Programmable Quantum Computer Created

An anonymous reader writes "A team at NIST (the National Institute of Standards and Technology) used berylium ions, lasers and electrodes to develop a quantum system that performed 160 randomly chosen routines. Other quantum systems to date have only been able to perform single, prescribed tasks. Other researchers say the system could be scaled up. 'The researchers ran each program 900 times. On average, the quantum computer operated accurately 79 percent of the time, the team reported in their paper.'"

Comments

Re:correct and incorrect?

[NoYob]

So is that 21% of the time is was both correct and incorrect ?

That's correct and the other 79% of the time the cat died.

Could be worse...

[Shivinski]

On average, the quantum computer operated accurately 79 percent of the time,

Well, its better then anything Microsoft can come up with...I'll take 10!

In Some Alternate Universe

[WED Fan]

In some alternate universe, there's a guy who is riding a bus, a thought pops into his head, "Pick a number between 1 and 100. Now, add 3. Now, divide by 13...". 99% of the time, he does the problem in his head, 79% of the time he finishes it. 1% of the time, he says, "Screw it". 100% of the time, he wonders where the hell these things are coming from and decides to check himself into the nearest mental ward.

Quantum computing is screwing up someone's day.

Re:How do they know?

[palegray.net]

I suppose I could read the paper.

I think you might be on to something here.

Re:79% accuracy ...

[Jahava]

That's TOTALLY moronic. That's like saying "get 5 or 15 people to guess your birthday and go with the answer that it gives most often."

Are people accurate 79% of the time? In the examples you gave? Then no, it's not like that at all.

How stupid can you get?

Many thanks for demonstrating!

Re:Ha ha

[dem0n1]

Again 79%. size does not matter

That's what she sighed as she patted him on the knee and then walked out of his life never to be seen again.

First infinite loop....

[Temujin_12]

do {
    solveProblem();
} until (getPhotonPosition() && getPhotonVelocity());