Re: Quantum Computer vs. crypto

cipherpunk_at_gmail.com
Date: 06/23/05 

Date: 22 Jun 2005 21:48:05 -0700

Two things to keep in mind:

1. What computers can do is described by a branch of mathematics
called computational theory. If you want to understand what quantum
computers can do, you'll need to study quantum computational theory.
If you don't have a QCT background, you're going to have a _really_
tough time separating answers that are reasonably correct from answers
that are wildly incorrect.

2. Quantum (superpositional) computation is science fiction right now.
 If QC becomes feasible and commonplace within the next ten years, it
would necessarily mean such enormous advances in engineering, in
physics, in miniaturization, in solid-state technology and in
mathematics that I literally could not imagine what the world would be
like.

So, short answer: if we see quantum computers within ten years, you'll
have a lot more important things to worry about than whether your
crypto will be intact.

Relevant Pages

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