[Clips] Feds mull regulation of quantum computers

[Tyler Durden]

Seems to me we don't even need to bother thinking about Quantum Computers 
until they can fab components that operate at room temperature. That's not 
impossible, but if someone stopped thinking about it for about 5 years you 
probably wouldn't miss anything.
-TD


>From: cyphrpunk <cyphrpunk at gmail.com>
>To: cryptography at metzdowd.com, cypherpunks at jfet.org
>Subject: Re: [Clips] Feds mull regulation of quantum computers
>Date: Sat, 12 Nov 2005 19:18:09 -0800
>
> >  WASHINGTON--Quantum computers don't exist outside the laboratory. But 
>the
> >  U.S. government appears to be exploring whether it should be illegal to
> >  ship them overseas.
> >
> >  A federal advisory committee met Wednesday to hear an IBM presentation
> >  about just how advanced quantum computers have become--with an eye 
>toward
> >  evaluating when the technology might be practical enough to merit
> >  government regulation.
>
>Suppose that quantum computers work and the NSA has them. What steps
>can or should they take to try to stop the propagation of this
>technology? If they come out too openly with restrictions, it sends a
>signal that there's something there, which could drive more research
>into the technology by the NSA's adversaries, the opposite of the
>desired outcome. If they leave things alone then progress may continue
>towards this technology that the NSA wants to suppress.
>
>Something like the present action isn't a bad compromise. Work towards
>restrictions on technology exports, but in a studiously casual
>fashion. There's nothing to see here, folks. We're just covering our
>bases, in the outside chance that something comes out of this way down
>the road. Meanwhile we'll just go ahead and stop exports of related
>technologies. But we certainly don't think that quantum computers are
>practical today, heavens no!
>
>CP