Japan team reports quantum computing breakthrough

Infoworld ^ | October 29, 2003 | Martyn Williams

[sourcery]

FYI

[Chancellor Palpatine]

[Diddley]

Will this computer be able to figure out my checkbook?

:-)

[FairOpinion]

"As an example Tsai estimated that using the Shor Algorithm to factor a 256-bit binary number, a task that would take 10 million years using something like IBM Corp.'s Blue Gene supercomputer, could be accomplished by a quantum computer in about 10 seconds."

===

Amazing!

[sourcery]

Will this computer be able to figure out my checkbook?

No, but it will be able to crack the encryption your bank uses to protect your account.

[jodorowsky]

That means calculations, such as working out the factors of prime numbers, which present problems for even the fastest supercomputers

Work out the factors of prime numbers? I can already do that instantaneously.

[sourcery]

Work out the factors of prime numbers? I can already do that instantaneously.

No fair poking fun at brain-dead journalists. That's far too easy. And you and I both know that what should have been said was 'quickly finding the prime factors of very large numbers.'

[Centurion2000]

No, but it will be able to crack the encryption your bank uses to protect your account.

I'm sure that there will be quantum encryption algorithms by that time .... of course they might be in hacker or government hands only.

[Diddley]

No, but it will be able to crack the encryption your bank uses to protect your account.

I'm lost either way. :-)

[sourcery]

Quantum Cryptography

[The Red Zone]

As an example Tsai estimated that using the Shor Algorithm to factor a 256-bit binary number, a task that would take 10 million years using something like IBM Corp.'s Blue Gene supercomputer, could be accomplished by a quantum computer in about 10 seconds.

If they ever get that to happen, bye bye all modern cryptography.

[The Red Zone]

But to be usable, everyone will have to have a quantum CPU on their premises. Mere silicon will be unable to compete.

[sourcery]

'm lost either way. :-)

"Whoever wins... WE LOSE."

[At _War_With_Liberals]

Venture capital pitch.

[sourcery]

How often has such a fundamental technological breakthrough been made outside the United States?

• Fire
• The Wheel
• Writing
• Printing
• Algebra
• Calculus
• Gunpowder
• The Bit (horses)
• The Plow
• The Screw
• The Gear
• The Clock

But you meant in modern times. Well, there are examples there also, but the US has contributed much more than its per-capita share over the last 200 years or so.

[fire_eye]

Oh,it's OK. We're "Transitioning" to a "Service-Oriented Economy". We don't need any of that high-tech stuff that's hard to spell without a spell-checker any more. The new employment "Paradigm" will only require "People Skills".

(better quit before I randomly open fire on the next smarmy economics pundit I see...)

[technomage]

Truly fascinating.