Quantum Computer Works Better Shut Off

waimate writes "A New Scientist article relates how its possible to get answers from a quantum computer even when your program isn't running." From the article: "With the right set-up, the theory suggested, the computer would sometimes get an answer out of the computer even though the program did not run. And now researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have improved on the original design and built a non-running quantum computer that really works."

Comments

It's Kinda Like Women

[Stephen Samuel]

"Repeated measurements stop the photon from entering the actual program, but allow its quantum nature to flirt with the program's components -"

Sometimes repeated flirting can get a more accurate answer to the question than just 'running the program' and dealing with the resulting fallout when it turns out that she was feeling threatened -- or too drunk to properly assent.

Re:It's Kinda Like Women

[Stephen Samuel]

Or that she was properly turned on but had a 6'2" "entanglement" with a thing for aluminum bats.