[TECH] Quantum Computer Language Design-Ahead

From: Michael M. Butler (mmb@spies.com)
Date: Fri Apr 04 2003 - 11:19:40 MST

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    > DREAM CODE
    >
    > Programming languages for quantum computers are now being written
    >
    > http://www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=1682086

    ...snippage...
    > But researchers are already trying to work out
    > how to write programs for these almost non-existent devices, in the
    > belief that learning how to do so might help engineers to design the
    > computers in useful ways. A paper by Stefano Bettelli of Paul Sabatier
    > University in Toulouse, France, and his colleagues, which has just been
    > accepted by the EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL, describes the latest effort
    > to come up with a quantum programming language.

    ...snippage...
    > Because a
    > working quantum computer is likely to be a specialised portion of a
    > larger classical computer, any successful language will have to be able
    > to handle registers and operators in ways that allow them to be
    > integrated with old-fashioned classical computations. Representing a
    > unitary transformation as an object makes it fairly simple to translate
    > programming directives at the classical level into physical control
    > instructions at the quantum level. Dr Bettelli's language should do
    > this.

    ...snippage...
    > Although programming languages may change a great
    > deal before usable quantum computers can be built, it is worth
    > constructing the theoretical underpinnings now.

    -- 
    I am not here to have an argument. I am here as part of a civilization. 
    Sometimes I forget.
    


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