M and N of Digital Media - Meta Tags and Networks
Microsoft
Founded in 1975 by Paul Allen and Bill Gates, Microsoft Corporation is one of the largest and most influential companies in the personal computer industry. In addition to developing the de facto standard operating systems — DOS and Windows — Microsoft has a strong presence in almost every area of computer software, from programming tools to end-user applications.
Memory Stick
A Memory Stick is an IC (Integrated Circuit) which is stored in a compact and rugged plastic enclosure. Memory Sticks are designed to store data and to enable the transfer of data between devices equipped with Memory Stick slots. The Memory Stick standard was introduced by Sony in October of 1998.
The theoretical transfer speed of Memory Stick is 160Mbps.
Mouse
A device that controls the movement of the cursor or pointer on a display screen. A mouse is a small object you can roll along a hard, flat surface. Its name is derived from its shape, which looks a bit like a mouse, its connecting wire that one can imagine to be the mouse’s tail, and the fact that one must make it scurry along a surface. As you move the mouse, the pointer on the display screen moves in the same direction. Mice contain at least one button and sometimes as many as three, which have different functions depending on what program is running. Some newer mice also include a scroll wheel for scrolling through long documents.
Invented by Douglas Engelbart of Stanford Research Center in 1963, and pioneered by Xerox in the 1970s, the mouse is one of the great breakthroughs in computer ergonomics because it frees the user to a large extent from using the keyboard. In particular, the mouse is important for graphical user interfaces because you can simply point to options and objects and click a mouse button. Such applications are often called point-and-click programs. The mouse is also useful for graphics programs that allow you to draw pictures by using the mouse like a pen, pencil, or paintbrush.
There are three basic types of mice:
1. mechanical: Has a rubber or metal ball on its underside that can roll in all directions. Mechanical sensors within the mouse detect the direction the ball is rolling and move the screen pointer accordingly.
2. optomechanical: Same as a mechanical mouse, but uses optical sensors to detect motion of the ball.
3. optical: Uses a laser to detect the mouse’s movement. You must move the mouse along a special mat with a grid so that the optical mechanism has a frame of reference. Optical mice have no mechanical moving parts. They respond more quickly and precisely than mechanical and optomechanical mice, but they are also more expensive.
Mash Up
In technology, a mashup is a web application that combines data from more than one source into a single integrated tool; an example is the use of cartographic data from Google Maps to add location information to real-estate data, thereby creating a new and distinct web service that was not originally provided by either source.
Mashup originally referred to the practice in pop music (notably hip-hop) of producing a new song by mixing two or more existing pieces.
Meta Tags
Meta tags are HTML codes that are inserted into the header on a web page, after the title tag. In the context of search engine optimisation, when people refer to meta tags, they are usually referring to the meta description tag and the meta keywords tag.
The meta description tag and the meta keywords tag are not seen by users. Instead, these tags main purpose is providing meta document data to user agents, such as search engines. In addition to the well-known meta description and meta keywords tags, there are other useful meta tags, including the meta http-equiv tag, meta refresh tag, the meta robots tag, the meta copyright tag, and the meta author tag, etc. These tags are used to give web browsers and search engine spiders directions or data on various information.
Mirror
In computing, a mirror is an exact copy of a data set. On the Internet, a mirror site is an exact copy of another Internet site. Mirror sites are most commonly used to provide multiple sources of the same information, and are of particular value as a way of providing reliable access to large downloads. Mirroring is a type of file synchronization.
A live mirror is automatically updated as soon as the original is changed.
Media File
These are the image, audio, video and text files - “Media Files” or Media. These files (.gif, .wav, .mpg, .txt, etc.) are also known as Assets.
Monitor
The monitor displays the video and graphics information generated by the computer through the video card. Monitors are very similar to televisions but display information at a much higher quality.
The Monitor is Also Known As: screen, display, video display, video screen
A monitor, no matter the type, connects to either a VGA or DVI port on a video card. Before investing in a new monitor, make sure that both devices support the same type of connection. Monitors are not typically user serviceable. For your safety, it’s not usually wise to open and work on a monitor.
Monitors are display devices external to the computer case and connect via a cable to a port on the video card. Even though the monitor sits outside the main computer housing, it is an essential part of the complete system.
