- MCIS
- Messaging Applications Programming Interface (MAPI)
MAPI is an open and comprehensive Microsoft interface specification used by programmers to create messaging and workgroup applications--such as e-mail, voice mail, scheduling, and document management. In a distributed client/server environment, MAPI provides enterprise-messaging services within Windows Open Services Architecture (WOSA).
- Method
A method is a logical operation provided by an object. In object-oriented programming, an object invokes a method by sending a message that contains the receiving object and the name of the specific method to invoke. Often, the name of the method is called a selector. Objects use messages as the mechanism through which they interact.
- MFC
- Microsoft Application Foundation Classes (AFC)
The Microsoft AFC is a set of Java class libraries that are redistributed with the Win32 Virtual Machine for Java. AFC provides user interface components and graphics effects for use in Java-based applets and applications, and conforms to Java Development Kit 1.1 specifications.
- Microsoft Certificate Server
The
Microsoft Certificate Server issues, revokes, and renews digital certificates. These certificates are used to identify users for subsequent authentication using public key technology.
With certificates, clients can be assured of a server's identity.
The Microsoft Certificate Server supports installation and configuration of different certificate issuance policies and multiple certificate signature algorithms. Using this server, you can issue certificates for use on the Internet by your employees and customers. These certificates allow specified users to access data or resources in much the same way that membership or ID cards provide access today. Microsoft Certificate Server is included in the Microsoft Windows NT® 4.0 option pack.
- Microsoft Commercial Internet System (MCIS)
MCIS is a set of Windows NT-based Internet server components targeted at commercial service providers. MCIS delivers a comprehensive set of Web server applications, which help commercial service providers and their customers conduct business online, publish and manage Web content, and cultivate communities whose members can use a wide spectrum of interactive tools to communicate and collaborate.
- Microsoft Cryptographic API (CryptoAPI)
The
Microsoft CryptoAPI provides an extensible architecture for developers to build exportable applications that take advantage of system-level certificate management and cryptography. Applications can use the functions in CryptoAPI without knowing anything about the underlying implementation, in much the same way that an application can use a graphics library without knowing anything about the particular graphics hardware configuration. (See also:
Cryptography)
- Microsoft Data Access Components
Microsoft Data Access Components are comprised of ADO and Remote Data Service (RDS), Open Database Connectivity (ODBC), and the Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC, which are released, documented, and supported together. Data Access Components provide easy-to-use, programmatic access to all types of data throughout the enterprise. Both the Web and a local area network (LAN) can use these components to easily integrate information from a variety of sources.
- Microsoft FrontPage
Microsoft FrontPage is a Web site creation and management tool. FrontPage utilizes WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editing and graphical interfaces, and includes wizards, templates, and drag-and-drop functionality. Both experienced Web site developers and users who do not know how to write HTML can use FrontPage to create and maintain Web sites.
- Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC)
The MFC is a set of C++ classes that encapsulate a majority of the functionality of applications written for the Microsoft Windows operating system. Since the creation of Windows predates the popularity of the C++ programming language, many application-programming interfaces (APIs) were written in the procedural C-language API. MFC permits any C++ Windows interface to be built on top of the procedural API, and guarantees that C++ applications will be able to coexist with C applications.
- Microsoft Hypertext Markup Language (MSHTML)
MSHTML is a DLL that provides support for displaying text and graphics in the HTML document format. Any software product that utilizes MSHTML is able to display HTML information on a user's computer system. This means that HTML can be used to format text and images in any software program, not only on the Web.
Software programs, such as word- and data-processing applications can take advantage of MSHTML to display rich graphics, text, DHTML effects, and ActiveX controls and scripts.
- Microsoft Index Server
Microsoft Index Server is a search engine included in Internet Information Server that provides users with access to all documents on your Web site. Index Server is a free, downloadable component of Windows NT Server 4.0 and IIS. It allows you to perform full-text searches and retrieve all types of information in any format from any Web browser. Index Server provides support for searching HTML, text, and all Microsoft Office documents, in their original formats in seven languages.
- Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS)
Microsoft IIS is a high-performance, secure, and extensible Internet server which enhances the functionality of Windows NT Server 4.0. IIS 4.0 is installed as a component of the Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack. A complete set of tools for building server-based Web applications (Weblications) is included in IIS.
Another important feature of IIS is its Active Server Pages capability, which allows Web authors to combine HTML, server-side scripts, and ActiveX controls.
- Microsoft Internet Locator Server (ILS)
Microsoft ILS provides a dynamic directory service that facilitates real-time communication on the Internet and intranets for Microsoft NetMeeting. ILS maintains a dynamic database of users currently online at a given point in time, and maintains the correct IP addresses associated with that individual, enabling a connection over the Internet or intranet to be made with NetMeeting.
This information is constantly updated with transit information as users connect and disconnect from the site or service.
- Microsoft JScript
Microsoft JScript™ is a standard scripting language, based on the ECMA-262 standard, specifically targeted for the Internet and built into Internet Explorer browsers. Microsoft's version of JavaScript, JScript is implemented as a fast, portable, lightweight interpreter that processes source code embedded directly in the HTML. JScript code does not produce stand-alone applets, but it is used to add interactivity to HTML documents. JScript uses syntax and language features similar to the Java, C, and C++ programming languages.
- Microsoft Management Console (MMC)
MMC, a feature of Internet Information Server, is a Windows-based multiple document interface (MDI) application that makes extensive use of Internet technologies. Both Microsoft and independent software vendors (ISVs) can extend the console by writing MMC snap-in components, which are responsible for performing management tasks.
MMC does not replace existing enterprise management applications, such as Hewlett-Packard OpenView or the IBM Tivoli Management Environment. Instead, it extends these tools by allowing them to interact with, or be packaged as, snap-ins that can be accessed from the MMC user interface. For example, an enterprise management application could detect an event and send an alarm to a snap-in. A system administrator would then see the event in an MMC session and would take appropriate action.
- Microsoft Media Server Protocol (MMS Protocol)
MMS Protocol is used to reference and stream .asf files from Windows Media Technologies. For example: mms://server_name/file_name.asf
- Microsoft NetMeeting
Microsoft NetMeeting is a feature of Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 and is a core component for communicating and collaborating on the Internet. Using a sound card, speakers, a microphone, and telephone capabilities, NetMeeting's conferencing software enables users to talk over the Internet just as they would using a telephone alone. Combining all the tools necessary to communicate over the Internet, NetMeeting enables users to see the other participants via videoconferencing, as well as share information with several other people at the same time using multipoint dataconferencing.
- Microsoft Proxy Server
Microsoft Proxy Server provides firewall security, Web content caching, and management tools that help organizations effectively address issues of extending their networks to the Internet. Integrated with Windows NT Server, Microsoft Proxy Server gives system administrators a single set of tools to manage intranet and Internet access.
- Microsoft Script Debugger
The Microsoft Script Debugger is a debugging environment that extends any Microsoft ActiveX scripting host application, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer and Microsoft Internet Information Server. Using Microsoft Script Debugger, Web developers can browse, edit, and debug scripted HTML pages (.htm, .html, and .asp files) on both the client and the server. The Script Debugger includes the ability to set and clear breakpoints, step through and over procedures, display and change the values of variables and properties, evaluate expressions, and view the call stack and navigate to any currently loaded procedure. In addition, the Script Debugger also includes the ability to open and edit HTML pages.
- Microsoft Site Server
Microsoft Site Server provides a comprehensive Web site environment for publishing, searching, and delivering information to intranet users.
- Microsoft Site Server, Commerce Edition
Microsoft Site Server, Commerce Edition provides a comprehensive Web site environment for engaging and transacting with customers and business partners. This application, built on Windows NT Server and Internet Information Server, enables developers to ad-enable Web sites, add personalization and membership, do online commerce, and perform sophisticated analysis of Web sites.
