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A Rule-of-hand is four rules-of-finger, one for each principle, and a rule-of-thumb to tie them. The reason for a rule-of-hand is that the ?RulesAreIntertwined. Consider the following:
First, the four fingers:
- Seek specialization and avoid monoculture
- move complexity from within individual cells to the diversity of the collaborating group of cells
- an infection, like a cold, should be able to infect only a small proportion of the cells
- use autonomic computing (self configuring) techiques to manage that diversity
- Base collaboration on polymorphic messaging, never code transfer
- specialization implies that different "cells" interpret the message each in their own way
- Be stingy with language interpreters and be careful what powers you allow them
- Self is a property of attachment to the stigmergic structure -- the connected system including shared persistent data stores and the communication network -- not of the individual cells
- Keep your eye on the persistent, perhaps boring, data and networks, not the flashier algorithmic stuff inside each "cell"
- One cell is never more important than the multicellular "self"
- Apoptosis is your friend. If the cell strays, kill it. If the hand offends, cut it off
For the binding rule-of-thumb, consider
- try to use a double or triple entendre messaging architecture
- make messages imply specialized behavior
- messages can also provide cues as to the ongoing relationship of the "cell" to the stigmergy structure
- have receipt of messages imply the kind of "I'm OK - You're OK" relationship that signals that the cell and its relationship to the stigmergy structure are healthy -- hence no need for apoptosis.
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