M
main board: See motherboard.
MDA: Monochrome Display Adapter. A video display protocol defined by the IBM Monochrome Display Adapter and its associated circuitry for direct drive TTL displays that supports a monochrome 720x350 text mode.
megabyte (MB): A unit of data storage equal to 1024 kilobytes. See also kilobyte.
menu: A software interface that displays a list of options on the screen. Also called a screen.
microprocessor: A hardware component contained in a single integrated circuit that carries out instructions. Also called the central processing unit (CPU), one of the main parts of the computer.
mode: A method of operation, for example, the boot mode or the resume mode.
modem: Derived from modulator/demodulator, a device that converts (modulates) digital data for transmission over telephone lines and then converts modulated data (demodulates) to digital format where received.
monitor: A device that uses rows and columns of pixels to display alphanumeric characters or graphic images. See CRT.
motherboard: A name sometimes used to refer to the main printed circuit board in processing equipment. It usually contains integrated circuits that perform the processorÕs basic functions and provides connectors for adding other boards that perform special functions. Sometimes called a main board.
N
numeric keypad overlay: A feature that allows you to use certain keys on the keyboard to perform numeric entry, or to control cursor and page movement.
O
OCR: Optical Character Recognition (reader). A technique or device that uses laser or visible light to identify characters and input them into a storage device.
OCR wand: A device that reads, using an optical device, hand written or machine
