Who said “A distributed system is one in which the failure of a computer you didn't even know…”?

Verified

Leslie Lamport. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceEmail of 28 May 1987 https://lamport.azurewebsites.net/pubs/distributed-system.txt

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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Authors A–Z
“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
VerifiedEmail of 28 May 1987 https://lamport.azurewebsites.net/pubs/distributed-system.txt · evidenceComputers

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Email of 28 May 1987 https://lamport.azurewebsites.net/pubs/distributed-system.txt.

APA

Lamport, L. (n.d.). A distributed system is one in which the failure of a computer you didn't even know existed can render your own computer unusable. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/10973-a-distributed-system-is-one-in-which-the/

MLA

Lamport, Leslie. “A distributed system is one in which the failure of a computer you didn't even know existed can render your own computer unusable.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/10973-a-distributed-system-is-one-in-which-the/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Lamport, Leslie. “A distributed system is one in which the failure of a computer you didn't even know existed can render your own computer unusable.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/10973-a-distributed-system-is-one-in-which-the/.

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