Enterprise IT
Understanding Internet Payment Protocols
The success of e-commerce is based on standards, such as TCP/IP and HTTP, as well as low-cost Internet access. But more important, its triumph lies with the protocols involved in exchanging money for goods and services. These payment protocols define electronic commerce, distinguishing true e-commerce sites from their information-only, "brochureware" counterparts. A payment protocol does not move data; it moves money. The headers and provided services of these protocols are layered on top of underlying data- and link-layer protocols.
ReadYour E-Commerce Site: Build, Buy Or Rent?
To build or to buy. Yes, it's time to dust off that old bit of IS folklore. We know about the popularity of the Web and the well-documented successes of electronic-commerce sites--at least the PR machines have publicized them well enough. That success has driven us to wistful contemplation: Can we be the next ones to make $1 million on the Internet. But how will we sell our widgets and services over the Web? It shouldn't be too hard. After all, the prerequisite components--corporate Web servers, databases and consumer browsers--are ubiquitous; they work well and they don't cost an arm and a leg. Moreover, at this point everyone and his mother has a Web page. Heck, you might be up to your third or fourth version.
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