 In the following example, the inspiration does not only flow from social problems to formal solutions, but also the other way, from successful social practices to formal procedures. Many algorithms for distributed computing are related to social protocols for communication in everyday life. An example is the use of a “talking stick” to regulate discussion and decision making in a group of peers, with the rules that the talking stick gets passed around and only the person who is holding the stick is allowed to talk (Nerburn 1999).