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Innovative Ion Trap on a Semiconductor
Denix writes "MIT's TechnologyReview has an interesting article on a silicon-based "ion trap" in order to host a "qubit." The Ion Trap technology 'uses electric and magnetic fields to isolate a charged particle from its environment -- a prerequisite for exploiting the temperamental quantum properties of electrons."
You swapped two words: Now we have to hope that [b]Windows Vista[/b] comes out in time for [b]quantum computing[/b].
Well you're correct: working with databases WILL be one of the strong points of quantum computers. However as for the 8-bit 16-bit argument.. 16-bit is an upgrade to 8-bit technology that still can address content in bytes, you still run linear commands and get predictable results out of it.
Quantum computers are not evolution from computer technology, they're an entirely new beast. It's not even like PowerPC vs Intel or anything. You can't just "port" programs to it that are made for regular PC-s.
They are also not better in data throughput or speed as a technology on their own. They use aspects of quantum mechanics (which scientists still can't explain why they happen in first place) to run very specialised set of tasks through it and obtain results that'd take years of loops on a normal PC to compute.
I still don't see it in my mobile phone or PC, was my point.
For the obligatory 'but will it run Linux?' question, here's an answer I heard:
Being a Quantum computer, it can both run Linux, and NOT run Linux at the same time.
Serving time in Aristotelean prison for violating laws of physics
Indeed my point.
.. different thing.
BTW this is why I always thought calling them "computers" is misleading. When you say computer you expect the full thing, being able to handle any PC tasks you throw at it.
I'd rather call it Quantum Processing Unit (QPU), and just like FPU before it it'll play together with the core CPU, not replace it, since you still need a "normal" CPU to display the interface, code editor, to compile code and to show the results of the quantum computations of the QPU.
You can't just grab a QPU and adapt it to do all tasks a moden CPU can. They're just
I was wondering how people could work anti-MS comments into an article about ion traps.. but I'm new here and I should have known it could be done easily. Just add the word innovative and we're done.