Quantum Computing

Abstract

Since the early 2000s there has existed the meme that “DOOM can run on anything”. Whether it be an ATM or a calculator, someone at some point has recompiled DOOM to run on it. Now the quantum computer finally joins the list. More specifically, this project represents the first level of DOOM loosely rewritten using Hadamards and Toffolis which, despite being a universal gate set, has been designed in such a way that it’s classically simulable, able to reach 10-20 frames per second on a laptop. The circuit uses 72,376 total qubits and at least 80 million gates, thus it may have use as a benchmark for quantum simulation software.

This is an ebook about quantum computing made for a general audience. The ebook was made freely available via arXiv by the author Chris Ferrie, who is known for writing science books for children such as the popular Quantum Physics for Babies.

PDF link: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2312.11196.pdf

IBM has an API that allows users to use some of their quantum computers free of charge (the "Open Plan"). This plan gives one access to small quantum computers with up to 7 physical qubits.

I have just received an e-mail informing us that their user agreement has been updated such that it no longer allows users from certain countries to access their Open Plan:

As a result of these changes, the Open Plan will no longer be available to users located in or ordinarily resident in Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, People's Republic of China (including Hong Kong), Cuba, Egypt, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Macau, Moldova, Mongolia, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, and Yemen.

The Open Plan is specifically designed for "Educators, new learners, and developers who do not need to execute larger workloads.". This isn't an API powerful enough to theoretically allow an adversary to break encryption or perform another meaningful attack using these quantum computers. I think this is only going to block out these countries from experimenting with these tools in an educational setting.