code: public static void joinOthers() {
      long start = System.currentTimeMillis();
      while( System.currentTimeMillis() - start < 2000 ) {
        if( CLOUD.size() > 1 && Paxos._commonKnowledge )
          break;
        try { Thread.sleep(100); } catch( InterruptedException ignore ) { }
      }
    }
docs: - If nobody else is found, not an error.