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1		-Overview
	1	+ReSpecT Overview

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	2	+* #respect() (**Re**action **Spec**ification **T**uples) is a logic-based language for the coordination of complex software systems.
	3	+* #respect() promotes a coordination model providing tuple centres as programmable, general-purpose coordination media.
	4	+* the behaviour of #respect() tuple centres is programmed through the #respect() first-order logic language.
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5		-= #respect() Overview =
6		-
7		-#respect() (**Re**action **Spec**ification **T**uples) is a logic-based language for the coordination of complex software systems.
8		-##
9		-#respect() promotes a coordination model providing tuple centres as programmable, general-purpose coordination media.
10		-##
11		-The behaviour of #respect() tuple centres is programmed through the #respect() first-order logic language.
12		-
13	13	== The #respect() Tuple Centre Coordination Model ==
14	14
15	15	A tuple centre is a tuple space enhanced with the possibility to program its behaviour in response to interactions.
16	16	##
17		-First of all, coordinated entities (//#respect() agents//, henceforth, or simply //agents//) can operate on a #respect() tuple centre in the same way as on a standard Linda tuple space: by exchanging //tuples// — which are ordered collection of knowledge chunks — through a simple set of coordination primitive.
	10	+First of all, coordinated entities (//#respect() agents//, henceforth, or simply //agents//) can operate on a #respect() tuple centre in the same way as on a standard Linda tuple space: by exchanging //tuples//—which are ordered collection of knowledge chunks—through a simple set of coordination primitive.
18	18	##
19	19	So, an agent can write a tuple in a tuple centre with an #code("out") primitive; or read a tuple from a tuple centre with primitives such as #code("in"), #code("rd"), #code("inp"), #code("rdp") specifying a tuple template - that is, an identifier for a set of tuples, according to some tuple matching mechanism.
20	20	##
21	21	Reading tuples can be
22		-* //destructive// — #code("in"), #code("inp") remove the matching tuple — or //non-destructive// — #code("rd"), #code("rdp") simply read the matching tuple
23		-* //suspensive// — #code("in"), #code("rd") wait until a matching tuple is found — or //non-suspensive// — #code("inp"), #code("rdp") immediately return either the matching tuple or a failure result
24		-<p/>
	15	+* //destructive// — #code("in"), #code("inp") remove the matching tuple – or //non-destructive//– #code("rd"), #code("rdp") simply read the matching tuple
	16	+* //suspensive// — #code("in"), #code("rd") wait until a matching tuple is found – or //non-suspensive//– #code("inp"), #code("rdp") immediately return either the matching tuple or a failure result
	17	+
25	25	but is anyway always //non-deterministic//: when more than one tuple in a tuple centre are found that match a tuple template, one is non-deterministically chosen among them and returned.
26		-<p/>
27		-Accordingly, a tuple centre enjoys all the many features of a tuple space, which can be classified along three different dimensions:
28	28
	20	+Accordingly, a tuple centre enjoys all the many features of a tuple space, which can be classified along three different dimensions:
29	29	* generative communication
30	30	* associative access
31	31	* suspensive semantics
32		-<p/>
	24	+
33	33	The main features of //generative communication// (where information generated has an independent life with respect to the generator) are the forms of uncoupling (space, time, name) based on mediated interaction: sender and receiver do not need to know each other, to coexist in the same space or at the same time in order to communicate (to exchange a tuple, in particular), and more generally, to interact.
34	34	##
35	35	//Associative access// (access based on structure and content of information exchanged, rather than on location, or on name) based on tuple matching promotes synchronisation based on tuple structure and content: thus, coordination is data-driven, and allows for knowledge-based coordination patterns.
36	36	##
37	37	Finally, //suspensive semantics// promotes coordination patterns based on knowledge availability, and couples well with incomplete, partial knowledge.
38		-<p/>
39		-Even more, while the basic tuple centre model is independent of the type of tuple, #respect() tuple centres adopt logic tuples &mdash; both tuples and tuple templates are essentially Prolog //facts// &mdash; and logic //unification// is used as the tuple-matching mechanism.
	30	+
	31	+Even more, while the basic tuple centre model is independent of the type of tuple, #respect() tuple centres adopt logic tuples – both tuples and tuple templates are essentially Prolog //facts// – and logic //unification// is used as the tuple-matching mechanism.
