Quantum Computing : "Because nature isn't classical, dammit"

Abstract

Some believe that the exponential growth in classical computing is coming to an end, and with the ongoing development of quantum computers, people may be tempted to consider them as potential replacements to our present day computers. However, judging by the state of quantum computing, it is unlikely they will ever replace classical computers, but rather they will satisfy a niche of problems. Perhaps this is similar to the relation of classical computing and parallel computing; parallel computing is not necessarily better with some problems, but it has found a niche that it fulfills well. Unlike other computing systems, quantum computing takes a more natural approach, being fundamentally similar to the types of problems inside its niche. In this paper, the author describes the differences between a classical approach and a quantum computing approach, and gives insight into what sort of problems will be inside the quantum computing niche.