Re: Quantum Computers

Eliezer Yudkowsky (sentience@pobox.com)
Tue, 28 Jan 1997 23:10:07 -0600

[John K Clark reluctantly admits:]
> For me It's still hard for me for it to sink in that an otherworldly object
> like a Quantum computer could actually exist in our worldly universe, but
> it's beginning to look like one can really be built. If so the world will
> never be the same.

After wrestling with temptation, I have decided not to gloat, and shall
confine myself to repeating that there's absolutely no reason why
quantum computing should be impossible or even difficult.

We now have:
1) Coherent beams of atoms;
2) Quantum computers (for protein-folding simulations), Maybe This
Year;
3) Wide-area STP, Maybe This Year.

How long do you think it will be before all these methods of
manipulating atoms stack up into the ability to build three-dimensional
structures?
My guess: Not long. I sure hope we're ready, or that we can get that
way Real Fast.

I told you this was going to be the year all hell broke loose, although
admittedly even I wasn't expecting this much hell, this early, in the
field of nanotechnology no less. Well, isn't that the way it always
is? This is shaping up to be an exciting year, and the breakthroughs I
was projecting in cognitive science haven't even happened yet.

Sleep lightly; the assemblers arrive tomorrow.

-- 
         sentience@pobox.com      Eliezer S. Yudkowsky
          http://tezcat.com/~eliezer/singularity.html
           http://tezcat.com/~eliezer/algernon.html
Disclaimer:  Unless otherwise specified, I'm not telling you
everything I think I know.