D-Wave: Is $15m machine a glimpse of future computing?

[zappaDPJ]

Canadian firm has courted controversy with its claim to have built a practical quantum computer, a feat thought to be decades away. Now, independent researchers are trying to understand whether it really can tap the strange world of quantum physics.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-27264552

[Simon]

When can we order one? 

[Clive]

When Rik gets bored with it.   

[zappaDPJ]

I think it's possibly a fraud although I'm amazed at some of the companies that have been taken in by it.

[Technical Ben]

There was a fraud a few years back claiming to be quantum computing. They just put new sticky labels on all the parts and charged a few extra zeros.

This one might be real though. Only the pros and those with access to them can test it out though. The pros to do the maths on paper and see if it relates to the computer, those with access to see if it's actually doing the job (though a race against a normal CPU should give a clue even without access).

QM computers are not "magic", they just do certain searches much much quicker than a normal pc. But interestingly do normal calculations much much slower. No perfect tool, as a hammer is not a screwdriver and a drill is not superglue.

PS, I have no idea where to even begin with QM computing. But I suppose the simplest example is a 128bit QM CPU could search all 128bit keys for an encryption "instantly" to see which one worked. But I'm not sure on how easily you could decode entire messages.