Surreal

A quantum computer program has produced an answer without actually running. Curiouser and curiouser

What I don’t understand is, if it is not running and still produces answers, then why couldn’t they have had the same result from a quantum computer they hadn’t built?

This entry was written by Tim, posted on Sun Feb 26 2006 at 18:36, filed under Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. Both comments and trackbacks are currently closed.

8 Comments

  1. Deb W
    Posted Sun Feb 26 2006 at 19:33 | Permalink

    Well I’m impressed that you understand *any* of it!

  2. Tim
    Posted Sun Feb 26 2006 at 19:40 | Permalink

    Sorry, I didn’t mean to give that impression. :-)

  3. Kris
    Posted Sun Feb 26 2006 at 23:27 | Permalink

    All very nice and good - but why?

  4. Jax
    Posted Mon Feb 27 2006 at 0:04 | Permalink

    Because.

  5. Merry
    Posted Mon Feb 27 2006 at 0:21 | Permalink

    qUITE.

  6. Tim
    Posted Mon Feb 27 2006 at 0:36 | Permalink

    If a tree falls in the forest and there is no-one there to hear it…….

    …..we’ve got a free Christmas tree. :-)

  7. Chris F
    Posted Mon Feb 27 2006 at 0:47 | Permalink

    But the program has to be in a position I suppose that it could be running, for whatever quantum effects they use to get the ‘answer’ to ‘work’. Shrodinger’s cat has to be in the box?

    As to why - well, if a quantum computer would be oodles faster than any current device.

    I love quantum mechanics, it is just so bizzare and unintelliglble :-)

  8. Tim
    Posted Mon Feb 27 2006 at 18:01 | Permalink

    But what if the components of the computer were placed in a position in which they could be assembled? Surely that ought to be just as good?