Internet protocols for distributed consensus : the DiCons language

In this paper a new speciication language DiCons (Distributed Consensus) is introduced to specify Internet protocols for distributed consensus. Major characteristic of this class of protocols is that a number of users strive to reach a common goal (e.g. make an appointment, evaluate a paper, select a \winner"). The problem is that the users do not want to physically meet to solve their goal, nor will there be any synchronized communications between the users. A central system, viz. an Internet application, must be used to collect and distribute all relevant information. Our goal is to develop a language in which the aforementioned protocols can easily be speciied. The language must both be expressive enough and concrete. In order to be applicable to an appropriate range of problems, it must have the right expressive power. The language must be concrete enough, such that automatic generation of an executable is feasible.