by Theo Verelst (of course feel free to comment / correct, pref. with id)
The Process Algebra page gives an idea of that concept, but lacking in it was some indication of the algebraic manipulation which is of interest, and which of course is a major reason for the algebraic angle.
Distributiveness, associativeness, substitution of the parallel and serial compostion and the restriction operator.
Lets see (sort of like typing while my memory and imagination are working, I should do my library work first, in fact), starting with parallel composition of agents capable of communication with a certain message set and a certain set of state progression orders:
(A | B) | C ^= A | (B | C) ^= A | B | C A | B ^= B ^| A
Serial composition:
A ; B != B ; A ( A ; B ) ; C ==> ( A ; C ) && ( B ; C )
Combined:
( A | B ) ; C ==>