Introduction - If you have any usage issues, please Google them yourself
The world we live in is becoming ever more reliant on the use of electronics
and computers to control the behavior of real-world resources. For example,
an increasing amount of commerce is performed without a single banknote
or coin ever being exchanged. Similarly, airports can safely land and send off
airplanes without ever looking out of a window. Another, more individual,
example is the increasing use of electronic personal organizers for organizing
meetings and contacts. All these examples share a similar structure multiple
parties (e.g., airplanes or people) come together to co-ordinate their activities
in order to achieve a common goal. It is not surprising, then, that a lot of
research is being done into how a lot of mechanics of the co-ordination process
can be automated using computers.