40	40	##
41		-So, for instance, an agent #code("ag1") performing operation #code("we ? in(activity(ag1,CaseID))") on tuple centre #code("we") containing tuples #code("activity(ag1,c16)") and #code("activity(ag2,c22)") will be returned tuple #code("activity(ag1,c16)") &mdash; the one unifying with the template &mdash; removed from #code("we").
	33	+So, for instance, an agent #code("ag1") performing operation #code("we ? in(activity(ag1,CaseID))") on tuple centre #code("we") containing tuples #code("activity(ag1,c16)") and #code("activity(ag2,c22)") will be returned tuple #code("activity(ag1,c16)")—the one unifying with the template—removed from #code("we").
42	42	##
43		-Since the overall content of a tuple centre is a multiset of logic facts, it has a twofold interpretation as either a collection of messages, or a (logic) //theory of communication// among agents &mdash; thus promoting in principle forms of //reasoning about communication//.
44		-<p/>
	35	+Since the overall content of a tuple centre is a multiset of logic facts, it has a twofold interpretation as either a collection of messages, or a (logic) //theory of communication// among agents—thus promoting in principle forms of //reasoning about communication//.
	36	+
45	45	Finally, a tuple centre is a programmable tuple space, so as to add //programmability// of the coordination medium as a new dimension of coordination.
46	46	##
47		-While the behaviour of a tuple space in response to interaction events is fixed &mdash; so, the effects of coordination primitives is fixed &mdash;, the behaviour of a tuple centre can be tailored to the system needs by defining a set of specification tuples, or reactions, which determine how a tuple centre should react to incoming / outgoing events.
	39	+While the behaviour of a tuple space in response to interaction events is fixed – so, the effects of coordination primitives is fixed –, the behaviour of a tuple centre can be tailored to the system needs by defining a set of specification tuples, or reactions, which determine how a tuple centre should react to incoming / outgoing events.
48	48	##
49	49	While the basic tuple centre model is not bound to any specific language to define reactions, #respect() tuple centres are obviously programmed through the #respect() logic-based specification language.
50	50
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53	53	The original #respect() is a logic-based language for the specification of the behaviour of tuple centre.
54	54	##
55	55	As a behaviour specification language, #respect():
56		-
57		-
58	58	* enables the definition of computations within a tuple centre, called reactions, and
59	59	* makes it possible to associate reactions to events occurring in a tuple centre.
60		-<p/>
	50	+
61	61	So, #respect() has both a declarative and a procedural part.
62	62	##
63	63	As a specification language, it allows events to be declaratively associated to reactions by means of specific logic tuples, called specification tuples, whose form is #code("reaction(E,R)").
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69	69	A reaction as a whole succeeds if all its reaction goals succeed, and fails otherwise.
70	70	##
71	71	Each reaction is executed sequentially with a transactional semantics: so, a failed reaction has no effect on the state of a logic tuple centre.
72		-<p/>
	62	+
73	73	All the reactions triggered by an event are executed before serving any other event: so, agents perceive the result of serving the event and executing all the associated reactions altogether as a single transition of the tuple centre state.
74	74	##
75	75	As a result, the effect of a coordination primitive on a logic tuple centre can be made as complex as needed by the coordination requirements of a system.
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77	77	Generally speaking, since #respect() has been shown to be Turing-equivalent, any computable coordination law could be in principle encapsulated into a #respect() tuple centre.
78	78	##
79	79	This is why #respect() can be assumed as a general-purpose core language for coordination: a language that could then be used to represent and enact policies and rules for coordination systems of any sort.
80		-<p/>
	70	+
81	81	Adopting the declarative interpretation of logic tuples, a #respect() tuple centre has then a twofold nature a //theory of communication// (the set of the ordinary tuples) and a //theory of coordination// (the set of the specification tuples).
82	82	##
83	83	In principle, this allows intelligent agents to reason about the state of collaboration activities, and to possibly affect their dynamics.
84	84	##
85	85	Furthermore, the twofold interpretation (either declarative or procedural) of #respect() specification tuples allows knowledge and control to be represented uniformly (as Prolog-like facts) and encapsulated within the same coordination artefact.
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