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On the subject on distributed systems, I like this quote by Lamport:

"A distributed system is one in which the failure of a computer you didn't even know existed can render your own computer unusable." Leslie Lamport

Finally got around to reading that paper after seeing your comment. What a great piece! The logic was clearly laid out and simple to follow. I'll have to read through the proof in the appendix later.

Thanks for the feedback! I've assigned that paper to hundreds of 4th year undergrads, and I always enjoy discussing it with them. I've also had my grad students read it as a model for how to structure a paper.

That is a really wonderful paper, indeed. It's very clearly written (as anything by Lamport), and provides a simple and elegant solution to a complicated problem.

Well, except for Paxos. :P