Open Qubit [Open Source Quantum Computing Group] 18
skwp writes "Open Qubit is a Open Source project for a Quantum Computer simulation API. It has recently bought its own domain and is currently (judging by mailing list) has reached a size of 103 members. The list is a place for physicists, mathematicians, computer people, and laymen to ask each other questions, and collaborate on this project. No Quantum Mechanics experience is required to join up; just a desire to learn. OpenQubit is currently holding a logo contest. "
last! (Score:1)
It's still stupid (Score:1)
Quantum Mechanics is single most successful scientific theory humans have devised. The predicted values from thoery don't vary from the experimentally measured values until the 10th decimal place!* That's pretty damm close to reality.
You are correct in saying QM is incomplete. Every theory is incomplete! However, given the success of QM, any new theory will be an extention of, not a replacement for, QM. Just as relativity is an extention of Newtonian mechanics.
SteveM
*references (two that I quickly pulled off my book shelf, I'm sure there are better ones):
QED by Feynman
Dreams of a Final Theory by Weinberg
Finally, words of wisdom, NO BUTS ABOUT IT... (Score:1)
one of which was introduced by Einstein and his colleague.
The Einstien-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) experiment is the basis for
the quantum teleportation of a photon's spin (see here [slashdot.org]).
This property of entanglement is what wires together the qubits
in a quantum computer (see Scientific American, June 1998).
Pretty handy that paradox.
What we forget is that Newton's mechanics "laws" which are
supposedly wrong (according to Einstein's theories) also work.
Of course they work. Newton's laws are derivable from Einstein's
under the assumptions of relatively (no pun intended) slow speeds
and low masses. Newton's and Einstein's laws both break down in the
quantum domain. Thus the search for a theory of quantum gravity.
One big problem with Quantum Computing is that,
we require an entire industry scale laboratory to
store _1_ bit!@$$@
Curious
ENIAC required 150 KW of power and filled a room 30x50 feet.
It stored numbers in decimal format, using ten flip-flops
to store a single decimal digit. The machine could store twenty
digits. But for some reason, the developers went ahead even
though abaci, slide rules, and even mechanical calculators
were available!
Electromechanical calculators were also available, but they
were somewhat on the larger side also. For example, the
IBM Automatic Sequential Calculator, aka the Harvard
Mark I, weighed five tons, and was 51 feet long.
Today,commercial NMR spectrometers are used for experimenting
with quantum computing. I don't know exactly how large such
devices are, but the NMR equipment I used as an under grad was
somewhat smaller than an "industry scale laboratory". In any
case, Neil Gershehfeld (at MIT) and Isaac Chuang (at IBM) are
currently building a desktop quantum computer.
The ENIAC project started April 9, 1943. The PalmPilot
Professional, which is somewhat more portable, uses two
AAA batteries, and has 2M RAM, was introduced in 1997.
Pretty good for 54 years. I expect we'll see similar reults
with quantum computing.
I don't expect a GR based computer either
The entire universe could be considered a GR computer.
Although it is somewhat larger than that "industry scale
laboratory"
Steve M
Make way for ugly algorithms! (Score:1)
This is stupid (Score:1)
If you have solid proof of why it "will never happen", present it. Otherwise you can just shut up until you have something constructive to say.