Customer Reviews

Ultimate Zero and One : Computing at the Quantum Frontier

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Williams has framed the conundrum posed by the quest for higher and higher speeds and smaller and smaller formats for computing in an excellent statement of the problem and an intriguing response. If capable of being implemented, this seminal book for the scientifically oriented lay person, posits an entirely new way to look at computing and telecommunications, using current knowledge and its extensions concerning quantum physics, to outline a design for computers and communicators (teleporters?) of the future. As he states, at the present pace of computing speed development, we will be at the ultimate speed and molecular level in approximately the year 2028. Then what? Quantum computing. The book is also an intriguing teaser for venture capitalists, who may wish to get in on the bottom line in this endeavor. The rewards, if achievable, are almost boundless. It is interesting to note that a cover of the new magazine SKEPTIC pans quantum cmechanics,, by relegating its image to the label of an elixir bottle. Is this another "fountain of youth?" or "cold fusion?" The author makes a strong, if not somewhat complex case for a negative response to that question. This is a must read for cutting edge thinkers both in the realm of computing and physics and deserves a studied analysis. Highly recommended.

If you are interested in the promising field of quantum computing, this one is the primer to read. It's very well written, coherent, and goes deep enough as to challenge the reader's mind. However, don't be intimidated by the math. Even if one skips the mathematical concepts the reader will be able to understand the book and more importantly the concepts behind it. Good read, good buy.

This book covers some interesting material; I especially liked the chapter which discussed obtaining the results of a quantum computation without actually running the computer. The authors also give some very complete explanations of fundamental concepts such as the workings of a quantum logic gate and RSA encryption. However, their explanations are also riddled with errors and undefined notation. Often, they will spend a great deal of time explaning rather trivial things, then in the next paragraph introduce the next step with a new notation and not define it!! The result is that the calculations are often hard to follow.

This book is a good read for those interesting in learning about the basics of quantum computers, but look elsewhere for a more rigourous treatment of the mathematics of quantum computing.

In spite of many interesting subjects described in the book, explanations about fundamentals of quantum theory seem to me quite insufficient, as like as they had been written in a hurry. I would have not understood many issues quoted in the book if I had not read before other publications about paradoxes raised by quantum physics. Another very strange choice is to place the chapter about interaction-free measurement at last, while I think this property is a necessary basic for a better understanding of properties of entanglement, above which the whole building of quantum computing relies. So, I wonder how readers without a previous knowledge of basic subjects can have dealt with the problems the book tries to explain. Surely, this book has been written for nonspecialists, as the editorial review states, but, taking into account the poor effort employed in explaining quantum theory, it could have detailed more facets about computing, and simply referencing other textbooks for physics arguments.