eBusiness Glossar

P

Page Clicks

Number of visits to a web site.

Page Impressions (originally "PageViews")

Indicates the number of visual contacts of any user with a potential advert-carrying HTML page.

Pager

Devices that can display short text messages.

PageView

Stands for Page Impressions.

Peer-to-Peer network

Network variants in which no rigid division into server and workstations is made, in contrast to a server network. Each PC in the network can provide or use services and data, and each computer has equal rights.

Perl

Interpreter script language that is frequently used for the programming of CGI applications.

Persistent shopping basket

For registered customers of online sales systems, the current shopping basket is automatically stored so that these customers can interrupt their purchasing and resume it again later.

PGP

Abbreviation of "Pretty Good Privacy": de-facto encryption standard for secure Email communication that works with the Public Key Procedure (public key). PGP creates two keys: a public key and a private, confidential key. The public key can be sent to all partners completely openly. In order to send messages, these are encrypted using the corresponding public key of the addressee. This message can then be decrypted with the secret key. PGP can also be used for digital marking (without certification).

PIN

Personal Identification Number. Multi-digit secret number (similar to a password) that must be entered first before access to a service is released.

Ping

Stands for "Packet Internet Groper" (to grope = to touch, to feel): TCP /IP network test with the option of checking whether an INTERNET computer is online.

Plug-in

A plug-in is an additional component for the expansion of the browser. Plug-ins can often be loaded from the Internet onto the user's own computer. For example, the Acrobat plug-in or the RealAudio plug-in.

Point of Sale

In the physical world, this is the point at which a product is paid for and delivered. On the Internet, this is the software that enables the merchant to accept transactions on their online storefronts, and conduct follow-on transactions with their financial institution. An example would be PayWare from Trintech.

POP

Abbreviation for "Post Office Protocol" which is used to receive Emails.

Portal

An expression from the Internet world. Pages that are used as an entry point for surfers, e.g. the pages of online services or search engines, are described as portals. They immediately provide the Internet user with information relevant to him, and form the platform for visitors to other web sites.

PowerShopping

In this case, purchasers of both small and the smallest amounts benefit from large quantity discounts. As soon as a large number of buyers have jointly decided on a product, the individual purchaser obtains an extremely attractive price.

Provider

The company or institutions that enable Internet access, e.g. T-Online, AOL or universities. Without a provider, access to the Internet is not possible.

Proxy Server

'Proxy' means something like 'representative service': Proxies accept the requirements of a client (e.g. a WWW browser) and forward them, modified if necessary, to the original target (e.g. a WWW site). A proxy can store the passed data locally and deliver it directly the next time it is accessed.

Public-key encryption

An encryption system using two keys, namely a public key for encrypting messages and a private key for decrypting messages, to enable users to verify each other's messages without exchanging secret keys.

Public-key infrastructure (PKI)

An interoperable security solution incorporating the use of digital signatures to ensure the integrity of transmitted information. Also supports user authentication and non-repudiation.