Re: [gentoo-user] Question of quantum computer

[Fernando Rodriguez <frodriguez.developer@outlook.com>]

On Friday, April 03, 2015 5:05:35 AM wabenbau@gmail.com wrote:
> Boricua Siempre <borikua.1978.2@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > Hello
> > 
> > I have reading of quantum computing and I want know what operating
> > systems are use in quantum computers. And I read quantum computers
> 
> I don't think that (yet) there exists computers that are completely 
> based on quantum components. Maybe they have a quantum based arithmetic
> unit but the other components are certainly conventional. I don't know
> what kind of OS is used on such machines. But I wouldn't be surprised 
> if it is some kind of BSD or Linux (maybe Gentum-OS). ;-)

And there probably never will. An operating system requires deterministic 
behaviour and as I understand it (and I'm not an expert) quantum computing can 
only deal with probabilities so a quantum OS would probably crash :)

What we do have is the quantum equivalent of the circuits you may do on a high 
school computer club to add a few bits. The most complex ones may run simple 
algorithms but are not much more than that as far as I know.
 
> > can use particols moving faster than light but on other book
> > particels faster than light make analog sonar boom that can destroy
> > universe. Is quantum computer dangerus? Sorry if my english not good,
> > still learning.
> 
> I'm really not an expert on quantum physics but I don't think that a 
> quantum computer could be dangerous. :-)
> 
> In fact, "a quantum is the minimum amount of any physical entity 
> involved in an interaction" (wikipedia). 
> 
> I could imagine that a single high energy gamma quantum (that can have 
> a energy of some MeV) could maybe destroy a flash memory cell or a DNA 
> molecule. But such high energetic photons are not used in quantum 
> computers. Quantum does there only means that they are using very small
> entities which can be described by the theories of quantum mechanic, 
> like electron spins or quantum entangled photons.
> 
> And of course there doesn't exist particles that are moving faster than
> light (at least no such particle is ever be detected and AFAIK there 
> are absolutely no indications that such particles exits). You probably

There is a sort of analogue to a sonic boom for light speed. It happens when a 
particle travels faster than light in a medium. No massive particle can travel 
at the speed of light in vacuum but light travels much slower through a medium 
and particles can be accelerated much faster. It happens in nuclear reactors. 
Of course it doesn't destroy the universe, it just emits a blue light known a 
Cherenkov radiation.

> mean "quantum teleportation". But this has nothing to to with the 
> movement of particles. It is a phenomenon that results from the quantum
> entanglement of e.g. two electrons and has to do with the nonlocality
> of such phenomenons. When you measure the quantum attributes of one of 
> these two electrons you instantaneous influence the quantum attributes 
> of the other one, regardless of its distance. But if you wanna know the
> quantum attributes of the second electron you need the information 
> about the measurement of the first one. And because you cannot transmit
> this information faster than light you also cannot use "quantum 
> teleportation" to really transmit information faster than light.

The best laymen terms explanation I've heard of this is by Murray Gell-Mann in 
The Quark and the Jaguar. The state is really determined when the particles 
are "entangled". The principle of uncertainty holds because we cannot know the 
state until we make the measurement but there's "no spooky action at a 
distance."

> My English as well as my knowledge about quantum physics is not 
> sufficient to explain it better. But you can find many information about
> the strange and also fascination aspects of quantum mechanics in the
> internet. Just look at wikipedia. 
> 
> --
> Regards
> wabe
> 

-- 
Fernando Rodriguez