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matte Laptop screen finish that offers a good balance between richness of colors and reflections, but washes out in bright light.

MBR (master boot record) Tiny bit of code that takes control of the boot process from the system BIOS.

MCC (memory controller chip) Chip that handles memory requests from the CPU. Although once a special chip, it has been integrated into the chipset on all PCs today.

MCH (memory controller hub) Intel-coined name for what is now commonly called the Northbridge.

MD (MKDIR) command Command in the command line interface used to create directories.

mega- Prefix that usually stands for the binary quantity 1,048,576 (220). One megabyte is 1,048,576 bytes. One megahertz, however, is a million hertz. Sometimes shortened to Meg, as in “a 286 has an address space of 16 Megs.”

megapixel Term used typically in reference to digital cameras and their ability to capture data.

memory Device or medium for temporary storage of programs and data during program execution. Synonymous with storage, although it most frequently refers to the internal storage of a computer that can be directly addressed by operating instructions. A computer’s temporary storage capacity is measured in kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), or gigabytes (GB) of RAM (random-access memory). Long-term data storage on disks is also measured in kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, and terabytes.

memory addressing Taking memory address from system RAM and using it to address nonsystem RAM or ROM so the CPU can access it.

Memory Stick Sony’s flash memory card format; rarely seen outside of Sony devices.

mesh topology Network topology where each computer has a dedicated line to every other computer, most often used in wireless networks.

MFT (master file table) Enhanced file allocation table used by NTFS. (See also FAT.)

microATX Variation of the ATX form factor, which uses the ATX power supply. MicroATX motherboards are generally smaller than their ATX counterparts but retain all the same functionality.

microBTX Variation of the BTX form factor. MicroBTX motherboards are generally smaller than their BTX counterparts, but retain all the same functionality.

microprocessor “Brain” of a computer. Primary computer chip that determines relative speed and capabilities of the computer. Also called CPU.

Microsoft Windows Logo Program Testing program for hardware manufacturers, designed to ensure compatibility with the Windows OS.

MIDI (musical instrument digital interface) Interface between a computer and a device for simulating musical instruments. Rather than sending large sound samples, a computer can simply send “instructions” to the instrument describing pitch, tone, and duration of a sound. MIDI files are therefore very efficient. Because a MIDI file is made up of a set of instructions rather than a copy of the sound, modifying each component of the file is easy. Additionally, it is possible to program many channels, or “voices” of music to be played simultaneously, creating symphonic sound.

migration Moving users from one operating system or hard drive to another.

MIMO (multiple in/multiple out) Feature of 802.11n devices that enables the simultaneous connection of up to four antennae, allowing for increased throughput.

mini-audio connector Very popular, 1/8-inch diameter connector used to transmit two audio signals; perfect for stereo sound.

mini connector One type of power connector from a PC power supply unit. Supplies 5 and 12 volts to peripherals. Also known as a floppy connector,

mini PCI Specialized form of PCI designed for use in laptops.

mini power connector Connector used to provide power to floppy disk drives.

mini-DIN Small connection most commonly used for keyboards and mice. Many modern systems implement USB in place of mini-DIN connections. Also called PS/2.

mirrored volume Volume that is mirrored on another volume. (See also mirroring.)

mirroring Reading and writing data at the same time to two drives for fault tolerance purposes. Considered RAID level 1. Also called drive mirroring.