Explore the landscape of distributed computing in this 44-minute conference talk from Strange Loop. Journey through the evolution of computer architecture and distributed systems, examining key concepts like Impossibility Theorems, Consensus Protocols, and Failure Detection. Discover the theoretical foundations and design decisions behind Akka Cluster, and gain insights into the future of distributed computing. Learn about ACID 2.0, Disorderly Programming, and other cutting-edge research in the field. Delve into topics such as Lambda Calculus, Von Neumann Machine, Actors model, CAP theorem, Lamport Clocks, and various failure detection mechanisms. Understand the challenges and importance of writing distributed applications in today's technological landscape, featuring mobile devices, NoSQL databases, and cloud services.