February 23, 2006
RUN, IF YOU'RE ALIVE... (via Selina Kyle):
Quantum computer works best switched off (New Scientist, 22 February 2006)
Even for the crazy world of quantum mechanics, this one is twisted. A quantum computer program has produced an answer without actually running.Posted by Orrin Judd at February 23, 2006 4:10 PMThe idea behind the feat, first proposed in 1998, is to put a quantum computer into a “superposition”, a state in which it is both running and not running. It is as if you asked Schrödinger's cat to hit "Run".
Holy ferocious felines, Orrin, Catwoman's reading yoru blog!
Posted by: Jason Todd at February 23, 2006 4:33 PMNext break-thru will be a non-existing computer.
Posted by: ic at February 23, 2006 5:09 PMCool. When they can get my F-150 to take me to the store without starting, let me know.
Posted by: John Resnick at February 23, 2006 5:15 PMA computer that works without running -- accounting departments for businesses around the country will be putting these things on their fiscal 2007 purchase order lists.
Posted by: John at February 23, 2006 5:47 PMBack in the 1950s, Astounding SF magazine ran articles on how you could supposedly hook up wires to a drawing of a circuit, and get the same output as a real circuit. New Scientist has almost caught up.
Posted by: Bob Hawkins at February 23, 2006 9:33 PM"This scheme could have an advantage over straightforward quantum computing. 'A non-running computer produces fewer errors,' says Hosten."
This isn't computing they're discussing, it's quantum guessing. And exactly how do they know there are errors?
Posted by: jd watson![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://brothersjuddblog.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at February 23, 2006 9:35 PM
I'm confused. Does this mean I can download porn faster or not?
Mr. Hawkins;
What's amusing is that other people have almost caught up to that as well. Check this stuff out – working circutry printed off an inkjet printer. Literally, a drawing that works.
Mr. Watson;
At this point, the computations are sufficiently simple that they can be done on classical computers and the answers checked.
ept;
No. Although it could mean being to able to watch porn without having to download it.
Hmmm, first we have a thread about how quantum computers could be the key to artificial consciousness, then we have a thread about how people make their best decisions while sleeping and now we have a thread about how quantum computers "work best switched off."
Posted by: David Cohen at February 24, 2006 11:29 AMThe trouble with a quantum computer is that, in addition to running and not running at the same time, it gives the right answer and the wrong answer at the same time.
Posted by: pj at February 24, 2006 12:45 PMpj;
That turns out to not be a problem most of the time. The class of problems for which quantum computation is useful are generally cheap to verify. So if you get a small set of possible answers, of which only one is right, you've still won. E.g., "what is OJ's password?" is hard, but "Which of these five words is OJ's password?" is easy.
Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at February 24, 2006 2:00 PM