E-commerce Glossary - S

Scalability

The ability and flexibility of an application to meet growth requirements of an organization

Screen Resolution

The pixel width and height a computer's screen supports. Typical values for screen resolutions are 1024x768 and 800x600.

Script

A Program written in a non-compiled language, such as Perl. A script may be used by a Web server and is invoked through CGI.

SCSI

The Small Computer System Interface is a set of evolving standard electronic interfaces that allow personal computers to communicate with peripheral hardware such as disk drives, tape drives, CD-ROM drives, printers, and scanners. SCSI (pronounced "scuzzy") is faster and more flexible than previous interfaces.

SDRAM

Acronym for Synchronized Dynamic Random Access Memory used as a temporary place to perform computer calculations or processes.

Search Engine

A Web site that helps you find other Web sites on the Internet.

Secure Servers

Special servers that utilize encryption to prevent unauthorized users from intercepting and reading a message that passes through its system.

Semantic Web

Promoted as the "Next Generation Internet" where more benefits capable through the Internet can be achieved by allowing program or databases to implement instructions and routines without having to be written in the same programming language. Term coined by Tim Berners-Lee for the next evolutionary step for the WEB where machines interoperate regardless of applications and platforms used. Attainment of the Semantic Web viewed as the true benefit driving environment for the Internet.

Server

A network computer - that is, a central computer to which a number of PCs are connected.

Server Side Scripting and Programming Languages

A variety of scripting and programming languages is available to you in order to give greater function to your web site. Some of the primary examples are: Unix, Perl, shell script, Server-Side Includes (SSI), PHP, Miva (formerly HTMLScript), NT, ColdFusion, and Active Server Pages (ASP).

Service Provider

A service provider is a company who supplies Internet services to personal users or business. Among other things they provide access to the Internet or somewhere to place Web Pages making them available to the WWW. You pay the service provider a set fee.

Session

One of the more accurate representation of the number of visits to a web site. A session combines all the hits generated by someone accessing various pages and images within a session and counts them as one session. Users are determined by the IP address or cookie and a session is terminated when a user is inactive for more than 30 minutes, although this duration can vary from web host to host.

Session Cookie

Temporary cookie stored in a computers memory for remembering preferences during a web site visit that is flushed on leaving the site.

SET (Secure Electronic Transaction)

A protocol which makes credit-card payments on the web more secure.

Settlement

Once the goods have been shipped to the customer, the merchant can key a transaction for settlement at which time the customer's credit card is charged for the transaction and the proceeds are deposited into the merchant account.

Set-up Fees

Fees charged for establishing a merchant account, including application fees, software licensing fees, and equipment purchases.

SGML

Acronym for Standard Generalized Markup Language. Standardized markup language popular in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Helped form the basis of HTML and XML.

Shared Server

Shared web servers are a very popular way of providing low-cost web hosting services. Instead of requiring a separate computer for each site, dozens of sites can co-reside on the same computer. In most cases, performance is not affected and each web site behaves as if it is being served by a dedicated server.

Shareware

Free trial programs. Shareware is usually restricted in its functionality. You may only use it for a limited period, or it is not a complete version. If you like the program, you can register as a user and receive the full version.

Shipping Confirmation

An email message that notifies a customer that an order has been shipped.

Shop Building Software

Computer program that allows you to build a shop for the Internet.

Shopping Cart

The 'shopping cart' or 'shopping basket' in a web store. This virtual cart works in a similar way to a real one. You 'load' it with products but the transaction is only processed once you reach the virtual 'checkout', an on-screen button confirming the order. It is normally easy to remove items from the shopping cart prior to confirmation of the order.

Site Map

The 'map' of a web site.

SLA (Service Level Agreement)

Used in many merchant /institution and merchant/consumer transactions to define the boundaries of what the service is committed to deliver and under what circumstances.

Smart Card

A plastic card containing a computer chip that holds large amounts of information, performs some processing and is tamper resistant. Smart cards could create and store private signing keys or be used for other essential electronic commerce tasks.

SML (Syncronized Multimedia Integration Language)

Acronym for Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language. A W3C recommended language for creating a multimedia presentation.

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)

A protocol which makes credit-card payments on the web more secure.

Socket

When your computer is on the Internet via a SLIP connection, a socket is a conversation your computer is having with a computer elsewhere on the net. You may have one socket for an FTP session, another socket for a Telnet session, and another socket taking care of getting your mail.

SOHO (Small Office / Home Office)

Stands for Small Office/Home Office and refers to a specific group of people who work from home or small companies.

Spamexing

Stuffing a Web page full of words in the hope of making it high on the list for search engine robots. Sometimes a Web page will have a list of many words, or the same word repeated many times, with the text in the same color as the background. Spamdexed Web pages will be rejected by search engines.

SQL (Structured Query Language)

Structured Query Language - a standardized language used to access databases.

SSL (Secure Locket Layer)

Secure Socket Layer is the technology used to secure transactions on a web site. SSL provides the unique identification and data-encryption facilities in the connection between a browser and a web server. Most e-Commerce applications on the Internet use SSL.

SSL Support

Secure Sockets Layer, or SSL, support allows the transfer of data in a secure environment.

State Portal System

Serves regional and Micro GeoPortal Structures and provides site identification according to any human indexing methodologies. In the semantic web would allows users to search resources within a large geographic area. Can be used to serve provinces in countries outside the U.S..

Statistical Rational

The use of statistics in formulating and substantiating strategy.

Storefront

A site in one of the Malls to conduct either E-commerce or E-business. A producer of an e-commerce database.

Submission

An application process where a Web Page is submitted to a Search Engine or Directory so that that page be found and accessed during an Internet User's search on a particular topic.

Swipe Discount Rate

The discount rate charged by a merchant account provider for transactions in which a credit card is available for inspection by the merchant. Swipe discount rates are generally lower than MOTO discount rates because the merchant can match signatures and perform other checks for fraud or misuse.