomputer is personal computer or PC.

MAN (METROPOLITAN-AREA NETWORK)

A MAN is a network with a maximum range of about 75 kilometers (45 miles) or so, and with high-speed transmission capabilities. Most MANS include some type of telecommunications components and activity to handle long-distance transmissions. Because the distances are generally short enough to incur minimal telecommunications costs, the connections usually use very high-speed lines, such as T3, at almost 45 megabits per second (Mbps).

MANUAL FEED MODE

Mode where the items are hand-dropped into the transport rather than using an automatic feed device.

MAPI (MESSAGING APPLICATION PROGRAM INTERFACE)

An interface for messaging and mail services. Microsoft's MAPI provides functions for using Microsoft Mail within a Microsoft Windows application.

MAPPING

The process of assigning a drive letter to a particular logical disk drive. Taking data from company-specific format and fitting it into a standard format.

MARK SENSE

The ability to detect a mark in a field on a document. This is normally used on a coupon to denote things like a Change of Address.

MASK

A special effect you paste images through so that you can only see part of the images, or so that they blend into the background.

MASS

Multiline (OCR) Accuracy Support System. A service similar to CASS that checks the address matching software used by customer's multiline OCRs.

MASS MEMORY

Memory storage on disk or tape. Called mass memory because its maximum volume is larger than main memory.

MASTER FILE

A set of records pertaining to the main subject in an application system, such as employee master file in a payroll application. Contrast with Transaction File, which are records that update the master file.

MATRIX ENDORSER

A dot matrix printing device used to endorse documents with the required information; uses a normal printer ribbon.

MAU (MULTISTATION ACCESS UNIT)

Sometimes abbreviated MSAU, is IBM's term for a wiring hub in its Token Ring architecture. This hub serves as the termination point for multiple nodes and can be connected to the network or to another hub. (MAU also is used for Medium Attachment Unit)

MAXIMUM TRANSMISSION UNIT (MTU)

The largest possible unit of data that can be sent on a given physical medium. Example: The MTU of Ethernet is 1500 bytes. See Fragmentation.

MB

Megabyte.

MBYTE (MEGABYTE)

1,024 kilobytes, 1,048,576 bytes.

MEAN TIME BETWEEN FAILURES (MTBF)

Average length of time between breakdowns.

MEDIUM

The material used to support the transmission of data. This can be copper wire, coaxial cable, fiber optic wire or electromagnetic wave as in microwave.

MEGABYTE (MB)

A million bytes. Sometimes, 1024 kilobytes. See Byte, Bit, Kilobyte.

MEGAHERTZ (MHZ)

One million cycles per second. See Clock Rate.

MEMO LINE

Provided for the convenience of the maker in identifying the purpose of a check during account reconciliation (for example: purchase order number, invoice number, etc.). Nothing in this area is required by the banking industry, nor is it required by the definition of a negotiable instrument.

MEMORY

Area of a computer system that accepts, holds and provides access to information and data. A device or medium that serves for temporary storage of programs and data during program execution. The term is synonymous with storage, although it is most frequently used for referring to the internal storage of a computer that can be directly addressed by operating instructions. A computer's temporary storage capacity, measured in kilobytes or megabytes of RAM. Long-term data storage on discs is also measured in kilobytes or megabytes.

MENU

A list of commands or items from which to choose. Table of contents displayed by a computer to show what tasks it can perform.

MERGE

Combining data from two separate files.

MERGE/PURGE

The process of detecting and removing duplicate records for a file or files, also know as de-duping.

MESSAGE

A collection of data organized in segments and exchanged to convey meaning between partners engaged in EDI. Also called a "document" or "transaction set." It represents a common business transaction. Each message starts with a message header segment and ends with a message trailer segment. The message type identifying the type of business transaction is given in the message header segment.

MESSAGE HANDLING SERVICE (MHS)

A general term for the Application Layer standards being defined by X.400 series ISO 10021.

METADATA

Data about data, or information known about the image in order to provide access to the image. Usually includes information about the intellectual content of the image, digital representation data, and security or rights management information.

METERED MAIL

Any class of mail with postage printed by a USPS approved meter. The privileges and conditions of stamped mail apply to metered mail.

METERING

The process of imprinting postage on a mailing piece using a postage meter.

METHODOLOGY

A methodology is a collection of methods and tools, designed and arranged so as to provide guidance in achieving a specific objective.

MHS

Message Handling Service.

MHZ

Megahertz.

MICR

Magnetic Ink Character Recognition.

MICR (MAGNETIC INK CHARACTER RECOGNITION)

MICR is the magnetic ink used primarily in "check" processing and the process allows the MICR encode to be read by the computer and translated into computer data.

MICR CLEAR BAND

A band 0.625 (5/8) inch high, measured from the aligning edge of a check, parallel to that edge and extending the length of the check, reserved for the imprinting of MICR characters. These characters are printed on the face of the check. The MICR Clear Band must, however, be free of any other magnetic printing on both the front and the back of the check. Also called Clear Band.

MICR LINE

The string of digits at the bottom on the face of a paper check that identifies the bank, account number, and check number, and dollar amount (if encoded) printed using a special magnetic ink and character font. A 0.25 (1/4) inch region centered in the MICR Clear Band that contains the E13-B MICR characters.

MICROCOMPUTER

Usually refers to a small, low cost computer system built around a microprocessor.

