I recently realized that knowing the network size at all times is not necessary. What is necessary to know at all times is whether the count is greater than the "ideal". The exact number does not matter until it falls below the ideal. Obviously the larger the network the more secure it is but the ideal would be the lowest number that constitutes a specific threat level considered acceptable. What would be nice about this would be that the largest processors would have an incentive to keep their rates high enough so competition exists. Their penalty for reducing prices below competitive rates is an decrease in the recovery ratio.

Where are Bohm and Jacopini when we need them? They figured out the minimum number of programming constructs that could satisfy any algorithm. They came up with three. I'm sure the number of nodes for adequate security would be much larger but it might also be easily confirmed as existing at any one time (a simple ACK?)