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> not due to quantum computing - a theory that has originated in the 1980-1981 and that has yet to yield actual machines that we can use. Uhm – classical compu

> not due to quantum computing - a theory that has originated in the 1980-1981 and that has yet to yield actual machines that we can use. Uhm – classical computer science originated sometime in the early 19th century (possibly earlier) in the form of analytical engines and the first actually usable machines[0] were created just a bit before World War II. General relativity originated before WWI and was first used well after WW II. Quantum mechanics was invented at the beginning of the last century and the first usable LASERs were built in the 1960s. Really, 30 years is not that long in the context of ‘hard’ science. Even in the ‘fast-moving’[1] field of software engineering, people still use SMTP (1982), TCP/IP (1975) and FTP (1971). [0] ‘Usable’ in the same sense that QC are not usable yet because people can perfectly factor 15 without Shor’s algorithm. [1] Because it’s young and hence easy to discover new stuff.

bad_user 13y ago
Given the accelerated R&D that happened since the 70-ties in computer science, the huge resources that this industry can throw at problems and the fact that quantum computing can theoretically solve many important problems for us, 30 years is a long time. I'm not saying that it won't happen eventually. I'm only saying that Moore's law is a more imminent threat to current encryption methods and that quantum computing still doesn't solve NP and as long as NP is not P, unbreakable encryption is a reality that quantum computing won't change.
- claudius 13y ago
  The problem here is that QC is not lagging behind in the field of computer science (all the theories are there) nor the field of hardware engineering (the engineers can build every we tell them to), but in (condensed matter) physics. And physics is something you can only speed up so much, especially given that there are many other equally exciting, high-profile projects (think LHC).

bad_user 13y ago

Given the accelerated R&D that happened since the 70-ties in computer science, the huge resources that this industry can throw at problems and the fact that quantum computing can theoretically solve many important problems for us, 30 years is a long time. I'm not saying that it won't happen eventually. I'm only saying that Moore's law is a more imminent threat to current encryption methods and that quantum computing still doesn't solve NP and as long as NP is not P, unbreakable encryption is a reality that quantum computing won't change.

claudius 13y ago
The problem here is that QC is not lagging behind in the field of computer science (all the theories are there) nor the field of hardware engineering (the engineers can build every we tell them to), but in (condensed matter) physics. And physics is something you can only speed up so much, especially given that there are many other equally exciting, high-profile projects (think LHC).