Burnaby-based D-Wave Systems' quantum computing gets feature treatment from the Guardian

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      In 2010, the Georgia Straight posted an intriguing interview with Vern Brownell, CEO of D-Wave Systems.

      He declared that the Burnaby-based tech company was building "the world's first scalable quantum computer".

      Brownell, a former chief of technology at Goldman Sachs, explained that a quantum computer "uses the laws of nature—or the laws particular of quantum mechanics—to compute".

      "We think these machines are most useful for these intractable problems—these very, very difficult problems to solve—that sometimes can take years, decades, or even longer for a classical computer to solve," he said at the time. "For some of these problems, a quantum computer like D-Wave’s can shave that down by many orders of magnitude, and that’s what’s really exciting about it."

      Today, the U.K.-based Guardian has posted a long article on its website suggesting that D-Wave Systems could be poised for tremendous sucess.

      It points out that the company's 2X computer is expensive at more than $15 million. D-Wave Systems' website mentions that purchasers include Google, Lockheed Martin, and NASA.

      Among the company's investors are Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and In-Q-Tel, which the Guardian described as the CIA's high-tech arm.

      The article notes a Google test found that D-Wave Systems' quantum computer solved problems 100 million times faster than a classical computer. But that hasn't silenced all the naysayers.

      Larry Goldstein

      Back in 2010, Brownell told the Straight that he wasn't surprised that some would question what the company is doing. 

      "There has been some controversy, and naturally something that has this potential to change the world is going to have skeptics," he said. "It's only natural. I would be skeptical, too."

      This video offers an introduction to quantum computing and D-Wave Systems.

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