A Shortcut Through Time: The Path to A Quantum Computer

A Shortcut Through Time

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This would be a real life ghost in the machine. The book does not touch on this, but the concepts in it lends credence to the ideal.

I believe a quantum computer of a significant design, could achieve this within 10 years. What does this imply for Artificial intelligence? The book does not go into too much detail about current A. One can conjecture, that when a solution is sought to a problem, a robust quantum computer, even running a current A. I program such as Watson or CYC, would do significantly better that conventional technology.

Multiple, if not all solutions to a query are arrived at simultaneously. The material of in the book is a little involved, and a fair amount of the information requires rereading. Over all, when this book came out, it was an excellent choice at covering the mechanics of quantum computing, and the type of problems it could solve. Mar 25, Bill rated it it was amazing Shelves: Going into this book I wasn't entirely sure what to expect.

I didn't know much of anything about Quantum computing or quantum physics for that matter and I was concerned that such a thin book might not do the subject justice.

'A shortcut through time'

It turns out my concerns were misplaced. This book takes a pretty difficult subject and somehow converts into language almost anyone can understand. It was really pretty amazing. I won't claim that I could totally grasp everything it laid out. In fact I just took a leap of f Going into this book I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. In fact I just took a leap of faith a couple of times and assumed the author wasn't pulling my leg just so I could move forward. Some of this stuff just boggles my mind. I don't know if I'll ever see a working Quantum Computer in my life time but if they actually figure out how to get the technology working it will be amazing and I'll be even more glad I read this book.

It is a great introduction to the topic and the author, George Johnson the NY Times science editor does a commendable job of making a difficult subject digestable. I decided to read another title about quantum computing. The book's opening was a strangely enlightening essay on the purpose of popular scientific writing. Though it was a bit off topic, I found it enjoyable.

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As for the actual book, it was a fairly well-written exposition of the theoretical underpinnings for quantum computers: Johnson's grasp on the topic s great, though his metaphors are a bit clunky, and aren't terribly easy to grasp. This might simply because of the odd nature of quantum mechanics, but it still was difficult. Nonetheless, he does a fairly good job of discussing the possible technology and its applications.

Though we may be a while way from a quantum computer, an exciting world lays if they come to fruition. Mar 11, Peter rated it really liked it Shelves: A great primer for what quantum computing might be able to do. Although with all of these things, as more research is completed, assumptions from even just a few years ago seem out of date. It would have been nice if there was more discussion about the practical impact of quantum computing beyond "the death of encryption". Aug 04, Matthew rated it it was amazing. I raced through this book — although skimming on seemingly unimportant details at points, it is overall a very good read.

Those wanting to learn about the technical aspects of quantum computing will be disappointed, but those wanting to scratch the surface will be impressed. Sep 22, Maurice marked it as to-read. I've attempted this book several times and I'm still not convinced that my mind is capable of comprehending the ideas within its pages. We may actually invent a quantum computer before I'm able to finish the book.

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Feb 08, John rated it it was amazing. Oct 02, Charles marked it as to-read. I bought this book second hand at the Stanton library book fair last year. Aug 05, David Steele added it. And there are some possible applications of quantum computers, such as the generation of truly random numbers which at the moment cannot be done by any computer and high-speed quantum search.

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Finally, we can learn about the impediments that stand in the way of building a quantum computer and how these can be turned into new possibilities for computation. The author presents himself as an outsider to the field alongside the reader, which makes the text more approachable but has the disadvantage that sometimes the discourse is a bit superficial.

There are no formulae. But Johnson manages to transmit the excitement behind this young science, with its deep roots in the foundations of modern physics and position at the cutting edge of technology. Johnson's chain of thought is straightforward, elegant and lucid. The use of plain language and the book's fewer than fully illustrated pages with no formulae constitute a warm invitation that I recommend you do not turn down. I have just been introduced to NP problems in a course I'm studying.

We already know that electrons, protons, photons—all the subatomic particles— obey the strange dictums of quantum theory.

By making computers that behave in the same manner, scientists are getting a hands-on feel for how very weird reality can be. How close are we to the creation of a quantum computer? They are already here, in very simple form. And every year they are becoming more powerful. That is the billion dollar question.

Do you foresee this technology ever being made available to the public? In , an article in Popular Mechanics, describing a state-of-the-art supercomputer called the Eniac, made this prediction: That leaves me feeling rather optimistic. How might a working quantum computer conceivably effect our daily lives?

Imagine being able to do a full-text search of every word in the Library of Congress. About A Shortcut Through Time In this remarkably illustrative and thoroughly accessible look at one of the most intriguing frontiers in science and computers, award-winning New York Times writer George Johnson reveals the fascinating world of quantum computing—the holy grail of super computers where the computing power of single atoms is harnassed to create machines capable of almost unimaginable calculations in the blink of an eye. Also by George Johnson. See all books by George Johnson. Inspired by Your Browsing History.

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