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Published online 16 April 2008 | 452, 803-805 (2008) | doi:10.1038/452803a
News Feature
Quantum computation: The dreamweaver's abacus
Some experts think that a quantum computation could be plaited like a skein of string. And now they may have found the sorts of string they need, finds Liesbeth Venema.
How much absurdity can you take? If you are a mathematician or a quantum physicist, the answer is probably quite a lot. Topologists, for example, regard a coffee mug and a doughnut as essentially one and the same: two different variations on a basic shape-with-a-hole-in-it theme.
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(1) The height of absurdity is not one or another esoteric “idea†around quantum computation, it is the trick of quantum computation itself, its underlying belief that one can acquire “magic†computational advantages for nothing, just due to supernatural “quantum mysteries†(always remaining at the basis of “objective†and “rigorous†official science). The multiverse will help us, don't worry! In the meanwhile, there are only unlimited investments into infinite “demonstrations of principle†pointing to “future successâ€, but no scalable quantum machine in view. Taking into account the modern technology development rate, especially at its most advanced “computational edgeâ€, the characteristic period of new technology elaboration is very much exceeded in the case of quantum computation, and the result is negative. But the more negative is the result, the higher are the investments in ever more delirious “quantum magicâ€. It's a “magic†process indeed, but of another, well-known kind... (2) The evident fact that unitary quantum computation contradicts all fundamental, multiply confirmed quantum postulates had been recognised at the very beginning of the dubious enterprise, but its causally complete expression has only become possible within a consistent microworld theory providing clear (but not trivial!) solution to all canonical “quantum mysteries†(see http://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0211071 and references therein). Needless to say, this and other consistent, honest science attempts (pointing to other, realistic promises!) are silently rejected by the fraudulent official enterprise in favour of ever growing profits on supernatural “quantum magicâ€, without any real result. So, a consistent theory explaining “mysteries†and confirmed by experiment is rejected, while a supernatural delirium heavily relying on “parallel universes†and multiply disproved by experiment persists in all major sources of official science... (3) One can already see the expected, typical end of the quantum computation fraud repeating so many similar stories: its complete failure and wasted billions will be presented as “another great success of our glorious science†because it gave rise to so many “new developments†and “promising ideasâ€... The peer-review mafia always wins, irrespective of result, simply because it always estimates its own achievement (and related reward). But opting for the resulting “science of lie†leads to losses and catastrophes instead of bliss uniquely provided by the causally complete science of truth (see http://arxiv.org/abs/0705.4562 for details).
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While mega-investment is wasted on futile quantum computation fantasies, it is apparently ordinary classical computer facilities that have untreatable problems at this Nature site. Therefore, here is the same comment as above but now in a (hopefully!) readable form. (1) The height of absurdity is not one or another esoteric "idea" around quantum computation, it is the trick of quantum computation itself, its underlying belief that one can acquire "magic" computational advantages for nothing, just due to supernatural "quantum mysteries" (always remaining at the basis of "objective" and "rigorous" official science). The multiverse will help us, don't worry! In the meanwhile, there are only unlimited investments into infinite "demonstrations of principle" pointing to "future success", but no scalable quantum machine in view. Taking into account the modern technology development rate, especially at its most advanced "computational edge", the characteristic period of new technology elaboration is very much exceeded in the case of quantum computation, and the result is negative. But the more negative is the result, the higher are the investments in ever more delirious "quantum magic". It's a "magic" process indeed, but of another, well-known kind... (2) The evident fact that unitary quantum computation contradicts all fundamental, multiply confirmed quantum postulates had been recognised at the very beginning of the dubious enterprise, but its causally complete expression has only become possible within a consistent microworld theory providing clear (but not trivial!) solution to all canonical "quantum mysteries" (see http://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0211071 and references therein). Needless to say, this and other consistent, honest science attempts (pointing to other, realistic promises!) are silently rejected by the fraudulent official enterprise in favour of ever growing profits on supernatural "quantum magic", without any real result. So, a consistent theory explaining "mysteries" and confirmed by experiment is rejected, while a supernatural delirium heavily relying on "parallel universes" and multiply disproved by experiment persists in all major sources of official science... (3) One can already see the expected, typical end of the quantum computation fraud repeating so many similar stories: its complete failure and wasted billions will be presented as "another great success of our glorious science" because it gave rise to so many "new developments" and "promising ideas"... The peer-review mafia always wins, irrespective of result, simply because it always estimates its own achievement (and related reward). But opting for the resulting "science of lie" leads to losses and catastrophes instead of bliss uniquely provided by the causally complete science of truth (see http://arxiv.org/abs/0705.4562 for details).
The author speaks of designing "quantum computers that can tackle challenging tasks such as factoring large prime numbers to break codes". Such a task isn't challenging; it's impossible. Presumably what the author has in mind is factoring large _non_-prime numbers to determine the prime numbers that were used to generate the product, i.e. a cryptographic key.
The title should have been `A pipe dreamer's pipe' Quantum systems are too fragile to be of use in manner they suggest. I don't accept this topological robustness idea for a second. It is as if some one desperately wants a mathematical concept they have taken the trouble to learn to have relevance in the real world rather than taking the trouble to invent concepts that have relevance to the real world. - Girish.
thought i largely agree with the previous posters' comments and it is virtually impossible to prevent such a quantum information processing system from degrading into the Newtonian or that is a classical system; I am hopeful that new ideas, innovations and inventions will be revealed by these efforts. the field, for better or worse, is currently dominated by philosophers rather theorists and experimental physicists. sometimes fringe science does become mainstream but at what cost to the development of solving current real-world needs. there is work being conducted that is offering a more near term solution via a photonic trinary array system rendering a qubit-like form of computation.
Re David Pearce's comment: yes, we should have said factoring the products of large primes. My bad as the editor of the piece. Oliver Morton