New York Times' Markoff reports today on the latest in quantum computing, some of which was discussed here recently. Two points of note: IBM recently made a "snapshot" of the entire worldwide Web, eight trillion bytes of data, for an experimental database for searching and unnamed other manipulation by its quantum computers. Searching the database for a word by conventional computers would take a month, while quantum devices could do it in 27 minutes, a Beamer says. NSA is funding quantum computing at Los Alamos specifically for cryptographic investigation, "because QC could have a profound effect on modern cryptography." Others forms of warp speed snooping are discussed as well. --------- Restricted: "Snow Crash" is featured in a hot-selling book on the thought of the American Left, "Achieving Our Country," by philosopher Richard Rorty. The book is swell reading on the state of US thought, culture and politics whatever your disagreeable attitude. It's smallish, but for those completely broke and open to copyleft, grab it before IBM kicks it offshore: http://jya.com/161.htm (238K) http://jya.com/161.zip (89K)