Play with IBM's quantum processor

[LordFerret]

IBM is to open up a 5-qubit quantum processor accessible to everyone via the cloud... go play with it.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/3065654/hardware/ibms-quantum-computing-processor-comes-out-of-hiding.html

http://www.research.ibm.com/quantum/

[Shpaget]

I know what a quantum computer can hypothetically do, but have no clue what would I do with one.

Also, I am under impression that 5 qubit computer is analogous to the first transistor computer that had less than 100 transistors and was almost useless (both due to power and reliability issues). Am I wrong? What is a 5 qubit quantum computer capable of?

[Bill Phil]

More than what 5 regular bits can do, that's for sure.

[p1t1o]

I dunno, is this the real deal? Or is it a simulation of 5 qubits?

 

8 hours ago, Bill Phil said:

More than what 5 regular bits can do, that's for sure.

So it can do more than count to 32, excellent.

[K^2]

Man, I even had an idea to try out, but their license agreement prevents me from being able to use it.

[cantab]

Yeah. Reading through, the agreement claims that whatever "Score" - program, basically - you put in, you hand over copyright to IBM. Even for an experimental facility like this, that is going too far.

[Steel]

41 minutes ago, cantab said:

Yeah. Reading through, the agreement claims that whatever "Score" - program, basically - you put in, you hand over copyright to IBM. Even for an experimental facility like this, that is going too far.

To be honest, did anyone think this was anything genuinely philanthropic rather than an opportunity to harvest some data?

[kunok]

4 hours ago, Steel said:

To be honest, did anyone think this was anything genuinely philanthropic rather than an opportunity to harvest some data?

I was expecting a pure marketing move really. But yes, you have a point.

[chadgaskerman]

On 05/05/2016 at 5:56 PM, Shpaget said:

I know what a quantum computer can hypothetically do, but have no clue what would I do with one.

 

Run KSP 1.0.5 full pelt with a 800 part monster of a station.

[Steel]

23 minutes ago, chadgaskerman said:

Run KSP 1.0.5 full pelt with a 800 part monster of a station.

And you'd be very sad to realise it would actually run slower than on a standard computer