Brainstorming

forum-network/notes/work.md

@@ -16,4 +16,78 @@ meaning that it
 - includes what the node believes must be included according to the majority view
   note that with this scheme there be muliple possible valid proposed blocks.
 
----
+In any case, block production will require some form of consensus protocol. (BFT).
+
+We have to define an algorithm from the perspective of a single node.
+
+That node will need to make certain assumptions. Let us identify those assumptions.
+
+- continuity guarantees?
+- sender identifiability?
+- it needs to bo possible to verify an asymmetric signature
+
+This leads us to the storage requirements for a node.
+
+For a node to exist, it must be capable of at least some temporal continuity.
+That's what distinguishes a node from a client.
+
+We want our protocol to involve performing certain kinds of work.
+
+- Block production
+  - Messaging protocol
+  - In-memory storage
+- Queryable history
+  - Fast record storage
+  - Archival record storage
+
+What is common among these?
+
+- Availability stake represents commitment to perform the specified work
+- Peers must validate the work product via validation pool
+
+How can we adapt the following concepts?
+
+- Business contract interfacing with availability contract
+- Reputation is minted via validation pools
+- Reputation is rewarded to validation pool winners
+- Reputation is awarded to a post in the forum
+- Reputation is propagated via citations
+
+In a messaging system, the work is
+
+- Listening for messages
+- Receiving messages
+- Processing messages
+- Sending messages
+
+and may include
+
+- Maintaining context related to incoming messages for the duration of some operation
+- Performing computations
+- Storing data
+- Retrieving data
+- Performing other actions
+
+The work of verifying peers in a messaging system is
+
+- Detecting invalid messages
+- Successfully defending against DoS attacks
+- Initiating validation pools?
+- Voting in validation pools?
+
+The work of providing a storage service extends that of participating in a messaging system.
+
+The work of verifying peers work products in a storage network is
+
+- Periodically querying peers and verifying their responses
+- Participating in validation pools to police peers
+  - Initiating validation pools
+  - Voting in validation pools
+
+Governance of a storage network includes
+tuning post and validation pool timing and other parameters.
+This can be served via the forum and validation pool,
+by having the clients agree on an interpretation of the forum,
+such that clients can derive from forum posts, at least some operating parameters.
+It may even be possible to use the forum to provide the client code itself,
+or tools for generating such code.