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  • NEC Has Abandoned Development Of Quantum Computing Hardware

    From Lawrence =?iso-8859-13?q?D=FFOliveiro?=@ldo@nz.invalid to comp.misc on Wed Sep 9 01:21:10 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.misc

    This report <https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/quantum-computing/nec-has-quietly-quit-quantum-computing-hardware-development-report-claims-company-says-it-will-continue-to-evaluate-practical-applications-and-industrialization-of-quantum-technologies>
    mentions that NEC has stopped developing quantum computing hardware
    and sacked a bunch of its quantum-computing researchers, who have
    moved to Fujitsu. The company is trying to deny any shutdown of quantum-computing research efforts as such.

    At this stage, no other companies already invested in quantum
    computing seem to be planning to wind down their efforts. But as the
    needed investment continues to climb, while any prospect of return
    remains distant, perhaps this will turn into a real trend.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Ian@${send-direct-email-to-news1021-at-jusme-dot-com-if-you-must}@jusme.com to comp.misc on Wed Sep 9 07:49:15 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.misc

    On 2026-09-09, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:
    This report
    <https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/quantum-computing/nec-has-quietly-quit-quantum-computing-hardware-development-report-claims-company-says-it-will-continue-to-evaluate-practical-applications-and-industrialization-of-quantum-technologies>
    mentions that NEC has stopped developing quantum computing hardware
    and sacked a bunch of its quantum-computing researchers, who have
    moved to Fujitsu. The company is trying to deny any shutdown of quantum-computing research efforts as such.

    At this stage, no other companies already invested in quantum
    computing seem to be planning to wind down their efforts. But as the
    needed investment continues to climb, while any prospect of return
    remains distant, perhaps this will turn into a real trend.

    Does a functional quantum computer actually exist yet? I.e. something that
    can usefully execute some algorithm and give repeatable results?

    I know there are simulations of "quantum computers", but is the science
    still in the lab?

    I'm not being negative about this, but genuinely curious if we're on
    the cusp of something as revolutionary as the invention of the transistor,
    or letting some wishful thinking of how we'd like materials to behave
    fuel a funding frenzy..
    --
    Ian

    "Tamahome!!!" - "Miaka!!!"
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Lawrence =?iso-8859-13?q?D=FFOliveiro?=@ldo@nz.invalid to comp.misc on Wed Sep 9 08:04:25 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.misc

    On Wed, 9 Sep 2026 07:49:15 -0000 (UTC), Ian wrote:

    Does a functional quantum computer actually exist yet? I.e.
    something that can usefully execute some algorithm and give
    repeatable results?

    There have been quantum analog computers that, like the analog
    computers of old, are good at solving physical-modelling problems
    rapidly, but with limited precision.

    Examples are the machines from D-Wave <https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/08/d-wave-on-rails-company-tests-entanglement-on-its-dual-rail-qubits/>.

    However, quantum *digital* computers, that can do number-theoretic
    operations of the sort you need to implement ShorrCOs Algorithm, for
    example, donrCOt exist.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From kludge@kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) to comp.misc on Wed Sep 9 15:17:48 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.misc

    <${send-direct-email-to-news1021-at-jusme-dot-com-if-you-must}@jusme.com> wrote:

    Does a functional quantum computer actually exist yet? I.e. something that >can usefully execute some algorithm and give repeatable results?

    1. Yes, a functional quantum computer exists. Many have been built.

    2. Quantum computers do not execute algorithms. They are not like
    von Neumann machines, but more like analogue computers that solve
    sets of simultaneous equations. In the case of quantum computers,
    they solve optimization problems.

    Do they give repeatable results? Yes, within an error margin, just like analogue computers do. Are they useful? They are useful to solve optimization problems.

    I'm not being negative about this, but genuinely curious if we're on
    the cusp of something as revolutionary as the invention of the transistor,
    or letting some wishful thinking of how we'd like materials to behave
    fuel a funding frenzy..

    Can your problem be set up as an optimization problem? If so, a quantum computer will be useful for you. If not, it won't be. This is why there
    is a whole new field of trying to modify a whole lot of different kinds of problems to make them into optimization problems.
    --scott
    --
    "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2