QUESTIONS FROM 2001 MULTIAGENT SYSTEMS EXAM

1) The term "agent" in the context of computer systems has no
   universally accepted meaning - the term is usually defined by
   listing attributes that it claimed an agent has. Briefly describe
   what you undersdand to be the most commonly mentioned attributes of
   agency.

	(5 marks)

2) "Communication in the object and agent worlds is fundamentally different".
   Briefly explain what you understand by this statement.

	(3 marks)

3) Describe the structure of messages in the FIPA agent
   communication language.

        (3 marks)

4) Describe the role of the INFORM and REQUEST performatives in the
   FIPA agent communication language.

	(4 marks)

5) The CONTRACT NET protocol is perhaps the most widely used protocol
   in the multi-agent systems world. Briefly describe:

   i)  the characteristics of problems for which the CONTRACT NET is
       appropriate;

	(3 marks)

   ii) the different stages of the protocol;

	(4 marks)

   iii) the main issues that must be addressed when implementing the
	CONTRACT NET.

	(3 marks)