unforum

[Dorkmaster]

Quantum Computing One Step Closer

[joebrent]

The NRA has a saying, "If you outlaw guns, then only criminals will have guns." I think every crime statistic in the world disagrees with this logic. Making it open-source is like giving away free guns, right?

Well, not exactly. Whereas a handgun has one purpose, which is to kill people (you can't exactly go hunting with a .44 Magnum, the point is to kill the deer, not vaporize it), quantum computing will one day be a reality everywhere, and for everyone. So technically, it doesn't matter what any of us think, it's coming, so get ready.

Another old saying is, "Criminals are always one step ahead of the law." Well, actually, I find that somewhat comforting. Criminals come up with some nefarious scheme, the law catches up with them; repeat, stir, repeat, stir, etc. In the meantime there are always precautions you can take. If the worst thing that can happen to you is someone steals your credit card information, then don't use your credit card online unless you're sure it's a secure site. At the very least, it's comforting to know that criminals aren't exactly light-years ahead of the law. I'm not stocking up on canned food and condensed milk just yet.

[addlepated]

Never been target plinking, have you? They've got pistol events in the Olympics, and last I heard didn't have human targets. Anyway, I've never killed anyone with a handgun, but I have shot thousands of rounds through them.

[Atrophied]

Hmm, now I'm going to have to look up a copy of my uni newspaper from 2 weeks ago which had an article about some of our profs doing research on quantum computing... I will post with relevant exerpts later in the week.

[Dorkmaster]

Again, I'm not trying to take the luddite view... I'm not anti-tech. I also very much welcome quantum computing.

But I also think that open-source is the way to make this work for everyone.

Otherwise, we really do only have this power in the hands of governments and criminals with money behind them (governments?).

So, I like the idea, and the possibility of quantum computing, but want to see a cookbook for everyone to have one, once the tech is solved, rather than it being the domain for just those in the l337.