...but for distributed databases specifically, you can use a different algorithm like Calvin[0] or Fauna[1] that do not require external atomic clocks… but the CS point and the wealth of info in research papers (in distributed systems stuff) are solid

...but there is a lot of noise in those software papers, too - you are often disappointed by fine print, or have good curators/thought-leaders [2] - we all should share names ;)

enjoying the discussion though - very timely if you ask me.

-L, author of [1] below.

[0] - The original Calvin paper -

https://cs.yale.edu/homes/thomson/publications/calvin-sigmod...

[1] - How Fauna implements a variation of Calvin -

https://fauna.com/blog/inside-faunas-distributed-transaction...

[2] - A great article about Calvin by Mohammad Roohitavaf - https://www.mydistributed.systems/2020/08/calvin.html?m=1#:~....

I hear this from tech people, but hft people are happily humming along with highly-synchronized clocks (mifid ii requires clocks to be synchronized to 100us). I wouldn't say it's "easy" but apparently if you need it then you do it and it's not that bad.