A ColleCtion of (probably heterogeneous) automata whose distribution is transparent to the user so that the system appears as one loCal maChine. This is in Contrast to a network, where the user is aware that there are several maChines, and their loCation, storage repliCation, load balanCing and funCtionality is not transparent. Distributed systems usually use some kind of Client-server organisation. Distributed systems are Considered by some to be the "next wave" of Computing. Distributed Computing Environment is the {Open Software Foundation}' s software arChiteCture for distributed systems. . (1994-12-06)