Quantum computing could be five years away

Quantum computing could be five years away(vancouversun.com)

19 points by mbpp 14 years ago | 17 comments

That has to be one of the most tortured opening metaphors I've ever seen in a tech news story. Could they really not come up with an analogy more elegant than, "This building over here is pretty big, but this building is REALLY BIG!!!!"?

tobiasSoftware 14 years ago | |

yeah I thought that was really strange too. Perhaps they could have gotten away with the metaphor if they didn't choose the "small" thing as the Vancouver office tower. Why not compare it to a house or something every is familiar with?

IgorPartola 14 years ago |

Couldn't resist: http://xkcd.com/678/

zitterbewegung 14 years ago |

This is a vast oversimplification of quantum computing. Also, I think its pretty optimistic on the timeline of quantum computing. If you want to read more detailed content see Scott Aaronson's blog http://www.scottaaronson.com/blog/

Craiggybear 14 years ago | |

Also agreed.

hunterp 14 years ago | | |

Don't understand why I was -4 for typing "agreed"

hunterp 14 years ago | |

Agreed.

cathrithbo 14 years ago |

>some problems in mathematics will remain beyond the limits of quantum computing

I don't think it's surprising that quantum computers, by themselves, will not be able to solve mathematical problems. Problem solving is not a feature of hardware per se, it is done by humans. Perhaps one day by AIs, too, if we can discover how to program them.

Two tantalising potential benefits of Quantum Computers:

(1) the ability to model all kinds of matter efficiently at the molecular level which will spur the development of nanotech

(2) people will ask 'Where are these humongous computations being performed?' and then embrace the 'many worlds interpretation' of quantum mechanics, which will in turn create further scientific and philosophical progress

icegreentea 14 years ago | |

Well, they're speaking in rigourous terms. Quantum computing will allow us to attack an enlarged set of problems in polynomial time. For example, integer factorization. However, there are still going to be other problems that quantum computers cannot solve in polynomial time (ie, much better than classical computers). For example, it's generally believed that they will not be able to solve NP-Complete (traveling salesman) problems in polynomial time.

For a nice description and diagram, take a look at the wiki page. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_computing#Relation_to_c...

swordswinger12 14 years ago | | |

Shameless piggybacking: Also look into the work that complexity theorists have done with quantum complexity classes like BQP.

heydenberk 14 years ago |

Articles with titles that could've been true (but weren't) for the last decade are much like articles with titles consisting of questions to which the answer is no.

pwpwp 14 years ago |

Reminds me of:

"In a 5 year period we get one superb programming language. Only we can't control when the 5 year period will be."

http://www.cs.yale.edu/quotes.html

WalterSear 14 years ago |

Don't be ridiculous. Everyone knows that it's 'ten' years away, along with AGI and cold fusion.

esja 14 years ago | |

... and Linux on the desktop

MaysonL 14 years ago | |

Not cold fusion, hot fusion.

Craiggybear 14 years ago |

"Quantum computing could be five years away"

They said this fifteen years ago on a radio broadcast. I was sitting there. I heard it.

Now, for the last time, where is my jetpack?