Assume a processor asynchronously writes its identifier into an
individually dedicated cell in memory and then reads all cells one by
one. The processor then returns the set of identifiers
it read. When faced with such a collection of sets, one for each
processor, what are the characteristics of the collection that make it a
possible outcome to the algorithm above and what
not.
The answer to this simply posed question may elude many researchers. The
answer brings to the table ``declarative'' approach to algorithm design,
rather than ``operational'' approach. In the tutorial, I'll present the
ramification of this approach to various questions.