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#1 2006-02-23 10:09:58

MathsIsFun
Administrator
Registered: 2005-01-21
Posts: 7,711

Quantum computer gives answer when not running?

Sounds interesting, but with phrases like "flirt with" and "quantum trick" it is not much on actual details.

See http://www.newscientist.com/channel/inf … 5.700.html


"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

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#2 2006-02-23 11:40:12

ryos
Member
Registered: 2005-08-04
Posts: 394

Re: Quantum computer gives answer when not running?

"A non-running computer produces fewer errors,"

Is that a joke? Computers don't produce errors, the people who programmed (and designed) them do.

In fact, the whole concept of a "non-running program" seems a bit silly. The computer could not give an answer in the absence of the program. Even if the photon doesn't actually run through the program, it's still the program's quantum nature influencing the photon's quantum nature (AFAICT). So, though the program runs not, yet it still runs.


El que pega primero pega dos veces.

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#3 2006-02-23 13:51:19

Ricky
Moderator
Registered: 2005-12-04
Posts: 3,791

Re: Quantum computer gives answer when not running?

Is that a joke? Computers don't produce errors, the people who programmed (and designed) them do.

I think what they mean is that a bit won't be misread or a piece of hardware is less likely to fail.  Something along those lines.


"In the real world, this would be a problem.  But in mathematics, we can just define a place where this problem doesn't exist.  So we'll go ahead and do that now..."

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