Macro: A series of special instructions for a program or a metalanguage that allows a name to be substituted for a repeated sequence of operations or text within a document or program.
Magenta: One of the subtractive primaries the hue of which is used for one of the 4 color process inks. It reflects blue and red light and absorbs green light. Often confused with the additive primary color or red, especially when requesting color corrections.
Magenta Screen: A dyed contact screen. Generally only used in black and white reproduction of halftones and not used in color, except in indirect separations.
Mask: In color separations, an intermediate lithographic negative or positive used in color correction and employed during the direct screening method. For use in making color corrections, a mask made from rubylith or film is used to alter precise areas of tone or color on litho dupe film.
Match Art: In color reproduction most clients ask for match art reproduction. The client submits artwork or photography containing many colors and tones and asks that all colors and tones be reproduced exactly. This however is an unusually difficult task since it is virtually impossible to recreate all colors and tones from only four printing inks: cyan, magenta, yellow and black. It is therefore necessary for clients to pre-visualize how certain colors and tones will render when using process inks and dots created from the continuous tone original.
Matte Finish: In printing paper - a dull finish without any gloss or luster. In photography - a color or black and white paper with low gloss or luster which is most ideal for retouching.
Maximum Density: The measurement of the blackest or darkest area of an image on film; that is, the area with the maximum ability to stop light.
Mechanical: An assembly of type and/or artwork, usually on paper stuck to a sheet of art board.
Megabyte: Approximately one million bytes.
Memory Colors: Colors such as red apples, blue skies, skin tones and green grass. These are the colors most people agree upon for color, density and tone.
Memory Resident Software: Software that is loaded into memory and is available for use even when another application is active. Also known as TSR software.
Metalanguage: A formal language like SGML that is used to describe other languages.
Metameric Pairs: Two colors that are different yet look the same when viewed under a particular light source. In technical terms, the colors have the same set of color coordinates but different spectral reflectance curves.
Metamerism: The tendency for color to shift in hue as it is viewed under different lighting conditions.
Microprocessor: The silicon chip with thousands of electronic components that serves as the central processing unit (CPU) in microcomputers.
Middle Tones: The tonal range between highlights and shadows of a photograph or reproduction. Middletones are very important because they contain the majority of the detail in a reproduction and must remain neutral and in balance in order to match the original.
MIF: Maker Interchange Format. The export format produced by FrameMaker for sharing data with other word processors or text-handling systems.
Mil: One one-thousandth (1/1000) of an inch; used to describe paper and tape thickness.
MIME: Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions. Extensions to the RFC822 mail message format to permit more complex data and file types than just plain text.
Minimum Density: The measurement of the whitest, or lightest area of an image on film.
MIPS: Million of Instructions Per Second.
Mirror: The process or tool that copies a selected object and inverts it by reflecting it across an imaginary line on the screen.
Modem: Short for modulator-demodulator. Device that allows digital signals to be transmitted and received over analog telephone lines.
Moire: In color process printing, the pattern which exists because of one screen angle overprinting another or several other screen angles. Sometimes the moire pattern becomes objectionable because the screen angles are less than 30 degrees, creating an "interference effect." However, the yellow screen in process color is always less than 30 degree angle from other colors but since the yellow dots are virtually invisible to the eye these patterns are unseen.
Monospaced: A type of screen or type font where all characters have the same width.
Montage: In artwork, several photographs ("C" prints) or several transparencies (all the same reproduction size) are pasted or taped to an art board or acetate in order to create a pleasing layout which is capable of being separated in one piece. Originals should contain similar highlight, middletone and shadow characteristics.
Motherboard: The assembly in a computer into which printed circuit cards, modules, or boards are connected. In a microcomputer, this is the maincircuit board.
Mouse: Hand-driven input and pointing device for personal computers.
MS-DOS: The basic command system _called disk operating system, or DOS _ for IBM and IBM clone personal computers.
Multiples: (see also Number Up) Placing more than 1 image of the same product onto a single form.
Multitasking: Running two or more computer programs simultaneously.
Mylar: In image assembly; a polyester based film specifically suited for stripping film upon because of its mechanical strength and dimensional stability.
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