Quantum computer to debut next week

Techworld ^ | 08 February 2007 | Peter Judge

[CharlesWayneCT]

Ziggy, is that you?

[Abathar]

"D-Wave's prototype has only 16 qubits, but systems with hundreds of qubits would be able to process more inputs than there are atoms in the universe. "

That line just hurt my head thinking about...

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Or maybe it wont at the same time.

[Califelephant]

Don't understand it, but it sounds good.

[Abathar]

To someone who still has a slide rule in his desk somewhere all I can do is shake my head and smile when I hear the younger generations talking now and the tools they take for granted.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Now this is interesting. I will be very interested in hearing the results.

[Ramius]

but systems with hundreds of qubits would be able to process more inputs than there are atoms in the universe.

>POP<

Ouch.

[ctdonath2]

Extremely neat technology. In a few decades, high-qbit-count quantum computers will be as far head of today's machines as a 1GHz wireless notebook is ahead of Eniac.

The cool thing, addressing NP-complete problems, is that rather than sequentially chugging thru all possible solutions to complex problems, a quantum computer can _be_ in all those solutions simultaniously. We currently can't imagine the possibilites.

[Red Badger]

Porn at the speed of thought.........

[Kurt_Hectic]

A quantum computer can still compute without being turned on, so I don't understand why they bother to make it, since it's already operational?

[IamConservative]

We'll all need one of these to run the next version of Windows given how big Vista is..

[RussP]

Several months ago I read a book called "A Different Universe" by Robert B. Laughlin, a Nobel laureate in quantum physics. I don't have the book handy (I returned it to the library), but if I recall correctly he basically said that the idea of quantum computing is based on a fundamental misunderstanding and cannot work. We'll know eventually, I suppose.

[Abathar]

LOL! That's the first use that you can think of for this?

[Kurt_Hectic]

Marx said the same about capitalism.

[petro45acp]

"The cool thing, addressing NP-complete problems, is that rather than sequentially chugging thru all possible solutions to complex problems, a quantum computer can _be_ in all those solutions simultaniously. We currently can't imagine the possibilites."

Does this mean secure banking is out the window?!? I don't want to go back to a paper check-book!

[Fitzcarraldo]

Porn at the speed of thought.........

and instant punishment for thinking about it LOL

[Squawk 8888]

he basically said that the idea of quantum computing is based on a fundamental misunderstanding and cannot work

That's how the Infinite Improbability drive was invented ;-)

[Red Badger]

No, actually it was my second. My first thought was pi...........then one thing led to another.........

[GulfBreeze]

What does any of this have to do with Anna Nicole Smith?