- MTS
- Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS)
MTS is a component-based transaction processing system for developing, deploying, and managing high-performance, scalable, and robust enterprise, Internet, and intranet server applications. MTS defines an application-programming model for developing distributed, component-based applications, and provides a run-time infrastructure for deploying and managing these applications.
- Microsoft Visual Basic
Microsoft Visual Basic® 
is a high-level, visual programming language based on the BASIC (Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) language and designed for building Windows-based applications. Visual Basic was one of the first products to provide a graphical programming environment and a paint metaphor for developing user interfaces. By dragging and dropping controls, such as buttons and dialog boxes, and then defining their appearance and behavior, the Visual Basic programmer is able to add a substantial amount of code without getting bogged down in syntactical details.
Although Visual Basic is not considered a true object-oriented programming language, it does embrace an object-oriented philosophy. It is sometimes called an event-driven language, because each object can react to different events.
- Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript)
Microsoft VBScript is a scripting language based on the more complex Visual Basic programming language. Similar to both JScript and JavaScript, VBScript enables Web authors to include interactive controls, such as buttons and scroll bars, on their Web pages. For a Visual Basic programmer, VBScript is the easiest scripting language to learn.
(JScript is easier for C/C++ programmers.)
- Microsoft Visual InterDev
Microsoft Visual InterDev™ is a team-based tool designed to be used when developing HTML-based, data-driven, cross-platform Web applications for the Internet and corporate intranets. Visual InterDev contains a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) HTML editor, support for Dynamic HTML, client- and server-side debugging, database tools, and support for team-based development. Visual InterDev is also fully interoperable with Microsoft FrontPage for effective workgroup development of Web applications.
- Microsoft Visual J++
Microsoft Visual J++ is a tool that enables developers to rapidly construct Windows-based applications and components using two-way RAD tools and the Windows Foundation Classes (WFC), an object-oriented framework that encapsulates and simplifies the Win32® API.
Visual J++ combines the power of the Windows operating systems with the Java language.
- Microsoft Visual SourceSafe (VSS)
Microsoft Visual SourceSafe is a source control system for team software, Web site development, or any situation in which version control is desired. Visual SourceSafe provides versioning and configuration-management functionality in addition to security and audit trail capabilities. Using Visual SourceSafe protects files from accidental loss, permits back-tracking to previous versions of a file, and allows the branching, merging, and managing of releases.
- Microsoft Web Embedding Fonts Tool (WEFT)
Microsoft WEFT is a free utility that allows Web site designers to create font objects that contain compressed subsets of fonts used on the Web page. These subsets, or font objects, include only the characters
used by the particular Web site or page to which the object is linked. When Internet Explorer 4.0 encounters a Web page that has a font object linked to it, the font object is downloaded, cached, and decompressed; the font it contains is then privately installed. This enables designers to ensure that Internet Explorer users see the page exactly as it was designed to be seen. As a precaution, only Internet Explorer has access to this font; the privately installed font cannot be accessed by other applications.
- Microsoft XML parser
The Microsoft XML parser is a high-performance, validating, C++ parser. It parses an XML document, validates that document against a DTD, and exposes an object model that can be accessed from script. The XML parser conforms to the XML specification that is now a recommendation by the World Wide Web Consortium. A Java XML parser can be downloaded separately.
- MMC
- Moniker
A moniker is a name that uniquely identifies a Component Object Model (COM) object. Monikers support an operation known as binding, which is the process of locating the object named by the moniker, activating it or loading it in memory if it isn't already there, and returning an interface pointer to it.
- Multicast
Multicast is the sending of a stream across the network from a source to all clients that want to receive it. Multicast contrasts with
unicast, in which a stream is sent to each client requesting it, and
broadcast, in which a stream is sent to all clients on the network. Multicasting economizes bandwidth by not sending multiple streams of the same data and by not sending it to clients who haven't requested to receive it.
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