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From: Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid>
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: Is Intel exceptionally unsuccessful as an architecture designer?
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2024 23:43:15 -0000 (UTC)
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On Thu, 19 Sep 2024 21:35:41 +0000, MitchAlsup1 wrote:

> On Thu, 19 Sep 2024 20:48:38 +0000, Lawrence D'Oliveiro wrote:
> 
>> On Thu, 19 Sep 2024 16:23:09 +0000, MitchAlsup1 wrote:
>>
>>> I am convinced that quantum computers will eventually be good at some
>>> things that regular computers are not and cannot be.
>>
>> They are currently having some success in physical-optimization
>> problems, with precision limits. That means they are basically just a
>> revival of the old analog computers: fast at solving physical-related
>> problems, but with much less precision than digital computers.
> 
> They seem to be rather exceptional at protein folding compared to
> classical computing.

That’s an example of what I what I would call “physical optimization”: the 
system can “feel” its way down the energy gradient just due to random 
fluctuations in the state of the physical variables. The algorithms for 
doing this were called “simulated annealing”, back in the day.

Actually nowadays some AI engines (digitally programmed, not quantum) may 
be beating the quantum computers on protein folding, too.