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Any book that gives an overview of quantum computing to a programmer? A sort of "thing explainer" for quantum computing?

gohrt 11y ago
http://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Computing-since-Democritus-ebook/dp/B00B4V6IZK http://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Computing-since-Democritus-ebo... also free online
- chubot 11y ago
  I have this book and it's great, though it's not quantum computing "for a programmer" -- I don't think such a thing really exists. It was based on a series of quantum computing lectures he did for CS grad students. If you have a solid undergraduate education in computer science theory (computability, computational complexity, etc.) and probability, you can get pretty far through the book and take away useful things. But simply being a programmer doesn't mean you'll get very far. I got pretty far but got lost toward the end. He states a LOT of results and they become hard to remember without working through them more deeply. It's all theory -- there's absolutely nothing like "programming" in the book.
  - lovelearning 11y ago
    Thank you for that review. I should have phrased my question better, because I actually meant a book for CS grads that focuses on the computational side more than the physics theory. Programming was the wrong word.
  - tgb 11y ago
    I, too, loved the book but think it's not what the asker was looking for. In particular, it assumes a lot of knowledge about quantum computing (it doesn't cover, say, Shor's algorithm or quantum Fourier transforms). It's aim is to present information about complexity theory, not "Learn to Program Quantum Computers in 24 Days". There was a good course on Coursera some years back that I found quite enjoyable and was my first introduction to quantum computing. It serves as an OK intro to quantum mechanics, too, from the abstract point of view where we just assume we have qubits versus the physics point of view where we start by looking at atoms. Maybe the course is still available.
- lovelearning 11y ago
  Thank you for the recommendation. I didn't know the author of this post is himself a published author on the subject. Will check it out.
cabinpark 11y ago
What's a thing explainer? But unfortunately since quantum computing is still really only an academic pursuit, you're only going to find technical literature or dumbed down to the point of not being worth it. Saying that, there is one book I like called Quantum Processes Systems, and Information by Schumacher (who coined the term qubit) and Westmoreland since it is an introductory text and has a good discussion of the basics of quantum computing. It does, however, assume you are a physics student with a good understanding of linear algebra.
- JimmyM 11y ago
  This is a reference to Thing Explainer, the Randall Munroe book - https://xkcd.com/thing-explainer/ https://xkcd.com/thing-explainer/ I think since so much quantum physics depends on maths, which in turn depends on highly specialised terminology or at least symbols, you are right that a Thing Explainer might have serious difficulty with quantum physics. A broad overview probably wouldn't have a serious advantage over the various lay explanations and thought experiments that are floating around at the moment. But as a non-physics student with an imperfect understanding of linear algebra, I would love to be proven wrong!
- lovelearning 11y ago
  I really appreciate your recommendation. I did not major in physics, but I have studied and applied linear algebra and have fairly good intuition for it. It seems to me then that I should study some intermediate physics (books or courses) before studying the Schumacher book. Do you have any recommendations for that? Thanks in advance.
  - rubidium 11y ago
    Learning a bit of Quantum Mechanics is going to be more helpful than anything else in physics to understand quantum computing. Introduction to Quantum Mechanics by Griffiths is a standard undergrad text. The math is all "simple" (linear algebra and calculus). It's the learning a new way to think about the world that's the hard part.
    - 11y ago
lmm 11y ago
If you want to actually understand it (complete with exercises), Nielsen and Chuang (maybe go for a second-hand copy, the editions don't change that much and it's pretty expensive new). It's not ELI5 though.
- lovelearning 11y ago
  Thank you for the recommendation. I'll look for this.

gohrt 11y ago

http://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Computing-since-Democritus-ebook/dp/B00B4V6IZK http://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Computing-since-Democritus-ebo... also free online

chubot 11y ago
I have this book and it's great, though it's not quantum computing "for a programmer" -- I don't think such a thing really exists. It was based on a series of quantum computing lectures he did for CS grad students. If you have a solid undergraduate education in computer science theory (computability, computational complexity, etc.) and probability, you can get pretty far through the book and take away useful things. But simply being a programmer doesn't mean you'll get very far. I got pretty far but got lost toward the end. He states a LOT of results and they become hard to remember without working through them more deeply. It's all theory -- there's absolutely nothing like "programming" in the book.
- lovelearning 11y ago
  Thank you for that review. I should have phrased my question better, because I actually meant a book for CS grads that focuses on the computational side more than the physics theory. Programming was the wrong word.
- tgb 11y ago
  I, too, loved the book but think it's not what the asker was looking for. In particular, it assumes a lot of knowledge about quantum computing (it doesn't cover, say, Shor's algorithm or quantum Fourier transforms). It's aim is to present information about complexity theory, not "Learn to Program Quantum Computers in 24 Days". There was a good course on Coursera some years back that I found quite enjoyable and was my first introduction to quantum computing. It serves as an OK intro to quantum mechanics, too, from the abstract point of view where we just assume we have qubits versus the physics point of view where we start by looking at atoms. Maybe the course is still available.
lovelearning 11y ago
Thank you for the recommendation. I didn't know the author of this post is himself a published author on the subject. Will check it out.

cabinpark 11y ago

What's a thing explainer? But unfortunately since quantum computing is still really only an academic pursuit, you're only going to find technical literature or dumbed down to the point of not being worth it. Saying that, there is one book I like called Quantum Processes Systems, and Information by Schumacher (who coined the term qubit) and Westmoreland since it is an introductory text and has a good discussion of the basics of quantum computing. It does, however, assume you are a physics student with a good understanding of linear algebra.

JimmyM 11y ago
This is a reference to Thing Explainer, the Randall Munroe book - https://xkcd.com/thing-explainer/ https://xkcd.com/thing-explainer/ I think since so much quantum physics depends on maths, which in turn depends on highly specialised terminology or at least symbols, you are right that a Thing Explainer might have serious difficulty with quantum physics. A broad overview probably wouldn't have a serious advantage over the various lay explanations and thought experiments that are floating around at the moment. But as a non-physics student with an imperfect understanding of linear algebra, I would love to be proven wrong!
lovelearning 11y ago
I really appreciate your recommendation. I did not major in physics, but I have studied and applied linear algebra and have fairly good intuition for it. It seems to me then that I should study some intermediate physics (books or courses) before studying the Schumacher book. Do you have any recommendations for that? Thanks in advance.
- rubidium 11y ago
  Learning a bit of Quantum Mechanics is going to be more helpful than anything else in physics to understand quantum computing. Introduction to Quantum Mechanics by Griffiths is a standard undergrad text. The math is all "simple" (linear algebra and calculus). It's the learning a new way to think about the world that's the hard part.
  - 11y ago

lmm 11y ago

If you want to actually understand it (complete with exercises), Nielsen and Chuang (maybe go for a second-hand copy, the editions don't change that much and it's pretty expensive new). It's not ELI5 though.

lovelearning 11y ago
Thank you for the recommendation. I'll look for this.