MICROFICHE

A 4" x 6" piece of film that has reduced images of up to 700 pages of documents in a grid format for indexing. Microfiche generally refers to COM (computer output microfiche) a technology that stores computer reports on the film instead of paper.

MICROFICHE SCANNER

Device for scanning microfiche. See also microfiche, scanning.

MICROFILM

A storage media for images that has been used since 1950's. The standard is 16mm film but 35mm film is used similarly for engineering applications.

MICROFILM/MICROFICHE SCANNER

A type of scanner that converts microfilm or microfiche documents into electronic documents.

MICROFILMER

A device that films the front and back of documents; requires a special device to read the film. It is either built into a transport or used as a standalone unit. Image capture is designed, among other things, to replace microfilm with something that can be captured and stored on a PC or other storage device.

MICROGRAPHICS

A general term describing the industry and technology which focuses on various methods of using a film media for the storage of business records/documents.

MICROIMAGE

An image too small to be read without magnification.

MICRO-PAYMENTS

The ability to charge small sums of money, counted in pennies, to visitors of a web page.

MICROSECOND (USEE)

One millionth of a second.

MICROWAVE

Bandwidth ranging above one gigahertz, used for high-speed data transmission.

MIGRATION

The act of preserving the integrity of digital images by transferring them across hardware and software configurations and across subsequent generations of computer technology. Migration includes refreshment (copying digital files from one media to another) as a means of preservation and access. However, migration differs from refreshment in the sense that it is not always possible to make an exact copy of a database or even an image file as changes in hardware and software occur and still maintain compatibility with the new generation of technology. Moving images and data from one storage media to another, generally refers to the migration of data images from on-line storage to near-line to off-line. HSM systems do this automatically.

MILLISECOND (MSEC)

One thousandth of a second.

MIME

See Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions.

MINICOMPUTER

Usually refers to a relatively inexpensive computer that has been designed primarily for medium-sized business applications.

MIPS (MILLIONS OF INSTRUCTIONS PER SECOND)

Refers to the measure of computer speed.

MIRROR

Most commonly used to refer to mirror sites: web sites or FTP sites that maintain exact copies of material originated at another location, usually in order to provide more widespread access. The term also can refer to an arrangement in which information is written to more than one hard disk simultaneously, so that if one disk fails, the computer keeps on working without losing anything.

MISREAD

A disparity between the data input and the true value of the data. An error or substitution.

MISSING ITEM

An item that is listed on the detail but not enclosed.

MISSORT

The routing of a document to the wrong pocket. This is usually caused by a misread or hardware failure.

MODE

A method or procedure for system usage.

MODEM

A modem (from modulation-demodulation) is a communications device that converts binary electrical signals into acoustic signals for transmission over telephone lines and converts these acoustic signals back into binary form at the receiving end.

MODIFIED HUFFMAN (MH OR MHC)

Run-length code adapted by CCITT to perform redundancy reduction, Code which addresses the horizontal redundancy of the image.

MODULE

A logically self-contained and discrete part of a larger computer program.

MONITOR

A television-like screen that shows text, graphics and other functions performed by the computer.

MONOCHROME

A one-color lighted display on a video screen with a background of a different color. There are several common combinations: green on black, white on green, black on white, white on gray, etc.

MOTHERBOARD

The main board in a computer equipped with female connectors in which all functional boards are inserted. Also called a backplane.

MOUSE

Small, hand-held device you use to control the pointer on the computer screen. A device that is moved by hand to move a pointer to indicate a precise position on a computer display screen. The device has one or more buttons on top and a cable connected to a computer; it may use wheels and be friction-driven or it may use light reflected from a special pad.

MOUSE BUTTON

Mechanical button on top of the mouse that you use to perform actions and tasks.

MTU

Maximum Transmission Unit or Magnetic Tape Unit.

MULTIMEDIA

Multimedia represents the merging of the computer, communications and broadcasting industries. By combining a variety of information sources, such as voice, graphics, animation, images, audio and video in an exciting and highly dynamic medium, multimedia systems will revolutionize the way we work, learn and play.

MULTIPLES

Refers to a transaction that consists of multiple coupons and/or multiple checks.

MULTIPLEXER

Sometimes called a "mux." A device, which enables more than one signal at a time to be transmitted over a single line. This enables several different users to share a communications channel.

MULTIPLEXERS

A multiplexer (or multiplexor ) is a device for selecting a single output from among several inputs or for channeling several data streams into a single communications channel. The input channels are generally low-speed, while the single output channel is high-speed, with enough bandwidth to accommodate the multiple slower channels. This term is often abbreviated as MUX .

MULTIPROCESSING

Computing that is characterized by using more than one CPU to execute and process computing functions.

MULTIPURPOSE INTERNET MAIL EXTENSIONS (MIME)

The standard for attaching non-text files to standard Internet mail messages. Non-text files include graphics, spreadsheets, formatted word-processor documents, sound files, etc. An e-mail program is said to be MIME Compliant if it can both send and receive files using the MIME standard. When non-text files are sent using the MIME standard they are converted (encoded) into text, although the resulting text is not really readable.

MULTITASKING

In multitasking, a single processor seems to be running two or more programs at the same time (concurrently). Actually, only one of these tasks gets the processor's attention at any given moment, so that the concurrency is only apparent. The currently running task is said to be in the foreground ;the other tasks are running in the background .

MULTIUSER

The capability of some computer systems to provide access to many simultaneous users.