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back to article Lockheed-Martin signs on for D-Wave prototype computer

Controversial Canadian company D-Wave, which has long made press claims about “commercial” quantum computing, can now claim to have sold a machine. Even while debate still rages over whether its technology truly constitutes quantum computing, the company says that Lockheed-Martin is going to buy its D-Wave One machine for a …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Headmaster

    Until anyone actually sees it ...

    ... it's only in a superposition of sold and not-sold states.

    19 0
  2. Chris 3
    Coat

    I call upon El Reg...

    To make quantum computing the next in it's 'WTF is?' series.

    I feel quite old.

    3 0
  3. Michael Dunn
    Headmaster

    Quantum leap?

    A quantum leap is actually of the order of 0 to 6.63*10E-34 J.s, considerably less than the jump from 0 to 1.

    People keep mis-using the term!

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    1. Thecowking
      Reply Icon

      But what to you might be the change from one energy level to the next

      to someone else might represent the chance to put right what once went wrong.

      0 1
    2. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Headmaster

      Shouldn't that be

      6.63E-34 J s

      0 0
    3. John Smith 19 Gold badge
      Reply Icon
      Happy

      @Michael Dunn

      But every journey begins with a single quantum leap.

      1 1
    4. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Headmaster

      Of course, in Planck units, that *IS* 1.

      As any quantum mechanic kno. They are using the term correctly; you are using the wrong units.

      (Well actually it's 2pi, because you quoted the ordinary rather than reduced planck constant, but either way that means it very much is of the order 0 to 1.)

      1 1
  4. Nick Kew
    Boffin

    Turing-complete?

    Well, one would presume so.

    But is it super-Turing? If it can't solve the halting problem, I'm not interested.

    3 0
    1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
      Reply Icon
      Boffin

      No

      A quantum computer can be simulated by a classical one in exponential time. So nothing special is going on here, except more power.

      And as for that...

      To all evidence, even a honest-to-God quantum computer (as opposed to an "adiabatic" one) won't even dare to step into the boots of the Godlike Nondeterministic Turing Machine.

      More here: http://www.scottaaronson.com/democritus/lec10.html

      1 0
  5. Acorn_Apple_Blackberry
    Alert

    Worst Computer Support Job?

    IT: What were you doing when the problem happened"

    Customer: "Well I went into the room with the computer and ... "

    IT: "... aaaah, that's it, never go into the same room as the computer, it stops working"

    Customer: "oh"

    IT: "Call anytime."

    1 0
  6. Geoff Campbell Silver badge

    Well....

    ....I think there is a world market for maybe five of these things.

    GJC

    2 0
  7. Disco-Legend-Zeke
    Pint

    OK, But When You..

    ...opened it, was the cat already dead?

    1 0
    1. Paul 129
      Reply Icon
      Joke

      Devils in the detail

      Yes but to shield against environmentally induced quantum decoherence, air holes are not permissible. This has lead to baseless claims that the results become inaccurate over time. Some more radical elements are requesting additional reaserch funding into what they are calling the feline hypoxia anomaly

      2 0
    2. Nick Kew
      Reply Icon
      Devil

      useless

      Not dead, just resting. We entered it for the Useless Use of Cat contest.

      1 0
  8. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge
    Terminator

    Good job it doesn't work

    Super powerful computer that goes beyond anything possible with classical computers

    Defence company that makes missiles and stuff

    2 0
  9. Anonymous Coward
    Meh

    Aren't they worried it might collapse in on itself and form a quantum singularity?

    Sucking in more and more money and not putting out anything useful?

    Oh, wait, Lockheed-Martin... never mind.

    3 0
  10. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Coat

    I think I can explain the improvement in D Waves fortunes.

    It's a dead cat bounce.

    Time to be gone.

    2 0
  11. Anonymous Coward
    Go

    Hmm...

    So, if the arguments are anything to go by, this simultaneously is and isn't a quantum computer? Schrödinger would be proud...

    0 0
  12. Anonymous Coward
    Gimp

    Encryption

    Hmm, I would have thought that certain TLA's (or in the uk FLA) would want one of D-wave's machines "just in case" it works.

    Being able to break most commercial encryption would be one hell of an advantage for law enforcement, etc.

    If nothing else, for leverage in order to get the accused to reveal their "secret" encryption key. "We KNOW you have kiddie pr0n on this drive, but if you tell us the keys now we can cut a deal, k?" to keep things above board.

    Oh, and that way it means the accused can then go on the SOR, whereas 2 years per encryption key offence does not.

    AC, for obvious reasons.

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