Monitors come in two major types - CRT and LCD. CRT monitors look much like traditional televisions and are very deep in size. LCD monitors are much thinner while still offering equivalent, if not better, graphics quality. LCD monitors are beginning to obsolete CRT monitors due to their smaller “footprint” on the desk and decreasing price.
Most monitors range in size from 15″ to 21″ or more. This size is a diagonal measurement from one corner of the screen to the other.
Media Player
Media player is a term typically used to describe computer software for playing back multimedia files. Most software media players support an array of media formats, including both audio and video files.
Some media players focus only on audio or video and are known as audio players and video players respectively. The producers of these players usually focus on providing a better user experience as they are specifically tailored toward the media type.
Microsoft Windows comes with pre-loaded Windows Media Player. The latest is Windows Media Player 11, which is bundled with Windows Vista, and available as a download for Windows XP SP2. Mac OS X comes pre-loaded with Quicktime Player for playing Quicktime movies and iTunes for playing a variety of media formats. Winamp only runs on Windows but supports Apple iPods and other portables like Creative’s Zen while also supporting audio and video playback. Linux distributions come pre-loaded with various media players including VLC, MPlayer, xine, and Totem.
Melbourne IT from Wikipedia
Melbourne IT is an Australian Internet company. Formed in 1996, its primary business is domain name registration in most of the major national and global top-level domains. It also offers web and email hosting services.
The company is a profit-earning medium-sized (in the Australian context) Internet business, with 2004 earnings of approximately 4.5 million AUD (EBIT) on revenues of about 60 million AUD, and continues to grow steadily. It has operations in several European countries through the acquisition of Cogent, as well as a San Francisco office.
For historical reasons (outlined below) Melbourne IT had a de facto monopoly on com.au domain name registrations for several years, providing more than half of its revenues until April 1999 when ICANN awarded it one of the first five registrar licenses to compete with Network Solutions Inc in registering domain names under .com, .net and .org. From December 1999, when Melbourne IT listed on the ASX, the registration of international domain names has dominated its revenues. Following deregulation in 2002, Melbourne IT lost its number one ranking as a com.au domain name registrar to lower-priced rivals, although it maintains a significant market share. Internationally, as an ICANN-accredited registrar, Melbourne IT is ranked around 5 in the world.
The company has attempted to diversify its revenue sources to reduce its dependence on domain names, introducing managed hosting products and consulting services. In 2006, Melbourne IT acquired WebCentral, Australia’s largest web hosting company.
Megabyte
A megabyte is a unit of information or computer storage equal to either 106 (1,000,000) bytes or 220 (1,048,576) bytes, depending on context. In rare cases, it is used to mean 1000×1024 (1,024,000) bytes. It is commonly abbreviated as Mbyte or MB (compare Mb, for the megabit). The term megabyte was coined in 1970.
Motherboard info from www.wisegeek.com
Also known as a mainboard, a motherboard is the underlying circuit board of a computer. The central processing unit (CPU), Random Access Memory (RAM), hard drive(s), disk drives and optical drives are all plugged into interfaces on the motherboard. A video interface and sound card can be optionally built-in or added.
A motherboard can come in many configurations to fit different needs and budgets. At its most basic, it comes with several interfaces for necessary components and a BIOS chip set to control setup of the motherboard. Many computer enthusiasts favor one type of BIOS over another and will choose a motherboard partially based on the BIOS manufacturer. For example, many gamers prefer the Nvidia BIOS as it is rated as one of the best for graphics applications.
An equally important feature of the motherboard is the type of CPU it will support. Some motherboards support AMD CPUs, while others support Intel processors. Within the manufacturer’s categories, there are different grades of CPUs. An AMD 64-bit processor requires a different CPU socket than an AMD 32-bit processor. Thus, if purchasing parts independently, one must decide on the CPU before choosing the motherboard to ensure compatibility.
Another important consideration is the amount and type of RAM the motherboard will support. It is always best to buy a board that supports more RAM than currently needed. If new technology for RAM chips is available, getting a board that supports the newer chips will help future-proof the investment.
