What is "Quantum Computing?"

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Okay, to be frank I struggle with how quantum computers really work and I try to keep blog posts like this at a really high level to make it easy to understand.  

Having said that quantum computers are still difficult to understand.  

Regular computers use bits 0 and 1 in the chips (on or off) and some basic math to perform calculations.   When doing things that require HUGE amounts of data like weather modeling, simulating super nova's, or modeling earth's tectonic plates, this take A LOT of computing power and a long amount of time due to the limits of 1 or 0.  

Quantum computers use qubits which can be 0, 1, or 0 and 1 or any point in between.  Think of it as a 3 dimensional storage instead of 2 dimensional.  

How much more information can you store in a sphere, than in 2 points?  

Need a visual?

Current bit:         */-
This is on and off. Either or. 

This is a Qubit: 

Yeah, its weird. 

Okayyyyyy.... so how exactly does this help?  

Because a quantum computer can store information ANYWHERE in the sphere between these points, it increases the amount if information and computing power, EXPONENTIALLY. 

This is not a substitute for regular computers.   There are many things that a quantum computer would be no better than a regular PC at.  

But when it comes to BIG numbers and really HUGE amounts of data, the fact that it can store enormous amounts of data in the same (or less really) space than a traditional computer means that big data and extremely complex mathematical formulas can be handled much faster and more efficiently.   

For now, quantum computing is the realm of IBM, Microsoft, Google, and other tech giants.  

It will not replace regular computing, but may change the world once the technology is well understood and put to use.   

Thanks for reading.  

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