[Beowulf] Quantum computing

[John Hearns]

I think this should have a new thread.
I have taken a bit of an interest in quantum computing recently.

There are no real qubit based quantum computers which are ready for work at
the moment. There ARE demonstrators available from IBM etc.

The most advanced machine which is available for work is the D-Wave machine
which is based on an annealing process. If you can map your problem onto an
Ising annealing model then you can compute it on this machine.
I am told that in computer science theory you can map all problems onto the
Ising model (I may be wrong)
https://www.dwavesys.com/home

Rigetti also have a useable machine  https://www.rigetti.com/

All machines at the moment depend on being inside a helium dilution
refrigerator. Seemingly one of the obstacles to further progress is the
rate at which you can buy helium fridges.
(Hint - in the California gold rush the miners made pitifully little money.
The people selling spades made a lot).

There is nothing close to a card or a server which could be operated in a
traditional hot, noisy computer room.
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