Quantum computing? Why only 0's and 1's?

SyncroScales · Jun 26, 2016

Hi.

I am unsure where to post this in the www.tomshardware.com forums.

I have a few questions about quantum computing and how computers work.

I watched this video: https://www.facebook.com/NowThisNews/videos/1092652100824913/

What I have been wondering for a while is why do computers only use Zero's and One's (0's and 1's). Why not 0, 1, 2, 3, etc? 0's and 1's are so basic.

How long will it take to have 0, 1, 2 or 0, 1, 2, 3 in the computer code?

What kind of computer would it take to move beyond zero's and one's (0's and 1's)?

Is there such thing as sub-code or sub-numbers? E.G.: 0, 0-0, 0-1, 1, 1-0, 1-1, etc? E.G.: Or in future 0, 0-0, 0-1, 0-2, 1, 1-0, 1-1, 1-2, 2, 2-0, 2-1, 2-2, etc?

All the mistakes of coding can be fixed and backwards compatible.

Thanks.

CountMike · Jun 26, 2016

They use 0 and one because there are only two states recognized, On and OFF, If there's specified voltage at some time interval than it's 1 if there's no voltage at same specified time than it's 0.
I quantum computing a new value is introduced "uncertain" which could be either at same time but count as only one of states depending on conditions.

R_1 · Jun 26, 2016

at the most basic level you computer is just a bunch of switches (transistors). each one has only 2 states. on or off. simple switches. so for computers to work we need binary code a language that has just 2 digits, to match the 2 states available to the switches. 0=off 1=on

With those two digits everything else is possible.

SyncroScales · Jul 27, 2016

Thank you for the replies R_1 and CountMike.

I understand what you are telling me. I am wondering if it is possible to have more than 1. on, 2. off and now 3. uncertain/(both on and off?).

I think Quantum computing is opening the possibilities for more than 3 states. I wonder how long it will take for more or what those other switches would be. Any theories yet?

bambiboom · Jul 27, 2016

SyncroScales :

SynchroScales,

Quantum computing seeks to increase calculation density as processor lithography is limited to (I think) 7nm and beyond that it will be unreliable as currents will bleed to other circuits just a few atom away. Current SOTA CPUs are 14nm and 11nm is said to be next, but at some point to improve computer speed in the AI game, there will need to be new approaches.

QC is a good general direction, but so far is not practical given the large amount of liquid Nitrogen necessary to put the Q-bits in a measurable state. Until there is a room-temperature superconductor, the energy applied to make the Liquid N and the handling and regulation of that aspect I think is going to keep QC in the lab. There is interesting research into using a Nitrogen filled vacancy in a diamond lattice to sustain the superposition state longer.

As for the idea of uncertain state as a state, the conditions of measurement would take some kind of parallel data/computational stream that ran the gates- a computer to run the computer. However, uncertainty is not a good feature in a computer as compared to ON and OFF because that is such a clear condition. And a clear state is faster on which to base other processes. I'm not well-informed on this subject, but from what I read I'm not optimistic about QC until there are certain other breakthroughs, especially in materials.

The idea of sub numbers or subgroups is in a sense already handled by binary in that any data may be assigned a binary value. Any process that required interpretation- a separate process would probably be slower than having an uninterrrupted flow of the longer instruction sets. If it ran in parallel it might work but the synchronization would be "difficult" at 3 or 4 billion calculations per second.

Really, it seems better parallelization, neural net-based logic modules, and specialized algorithms can take computing a long way still. QC is a great idea in pure theory, but difficult as a practical matter.

Interesting discussion.

Cheers,

BambiBoom

SyncroScales · Jul 28, 2016

Thanks for the information BambiBoom.

I was unaware of the materials and handling applications being unpractical. A lot of people talk about QC but this isn't mentioned or mentioned much in the media.

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