Is it time to panic yet?

[blacknblue]

Apparently, quantum computers are already here. Or will be in the near future. Crap. I was a young adult when integrated circuits came out. Now what am I going to do? There is a limit to how far my tired old brain will stretch!

http://technology.newscientist.com/arti ... g-bus.html

<quote>

Quantum chip rides on superconducting bus

* 18:00 26 September 2007
* NewScientist.com news service
* Saswato Das

For the first time the components that underlie quantum computing's great potential – qubits – have been linked on chips like those in conventional computers. Two US research teams used superconducting circuits to make two of the quantum components linked by a quantum information cable or bus.

The bits that work together on calculations in a normal computer can exist in two states – either 0 or 1. But qubits can inhabit both at once, allowing them to process many calculations simultaneously when they get together....

-snip-

</quote>

[dialee]

Will it hurt me if I don't understand it?

[CX]

My understanding is that the word "quantum" indicates being able to exist in more than one state at once. In Physics, this applies to electrons orbiting the nucleus of an atom. In computers, this means that they can shuffle through commands faster because their processors can handle both an "on" and an "off" command at the same time, meaning that computers get even smaller and faster.

[Entilzha]

Quantum computers are meant for certain type of complex tasks they are not meant to replace binary systems and they will never be small because of the requirements they need for operating.

[Elessar]

Quantum computers are meant for certain type of complex tasks they are not meant to replace binary systems and they will never be small because of the requirements they need for operating.

What do you mean they'll never be small because of what they require to operate? I don't know much about application in quantum computing, I just have the QM background to understand the theory, but shouldn't the technology be shrinkable in time, just like integrated circuits were?

From what I understand, the theoretical "holy crap" effect of quantum computing is that you no longer need just as many physical bits on a wafer representing 0's and 1's as you intend to be able to carry out simultaneous computations, since the qubits, like they said, can simultaneously occupy multiple states.

Quantum mechanically, I can tell you that this is related to the Shrodinger's Cat thought experiment in that you've got a superposition of states (like the cat alive and dead) until a "measurement" is made, at which time the wave function collapses, and the state becomes one or the other. What I'm curious about is how exactly they control the computations and get anything useful out of it by controlling when the qubit resolves to a 0 and when it resolves to a 1. But I think they're figurin it out...

[Entilzha]

First of all the equipment needed to cool the thing probably takes a large amount of area and if I remember correctly it needs to be in vacuum also.

[dialee]

Okay! I was totally confused with CX's explaination since the "on" and "off" conditions are totally diametrically opposite instructions. However, as Elesser further explains that they need to know

how exactly they control the computations and get anything useful out of it by controlling when the qubit resolves to a 0 and when it resolves to a 1.

This word "resolves" implies a process to me but what is the process? What is happening when the "qubit" is resolving to 0 or 1?

[blacknblue]

To me, the holy crap part is that it takes these meaningless thoght experiemnts in quantum physics and MAKES THEM APPLICABLE TO THE REAL WORLD.

You know what that means people? It means that literally anything is literally possible. It means that somewhere in the multiverse, any possible event that could ever have happened... did happen. Somewhere or somewhen. For some reason, that idea scares the shit out of me.

[Entilzha]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_computer it has it's limitations.

[Elessar]

To me, the holy crap part is that it takes these meaningless thoght experiemnts in quantum physics and MAKES THEM APPLICABLE TO THE REAL WORLD.

You know what that means people? It means that literally anything is literally possible. It means that somewhere in the multiverse, any possible event that could ever have happened... did happen. Somewhere or somewhen. For some reason, that idea scares the shit out of me.

The experiments up to this point in QM haven't been all meaningless thought experiments, though. There are tons and tons of practical, real world experiments that have been done to confirm theoretical QM. That's why it's such a strong theory, not one experiment has produced results in contradiction to it. The LHC might change that though when it turns on in 2008.

[evcake]

To me, the holy crap part is that it takes these meaningless thoght experiemnts in quantum physics and MAKES THEM APPLICABLE TO THE REAL WORLD.

You know what that means people? It means that literally anything is literally possible. It means that somewhere in the multiverse, any possible event that could ever have happened... did happen. Somewhere or somewhen. For some reason, that idea scares the shit out of me.

Exhilarating.

[Elessar]

That thought kind of puts me at ease, actually. Because it divorces every action or event of any momentousness or singularity of essence... From my perspective, it means that if I'm hit by a bus tomorrow, it's not the end of the world, because I'm just one of a trillion me's that have already been hit by busses, or are going to later be hit by busses. It kind of demystifies the nature of happenstance and declares all things fair game, and nothing markable or tragic. I guess this view also means that great things are not so great b/c they've happened before/will happen again/are happening still... But like I said, with bad things, it relieves me.

[Linda]

This both scares and molifies me. Always suspected I was multi-personality. Just cannot make up all of my infinite minds.

[JadziaKathryn]

That thought kind of puts me at ease, actually. Because it divorces every action or event of any momentousness or singularity of essence... From my perspective, it means that if I'm hit by a bus tomorrow, it's not the end of the world, because I'm just one of a trillion me's that have already been hit by busses, or are going to later be hit by busses.

What? Seriously, what? Are you talking about some kind of parallel universe thing here?

Um, if not, don't bother much trying to explain it on my account. It won't make sense and will be a waste of time.

Now, if I get hit by a bus and die- that's it. No more me. Here, at any rate, 'cause there's Heaven. But so far as this earth goes, saiyonara.

[blacknblue]

What? Seriously, what? Are you talking about some kind of parallel universe thing here?

Um, if not, don't bother much trying to explain it on my account. It won't make sense and will be a waste of time.

Now, if I get hit by a bus and die- that's it. No more me. Here, at any rate, 'cause there's Heaven. But so far as this earth goes, saiyonara.

That's the theory anyway. And it seems (so far) to be borne out by experimental data.

But that doesn't necessarily mean that its true. Phlogiston Chemistry sounded good also. But it was horseshit. The Crystal Spheres theory that was popular in the Middle Ages made perfect sense in its day. It simply happened not to be true. Quantum theory may, or may not, be another case of a theory that looks and sounds good but happens not to be true. We don't know for sure yet.