This isn't a particularly good introduction to quantum computing. The fact that we can't scale down transistors into the quantum realm doesn't have much to do with the real motivation behind making quantum computers. The real motivation for making a quantum computer is that it allows us to perform algorithms that exploit the quantum behaviour of qubits.
To give a concrete example of this, there is a basic quantum logic gate called a Hadamard gate. This takes a qubit in the state |0> and transforms it into a qubit in the state (|0> + |1>)/sqrt(2). The resultant state is what is known as a superposition state - namely a superposition of both the |0> and |1> states. You can think of the |0> and |1> states as being analogous to the 0 and 1 states of a traditional bit. What this means is that when the qubit is measured (read queried) it will return a value of 0 or 1 with equal probability.
The point I'm making is that this is radically different to traditional computing and isn't simply just the next step along in 'valve transistor -> semiconductor -> ?'
Hi! I put this guide together and I'm really glad you brought this point up. When I thought of creating this guide, I wanted to make it really easy for beginners to graduate level by level up to quantum gates, which inspired me to instead break the information down in a series.
This Part-1 guide in the series is mean't to educate even complete noobs from how a basic computer works and how we have reached the limits of making them any more powerful. While you are accurate when you say Quantum algorithms can help us exploit the quantum behaviour of qubits, we are particularly interested and motivated to utilize them because we can exponentially increase our computing power.
I have another follow-up guide coming that would take the readers a few more levels up very soon.
> when the qubit is measured (read queried) it will return a value of 0 or 1 with equal probability
To clarify, qubits don't necessarily have equal probabilities of |0> and |1>. If the probabilities were always equal, we wouldn't be able to use quantum computers for anything besides generating coin flips! The "answer" from a quantum computer is encoded as output probabilities of the qubits, which are found by running the calculations a bunch of times and counting the frequency of each |0> and |1> state.
If you are doing slides, then I'd strive to avoid scrolling. Either you scroll or your swipe, but doing both is kind of difficult. But I like the idea of small contained slides of content and graphs.
Thanks for letting me in on your experience. :)
We totally believe that when information around a topic is broken down into bite-sized slide-like chapters its much less overwhelming to consume than everything dumped on a single page.
We are trying to give the authors an ability to contain the contents of a single slide within user view. Our editor is freshly released, so hopefully a future release soon enough would let educators do that and with some interaction features as well.
This was pretty short. But I thought people working on quantum computers were trying to understand the Wave function, and then see if they can make the Wave function do the calculations. In the case the world was a simulation, this is like accessing the computing power of the Simulation Computer of the world.
It was short because this article doesn't explain quantum computers. A better title is "Why we can make smaller transistors?" Quantum computers don't use transistors.
And quantum computers are not about understanding The Wave or hacking the word simulator. Another commenter post this link, that is a good initial introduction http://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/the-talk-3
(Anyway, to really understand what is quantum mechanics and quantum computers, you need a lot of algebra. Don't trust explanations without algebra.)
[+] [-] ganonm|8 years ago|reply
To give a concrete example of this, there is a basic quantum logic gate called a Hadamard gate. This takes a qubit in the state |0> and transforms it into a qubit in the state (|0> + |1>)/sqrt(2). The resultant state is what is known as a superposition state - namely a superposition of both the |0> and |1> states. You can think of the |0> and |1> states as being analogous to the 0 and 1 states of a traditional bit. What this means is that when the qubit is measured (read queried) it will return a value of 0 or 1 with equal probability.
The point I'm making is that this is radically different to traditional computing and isn't simply just the next step along in 'valve transistor -> semiconductor -> ?'
[+] [-] utkarshs12|8 years ago|reply
This Part-1 guide in the series is mean't to educate even complete noobs from how a basic computer works and how we have reached the limits of making them any more powerful. While you are accurate when you say Quantum algorithms can help us exploit the quantum behaviour of qubits, we are particularly interested and motivated to utilize them because we can exponentially increase our computing power.
I have another follow-up guide coming that would take the readers a few more levels up very soon.
[+] [-] comicjk|8 years ago|reply
To clarify, qubits don't necessarily have equal probabilities of |0> and |1>. If the probabilities were always equal, we wouldn't be able to use quantum computers for anything besides generating coin flips! The "answer" from a quantum computer is encoded as output probabilities of the qubits, which are found by running the calculations a bunch of times and counting the frequency of each |0> and |1> state.
[+] [-] kfk|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] utkarshs12|8 years ago|reply
We are trying to give the authors an ability to contain the contents of a single slide within user view. Our editor is freshly released, so hopefully a future release soon enough would let educators do that and with some interaction features as well.
[+] [-] csomar|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] gus_massa|8 years ago|reply
And quantum computers are not about understanding The Wave or hacking the word simulator. Another commenter post this link, that is a good initial introduction http://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/the-talk-3
(Anyway, to really understand what is quantum mechanics and quantum computers, you need a lot of algebra. Don't trust explanations without algebra.)
[+] [-] hackeraccount|8 years ago|reply
http://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/the-talk-3
[+] [-] vvdcect|8 years ago|reply