sPHENIX HCal discussion

[Edward Kistenev <kistenev AT bnl.gov>]

https://www.engadget.com/2017/09/26/microsoft-new-coding-language-is-made-for-quantum-computers/

Microsoft’s new coding language is made for quantum computers

UCSB/Erik Lucero

When one of the first personal computers, the Altair 8800 came along in 1976, Microsoft was ready with a programming language, Altair BASIC. It wants to be equally prepared when quantum computers go mainstream, so it has unveiled a ne programming language and other tools for the futuristic tech at its Ignite conference. You'll still need to understand Qubits and other weird concepts, but by integrating traditional languages like C# and Python, Microsoft will make it easier to do mainstream computing on the complex machines.

Quantum computing is famously difficult to grasp -- even IBM's "Beginner's Guide" is laughingly opaque. In discussing Microsoft's new initiatives, Bill Gates called the physics "hieroglyphics," and when asked if he could describe it in one sentence, Satya Nadella said "I don't think so. I wish I could."

So, let's just talk about what it can do, then. By taking advantage of the principals of superposition and entanglement, quantum computers can solve certain types of problems exponentially faster than the best supercomputers. "It would allow scientists to do computations in minutes or hours that would take the lifetime of the universe on even the most advanced classical computers," Microsoft explains. "That, in turn, would mean that people could find answers to scientific questions previously thought unanswerable."

Microsoft is effectively building a language for computers that don't really exist yet. The most advanced experimental machine, a 16/17 qubit model, was built by IBM and has run over 300,000 experiments. It's far from being ready for commercial applications, though. Big Blue recently unveiled an initiative to build commercial quantum computers called IBM Q, and has already released its own programming tools via an API called the IBM Quantum Experience.

Microsoft's programming language doesn't have a name yet, but the company already has plans for quantum computing in AI. In particular, it thinks that the machines could be used to train its Cortana digital assistant in days instead of months. "Even if everything else was the same, Cortana would improve 30 times faster," Microsoft's research chief Craig Mundie says.

To get quantum computing working more quickly, Microsoft's star theoretical researcher, Michael Freedman (below), is trying to build both the hardware and software for a "topological quantum computer" (I'm not even going to try to explain that). To that aim, he has recruited "some of the world's preeminent condensed-matter and theoretical physicists, materials scientists, mathematicians and computer scientists," Microsoft says.

Microsoft is also working on the computer itself, but to get programmers up to speed, it's releasing the programming tools for developers and computer scientists. "The same code that you're running today in simulation you can run tomorrow on our quantum computer," says quantum computing software lead Krysta Svore.

Individual users can simulate problems that require up to 30 logical qubits, while enterprise customers get 40 qubits of power (the more qubits, the faster the machine). "Developers without quantum expertise can actually call quantum subroutines, or write sequences of programming instructions, working up to writing a complete quantum program," Microsoft says.

It might be awhile before commercials computers are ready, as they currently require near-absolute zero temperatures to remain in a stable state. Considering how tough it is to wrap your head around the concepts, however, you may need the time. If you're interested in trying the new quantum computing language, you can sign up here.

1737 Shares

Twitter tries to explain why Trump's posts aren't like others

So let's say an ISIS leader tweets something like that but threatening U.S.A. of total annihilation, Twitter would keep it online just becaus it's newsorthy? Yeah.

MacOS High Sierra is well worth the upgrade

Apple - making products worse and cost more. Geez, catch up people. Once again, old technology other OS's and apps have had for a while, at double the cost.

Ivanka Trump used personal email for government business

The fact liberal tech gadget sites like Engadget, the Verge, and Gizmodo seem to like to virtue signal with these garbage know nothing posts that try to create a false equivalence between what Hillary did and what Ivanka and Jared have done speaks to their hypocrisy and their lack of knowledge of the differences between the two comparisons. Engadget, do what you do best, report on gadgets, nothing else. No one cares about your political agenda and opinion. Keep it clean and civil. We are sick of Gawker, and we are growing sick of you and the Vox's Verge as well. It's time you guys stop this political bullshit or you will lose your reader base of which both sides are readers. Not just the left. If you want to radically shrink your reader base, this is the way to do it.

The Morning After: Tuesday, September 28th 2017

Um, Tuesday September 28th?

Driving with AR glasses may be information overload

One of your paragraphs start in mid-sentence:> No problem, here's a massive spinning Giants logo.> doesn't make the hardware that was sliding down my face.

The Ataribox will cost under $300 and ship next spring

I mean, good for you knowing the correct idiom, but really chomping is not a wrong word. It does also mean to chew, bite, etc. and multiple google searches show that it's just as correct to say chomping at the bit.

Dubai tests a passenger drone for its flying taxi service

They clearly don't mean spare parts! They mean extra rotors attached to the top that are powered by a backup battery! Sheesh!

Lenovo’s leaked 25th-anniversary ThinkPad sports a familiar look

Why the hell is it using a several year old mx940 instead of an mx150? -__-Is there even a 4 lanes certified thunderbolt controller in that?

‘Star Trek: Discovery’ deserves better than CBS’s streaming service

I've been a Trekkie since I was a little kid in the 70's and watched every episode in reruns, some many times over. I watched every episode of TNG, DS9, Voyager and Enterprise. But I won't be paying for access to Discovery. I'd love to watch it, but I can't justify $7/mo or $10/mo w/o commercials for this and effectively only this. At the end of the season, if I can get just one month for $10 and no commercials, I may end up binge watching the season next summer, but if not, I'll simply be doing without.

Video game voice actors reach deal to end almost year-long strike

asked for a back-end paymentsI still think this is BS. If they deserve back-end payments, then so does every artist, engineer, accountant, janitor, etc. And as I said before, if you think a successful game is successful because of your vocal contributions, then a failed game is also a failure because of your vocal contributions and you should be punished accordingly.

Kodi box piracy case comes to anticlimactic end

Right about what? Right about other people selling it? Right about the same software being available on other platforms?The problem is he (and others) advertise these as fully-loaded and able to stream any movie/show. That implies that his boxes are designed with the intent to pirate, not just to be a media hub. If he'd been selling a vanilla Kodi box, and just sold it as a personal media hub, he would've been fine.

Tesla Model 3’s touchscreen control panel detailed in new video

Where is the speed readout? The remaining charge? Battery temperature? And good luck reading that bright white screen on a sunny day with the sunroof open. The UI looks like some rubbish open source Linux application and they want people to pay BMW 3 Series money for it. Are they joking or what?

Apple drops Bing for Google on Siri and macOS searches

Love them or hate them, Google and Apple need one another. So they may as well start playing nice with each other. And I used to loathe Apple. I've gone from loathing them, to a quiet appreciation of their latest efforts. I still refuse to by their products...

'Destiny 2' factions will reward you with powerful discount weapons

I hope they added a larger selection of weapons. Destiny 1 had a handful of good weapons that were all fairly easy to get and everyone used all the time (Gjallarhorn, Ice Breaker, The Last Word).  I'd rather see a large assortment of high tier weapons so not everyone is using the same thing.