Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Part of: Synthesis digital library of engineering and computer science.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 95-102) and index.

1. Distributed computing -- 1.1 Winds of change -- 1.2 The internet -- 1.3 Computers with multiple processors -- 1.4 Synchronization -- 1.5 Why is synchronization difficult? -- 1.6 Algorithms and programs -- 1.7 Concurrent and distributed algorithms -- 1.8 Impossibility results -- 1.9 Chapter notes --

2. One loaf of bread, please -- 2.1 The too much bread problem -- 2.2 Applications -- 2.3 First attempt -- 2.4 Second attempt -- 2.5 Third attempt -- 2.6 Fourth attempt: a correct solution -- 2.7 Communicating by reading and writing of notes -- 2.8 Chapter notes -- 2.9 Self review --

3. A tale of two lovers -- 3.1 The two lovers problem -- 3.2 Applications -- 3.3 A surprising impossibility result -- 3.4 further explanations -- 3.5 Chapter notes -- 3.6 Self review --

4. A night at the movies -- 4.1 The movie agreement problem -- 4.2 Applications -- 4.3 A surprising impossibility result -- 4.4 A more general result -- 4.5 An algorithm -- 4.6 Further explanations -- 4.7 How many rounds are needed? -- 4.8 Chapter notes -- 4.9 Self review --

5. The fall of the Byzantine Empire -- 5.1 The Byzantine generals problem -- 5.2 Applications -- 5.3 A surprising result -- 5.4 An algorithm -- 5.5 Further explanations -- 5.6 Chapter notes -- 5.7 Self review --

6. Sightseeing in Paris -- 6.1 The choice coordination problem -- 6.2 Applications -- 6.3 A randomized algorithm -- 6.4 Further explanations -- 6.5 A simple deterministic algorithm -- 6.6 Perfectionism, it seems, does not pay! -- 6.7 Chapter notes -- 6.8 Self review --

7. Food for thought -- 7.1 The dining philosophers problem -- 7.2 Applications -- 7.3 Deadlock prevention: the total order technique -- 7.4 Hold and wait strategy: the LR algorithm -- 7.5 Hold and wait strategy: the LLR algorithm -- 7.6 Wait and release strategy: the wait/release algorithm -- 7.7 Wait and release strategy: a randomized algorithm -- 7.8 Chapter notes -- 7.9 Self review --

8. All for one and one for all -- 8.1 The see-saw puzzle -- 8.2 Applications -- 8.3 The kids' first plan -- 8.4 The kids' second plan -- 8.5 The kids' final plan -- 8.6 Further explanations -- 8.7 Chapter notes -- 8.8 Self review --

9. The world is a playground -- 9.1 The green-or-blue game -- 9.2 Applications -- 9.3 Two observations -- 9.4 The kids' plan -- 9.5 Further explanations -- 9.6 An alternative plan -- 9.7 The queen's new challenge -- 9.8 A surprising impossibility result -- 9.9 The queen's final challenge -- 9.10 General impossibility results -- 9.11 Chapter notes -- 9.12 Self review --

10. Getting the service you deserve -- 10.1 The two tellers problem -- 10.2 Applications -- 10.3 First attempt: a solution which cannot tolerate a single fault -- 10.4 Second attempt: a correct solution -- 10.5 How many notes are needed? -- 10.6 Chapter notes -- 10.7 Self review --

Bibliography -- Author's biography -- Index.

Abstract freely available; full-text restricted to subscribers or individual document purchasers.

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Computers and computer networks are one of the most incredible inventions of the 20th century, having an ever-expanding role in our daily lives by enabling complex human activities in areas such as entertainment, education, and commerce. One of the most challenging problems in computer science for the 21st century is to improve the design of distributed systems where computing devices have to work together as a team to achieve common goals. In this book, I have tried to gently introduce the general reader to some of the most fundamental issues and classical results of computer science underlying the design of algorithms for distributed systems, so that the reader can get a feel of the nature of this exciting and fascinating field called distributed computing. The book will appeal to the educated layperson and requires no computer-related background. I strongly suspect that also most computer-knowledgeable readers will be able to learn something new.

Also available in print.

Title from PDF title page (viewed on May 25, 2018).