The number of PCI slots varies from motherboard to motherboard, as do other interfaces like the number of SATA ports, differing RAID abilities, and USB and Firewire ports. As mentioned prior, sound and video capability might be built-in, though purists generally prefer to disable internal video and sound and add superior third party cards. A motherboard also comes in one of a few standard footprints or sizes. This figures in when purchasing the system case. Along these lines, many motherboard manufacturers recommend particular power supplies that have been tested with the board.
Though building a computer used to be somewhat challenging, today most motherboards are color-coded with controllers built-in, making it very easy to build a computer from scratch. The only time consuming aspect is investigating which hardware will best suit your needs while fitting into your budget. Once the CPU and motherboard is chosen, RAM is somewhat determined by the board itself. Hard drives, an optical disk, a video card, a sound card and a floppy round out the basics.
Nano Technology
Nanotechnology refers to a field of applied science and technology whose theme is the control of matter on the atomic and molecular scale, generally 100 nanometers or smaller, and the fabrication of devices or materials that lie within that size range. Nanotechnology is a highly multidisciplinary field, drawing from fields such as applied physics, materials science, interface and colloid science, device physics, supramolecular chemistry (which refers to the area of chemistry that focuses on the noncovalent bonding interactions of molecules), self-replicating machines and robotics, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, biological engineering, and electrical engineering. Grouping of the sciences under the umbrella of “nanotechnology” has been questioned on the basis that there is little actual boundary-crossing between the sciences that operate on the nano-scale. Instrumentation is the only area of technology common to all disciplines; on the contrary, for example pharmaceutical and semiconductor industries do not “talk with each other”. Corporations that call their products “nanotechnology” typically market them only to a certain industrial cluster.
Two main approaches are used in nanotechnology. In the “bottom-up” approach, materials and devices are built from molecular components which assemble themselves chemically by principles of molecular recognition. In the “top-down” approach, nano-objects are constructed from larger entities without atomic-level control. The impetus for nanotechnology comes from a renewed interest in Interface and Colloid Science, coupled with a new generation of analytical tools such as the atomic force microscope (AFM), and the scanning tunneling microscope (STM). Combined with refined processes such as electron beam lithography and molecular beam epitaxy, these instruments allow the deliberate manipulation of nanostructures, and lead to the observation of novel phenomena.
Examples of nanotechnology are the manufacture of polymers based on molecular structure, and the design of computer chip layouts based on surface science. Despite the promise of nanotechnologies such as quantum dots and nanotubes, real commercial applications have mainly used the advantages of colloidal nanoparticles in bulk form, such as suntan lotion, cosmetics, protective coatings, drug delivery, and stain resistant clothing.
Notebook
A laptop computer, or simply laptop (also notebook computer, notebook and notepad) is a small mobile computer, typically weighing 3-12 pounds (around 1.3 to 5.4 kilograms), although older laptops may weigh more.
Laptops usually run on a single main battery or from an external AC/DC adapter that charges the battery while also supplying power to the computer itself. Many computers also have a 3 volt cell to run the clock and other processes in the event of a power failure.
Network
Great simple explanation of a Network here.
Network Security Administrator
A Network Security Administrator can be a person’s role, and there is also software to assist you in this task. The Network Security Administrator’s role is to ensure the secure operation of the in-house computer systems, servers, and network connections. This includes checking server and firewall logs, scrutinizing network traffic, establishing and updating virus scans, and troubleshooting. This person will also analyze and resolve security breaches and vulnerability issues in a timely and accurate fashion, and conduct user activity audits where required.
Non-Graphical Display Browser
A non-graphical display browswer lets you view hypertext documents and navigate through lists of links with just your keyboard, but you can’t use a mouse, display graphical images, or play sound files. Lynx is one of the most commonly used command-line web browsers. Lynx is designed to display plain ASCII text on simple terminals, so it ignores all of the web’s multimedia content.
Navigation
In the WWW and information systems, navigation is the process of goal-directed locating and traversing hyperlinked information, also known as browsing.
Noise
In the above picture the image on the right-hand side has had “noise” reduction using special software (in this case Noiseware).
In digital images and digital photography the term noise is used to describe the occurrence of color dots or specks where there should be none. For example, in a digital image of a pool of blue water, you may notice white, grey or other colored specks in the image where it should be blue. In scanning technology, image noise is usually referred to as grain or film grain.