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Future Computers

jethro200 writes "Popsci.com has an interesting story on the up-and-coming silicon replacements, ranging from DNA to a little molecule called thiol to using atoms in a quantum state. Obviously, these are a long way from being your next desktop, but an interesting article nonetheless."

3 of 129 comments (clear)

  1. What I find truly amazing by ObviousGuy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    We have this 3-5 pound computer sitting in our heads that is so powerful that we can't emulate it with any success. To boot, it doesn't use hardware like we normally think about it.

    When the claim comes up that someday we will use biological computers, custom grown neurons that will do calculations for us and grow beyond our own puny brains, I can only nod my head in agreement. Our hardware can't be so difficult to figure out, we've got the raw components, we just need to know the schematics.

    It's only a matter of time.

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    I have been pwned because my /. password was too easy to guess.
  2. Notes on quantum computing... by wbav · · Score: 5, Informative

    I thought that this might be interesting for a few of those who don't know much about quantum computing.

    The idea is to have a bit that can be a 1 or 0 at the same time. This means that with 50 bits, called qubits, you can represent every number from 1 to 1 trillion, at the same time.

    What's really cool, is with this you can use what's called a bogo sort. Imagine a set of cards, that is shuffled. Now to sort them in order, most people would go through 1 by 1 and put some in front and some in back. A bogo sort creates a new universe and then throws the cards into the air. If they land in order, great, else destroy the universe.

    All these universes are created at the same time, making it 1 step to sort 52 cards. Like I said, it's interesting.

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    Unix is very user friendly, it's just picky about who its friends are.
  3. Organic, then silicone then saline back to silicon by millisa · · Score: 4, Funny

    Up and coming silicon replacements? But they've been around for decades!

    I thought saline was the newest thing? But hey, if they can get 'em to run quake, I'm all for it. Oh the wonders of technology! . . . Maybe I missed the point . . .