• Chrobin
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    1 year ago

    Currently, there is basically only one real world application we really know: Factoring numbers into prime factors. And we can’t know for sure whether there will be more even.

      • Chrobin
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        1 year ago

        I am a physicist and truly appreciate the effect of quantum computing on our simulations, but with “real world” I meant proper industrial use. And for that, there are hardly any algorithms known except Shor’s. When the CEO of Deutsche Bank says he will do his bank transactions on a quantum computer, you know the topic is over-hyped.

        Edit: A video that explains this by a theoretical physicist working on the foundations of quantum mechanics

        • frezik@midwest.social
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          1 year ago

          You’re still wrong. Quantum computers have use for developing new medications through simulating chemical interactions, and in making logistics more efficient. The hit against encryption is vastly overrated, and may not even be feasible.

        • FooBarrington@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          I understand that you can’t just translate random algorithms to quantum computers and expect them to run better - but I did link an overview of 5 quantum algorithms that have real world uses, and Shor’s is only one of them.

          I don’t consider Sabine Hossenfelder a person worth listening to. She frequently comments on topics she doesn’t know much about/has a very biased view of (e.g. her transphobic video).

          • frezik@midwest.social
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            1 year ago

            Yeah, Hossenfelder has had a bad habit of stepping outside of her lane. From what I’ve heard from physicists, she’s questionable even inside her lane.

            • Chrobin
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              1 year ago

              She might have strong opinions on particle physics and I do take them with a grain of salt, but I don’t see objectively wrong things in there.

              • frezik@midwest.social
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                1 year ago

                Given that you thought that factoring primes was the only real world application of QC, I frankly don’t take your opinion here very seriously. Breaking encryption is one of the least interesting applications of QC. It’s just the one that gets all the headlines. Yes, even for “proper industrial use”.

                • Chrobin
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                  1 year ago

                  Thanks for this productive discourse, not ad hominem at all. You’re welcome to criticize my views and I’m happy to learn. And I am doing my physics masters, so I think I am no complete idiot. But this is also not productive.

                  Edit: I’m focusing on cosmology, I’m not claiming to be a quantum computing expert. That was just my last state of knowledge and I’m always happy to learn.

                  • frezik@midwest.social
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                    1 year ago

                    Focusing on what QC will do to encryption tends to mean you got most of your knowledge about them from pop sci articles. As you can see from this very thread, you’re hardly alone in this, but it remains a big red flag for people who don’t know what they’re talking about on this subject.

          • Chrobin
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            1 year ago

            Are you talking about her video on trans athletes? I don’t remember it being transphobic.

            • FooBarrington@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              I’m talking about her video on transitions in general, not sure if you’re referring to that or something else. She misrepresented the state of research (implying there’s less research concluding transitions to be a good thing than there really is) and shared misinformation.

              • Chrobin
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                1 year ago

                I don’t think I was talking about this, interesting. Because in the video I mentioned she was fine with trans athletes competing together with cis athletes, which seemed very progressive to me. But I’m happy to be proven wrong.