AceTKen

joined 2 years ago
MODERATOR OF
[–] AceTKen@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 day ago

The part that doesn't make sense is how a guess on a QC in a binary is any better than a scientist just guessing an outcome from a binary. Yeah, it can do it a lot, but if you can't test the outcome to verify if it's correct or not, how is it better than any other way of guessing outcomes?

Statistically, it absolutely isn't. Even if it continually narrows things down via guesses, it's still no more valuable than any other guesses. Because in all the whitepapers I've seen, it's not calculating anything because it can't. It's simply assuming that one option is correct.

In the real world, it's not a calculation and it doesn't assist in... anything really. It's no better than a random number generator assigning those numbers to a result. I don't get the utility other than potentially breaking numerical cryptography.

[–] AceTKen@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I'm kinda torn on things. The other option in the area is a NoFrills, which is the Loblaws monopoly. They are Canadian, but evil as fuck. At least Safeway has a functional union for the workers?

Otherwise I can drive 20 minutes (both ways) and go to a Co-Op instead of a 4 minute walk. I'm legit not sure which of the options is worse or best.

[–] AceTKen@lemmy.ca 40 points 2 days ago (6 children)

It is deeply weird how the local Safeway will mark things as Canadian because manufacturing is here even though the ownership is entirely American.

They have Pepsi and Coke with Canadian flags on them for some weird reason.

[–] AceTKen@lemmy.ca 2 points 5 days ago (2 children)

So that's the part that gets me stuck. There is no clear answer and it has no way to check the result as QC aren't capable of doing so (otherwise they wouldn't be using QC since they can only be based on binary inputs and binary guesses of true / false outcomes on a massive scale). How can it decide that it is "correct" and that the task is completed?

Computations based on guesses of true / false can only be so accurate with no way to check the result in the moment.

[–] AceTKen@lemmy.ca 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I appreciate the reply!

I made the attempt, but couldn't parse that first link. I gathered that it was about error correction due to the absolutely massive number of them that crop up in QC, but I admit that I can't get much further with it as the industry language is thick on that paper. Error reduction is good, but it still isn't on any viable data, and it's still a massive amount of errors even post-correction. It's more of a small refinement to an existing questionable system, which is okay, but doesn't really do much unless I'm misunderstanding.

The Willow (and others) examples I'm skeptical on. We already have different types of chips for different kinds of operations, such as CPUs, GPUs, NPUs, etc. This is just one more kind of chip that will be found in computers of the future. Of course, these can sometimes be combined into a single chip too, but you get the idea.

The factorization of integers is one operation that is simple on a quantum computer. Since that is an essential part of public / private key cryptography, those encryption schemes have been recently upgraded with algorithms that a quantum computer cannot so easily unravel.

With quantum computing, a system of qubits can be set up in such a way that it's like a machine that physically simulates the problem. It runs this experiment over and over again and measures the outcome, until one answer is the clear winner. For the right type of problem, and with enough qubits, this is unbelievably fast.

Problem is, this only works for systems that have a known answer (like cryptography) with a verifiable result, otherwise the system never knows when the equation is "complete". It's also of note that none of these organizations are publishing their benchmarking algorithms so when they talk about speed, they aren't exactly being forthright. I can write code that runs faster on an Apple 2e than a modern x64 processor, doesn't mean the Apple 2e is faster. Then factor in how fast quantum systems degrade and it's... not really useful in power expenditure or financially to do much beyond a large corporation or government breaking encryption.

[–] AceTKen@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (7 children)

Well, I love being wrong! Are you able to show a documented quantum experiment that was carried out on a quantum computer (and not an emulator using a traditional architecture)?

How about a use case that isn't simply for breaking encryption, benchmarking, or something deeply theoretical that they have no way to know how to actually program for or use in the real world?

I'm not requesting these proofs to be snarky, but simply because I've never seen anything else beyond what I listed.

When I see all the large corporations mentioning the processing power of these things, they're simply mentioning how many times they can get an emulated tied bit to flip, and then claiming grandiose things for investors. That's pretty much it. To me, that's fraudulent (or borderline) corporate BS.

[–] AceTKen@lemmy.ca 65 points 1 week ago (22 children)

Yeah, most quantum science at the moment is largely fraudulent. It's not just Microsoft. It's being developed because it's being taught in business schools as the next big thing, not because anybody has any way to use it.

Any of the "quantum computers" you see in the news are nothing more than press releases about corporate emulators functioning how they think it might work if it did work, but it's far too slow to be used for anything.

[–] AceTKen@lemmy.ca 48 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

Holy fuck, a protest that is actually targeting the people it should instead of just random bystanders that have nothing to do with it?

About time! Git 'em y'all!

[–] AceTKen@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Looks like I get to be first! Nice.

Palaye Royale - Dark Side of the Silver Spoon They currently live in LA, but they are a Canadian band.

[–] AceTKen@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 month ago

I've gone to my community and to specific posts, but can't work out how to show downvotes. Can you shed a little light on how to see them please?

[–] AceTKen@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 month ago

Yeah, that's what I do as well. Seems much nicer than hurting their community by just randomly downvoting everything I don't want to see.

[–] AceTKen@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

No, sometimes it is about blocking.

If you run a small community like several of us do, even a small amount of downvotes can completely shut down a discussion from ever being seen by anyone else. It's a way petty assholes have of trying to kill conversation in small communities because they don't like something about what you said or how you said it.

If someone neither wants to contribute nor lurk, and merely drag down a community, they shouldn't be allowed to continue to be a part of it at all.

 

#What do you want to talk about?

We're brand new, but I hope you'll have a word or two. Looking for mods who can write and love discussing a variety of topics!

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submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by AceTKen@lemmy.ca to c/actual_discussion@lemmy.ca
 

#First and foremost, let me say that I appreciate you actually engaging in a real discussion on Lemmy!

Why did I make this community? Well, mostly in response to the rest of Lemmy and the way many otherwise interesting discussion threads fall apart into downvoting and groupthink.

I don’t like people making baseless accusations. I defend people on all sides when people are wrong about their opposition. I hate it when people think they know what others think and project incorrect (and often evil) bullshit on each other. It’s important to be correct with solid reasoning and conclusions, not just one or the other.

I hate people being wilfully wrong because their group fetishizes a certain angle of the truth instead of the boring reality of the situation.

Ideas are important and I don’t feel we can get out of the current shitty slump we’re in with political discourse unless we clearly speak about and discuss the world.

So let's talk like people. What do you want to talk about?

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