I don't think it's an ad hoc design, it's just taking an existing p2p topology and classifying a section of the nodes to be able to preform higher functions / form internally their own mesh and then incentivize them and a quorum system for tie it together, and then building various applications/services on top of that. Most P2P networks have multi-tiers, e.g. Skype promotes end-nodes to super-nodes to route more traffic if you have a good connection... in P2P network design, Bitcoin is notable for *not* having multi-tiers. That's why I say it's a missing feature from Bitcoin which just has a single tier of fullnodes essentially, maybe Satoshi would have implemented it too if he was still around, it's not rocket science.
Except P2P networks are not Byzantine fault tolerant against Sybil attacks.
Skycoin's white paper proves that only need 0.9% of the top-tier nodes to take over a reputation linked network.
And wikipedia also documents that virtual synchrony is not Byzantine fault tolerant.
If you are just doing a vote (quorum), then isn't essentially proof-of-stake which can be gamed unless the entropy is unbounded.
Again if I had an incentive I could try to follow all that and explain why it is unsound. But I don't have an incentive. So you all can proceed with adhoc design if that is what you want to believe will win. I believe those with higher scholarly knowledge will win. We understand what Byzantine fault tolerance means.
Again I am not saying you are wrong, because I haven't studied Dash lately and I don't have time to. It is giant obfuscation for me to try to dig into. Does even have a stable white paper that justifies the Byzantine fault tolerance?
I think that's where the collateral required comes in, you need 1000 Dash confirmed in the wallet for it to be able to function as a masternode.
- not trying to sell Dash, just sharing the info in case you did feel any incentive to learn more about it.