Future Of Programming... Real Programmers Respond Please

[sinthetix 0]

I was watching Star Trek the other day, I think it was Voyager. Anyways I was wondering.. They refer to this 'trinary' code and other things like Tera Quads of information. I researched this a little bit and all I could find were entries about it relating to Star Trek and nothing else really. So I was wondering, does anyone really know or have a really good explanation of what is on the horizen for programming? Because I'm sure that since we created Binary and so many other ways to make computers work, isn't there something in the future to be made that will make more possibilities open up and make computing faster?

[RedAlert 0]

It's called the quantum computer. They've got prototypes somewhere.The thing with a quantum computer is, whereas a binary bit can store either a 1 or a 0, a quantum bit, or "qbit," can store what is essentially a probability associated with something or other (basically, 1, 0, and everything in between). It does this through quantum mechanics, a field of physics where things operate on probability (true randomness, not because we are unable to predict things at that level, but nature itself is truly random).These quantum computers can pump things out billions of times faster than ordaniary binary computers.I want one. Unfortunately, they're insanely expensive

Edited April 25, 2007 by RedAlert (see edit history)

[srujanlive 0]

It's called the quantum computer. They've got prototypes somewhere.
The thing with a quantum computer is, whereas a binary bit can store either a 1 or a 0, a quantum bit, or "qbit," can store what is essentially a probability associated with something or other (basically, 1, 0, and everything in between). It does this through quantum mechanics, a field of physics where things operate on probability (true randomness, not because we are unable to predict things at that level, but nature itself is truly random).

These quantum computers can pump things out billions of times faster than ordaniary binary computers.

I want one. Unfortunately, they're insanely expensive

Man they would be expensive as of now. But in the future the prices would come down. Supercomputers are expensive. But connect a few PS3 s and u have a suppercomputer now.

[Smack 0]

I wouldn't have any use for the so-called quantum computers. I don't see the prices coming down anytime in the future - especially during our lifetime. Though I figure if we can expand on these types of computers we could easily create a robot with a decent AI that is able to do things like the robots in the movies. A few weeks ago I saw a television show about a robot that can 'learn' things. Maybe it was on national geographic, I don't know.

[sinthetix 0]

Yes, I've heard a great deal about quantum computers. Interesting little buggers. So far just this last February a 16 qubit (no it's not 'qbit') Quantum Computer was tested. So in human terms I suppose we could consider Quantum Computers at about age 3 or 5 now. In maybe just a few years it could flourish much faster as our experiments grow more complex.Eventually yes they will become cheaper, just like our classic personal computers that everyone posts with on these forums. Just like with -all- technology. When I formed my original post I did not take into account the fact that Quantum Computers are in the mix. I was just sort of irked by hearing about this Trinary and Quantary Code on Star Trek and wondered if it was actually possible. While I cannot phathom what they actually are, I could take a good guess and assume that Trinary would have three different states instead of two like Binary Code. While Binary Code relies on black and white, on or off, a 1 or a 0, I'm not sure how they would work out Trinary Code to begin with. Can a computer really handle three maybe even four different states? 0, 1, 2? It defies what Binary Code is and what classic computers are defined as.Could anyone shed some light onto this? Is it more possible then not?

[t3jem 0]

Well, after learning binary a few months ago, I don't see exactly how computers can "acurratly" calculate trinary code. The binary code of course represent cells in a chip being charged or not, so the only other way I can think of is if it detected a half charge or if you could make it a positive and a negative charge, apart from that, I'm not sure. Will be interesting to see it in a few years when it comes out though.

[sinthetix 0]

Thanks for your input t3jem. What does anyone think of this idea then. Having read what you said about Trinary and it's possible downfall, why not shoot for something a little more extreme like the representation of Binary still as normal but some addon components that after the Binary sequences have the machine running successfully, the higher functions of the machine could be taken over by a virtual 8 way system past Trinary and Quantary Codes. In the virtual environment the computer would be able with a fast enough processor be able to calculate more complex things in theory(my theory anyway )...I'm not all that familiar with Binary and Programming, the deepest I have touched programming is either XML or mIRC scripting. So excuse me if I sound like a dumbass when I go about explaining this.But you say that Binary basically reads whether a cell in a chip is charged or not, let's keep that and build on top of these physical components with more complex physical components like 'Addon Processors' that do not interfere with the main CPU of the said Box. These Addon CPUs would have their own RAM to work with and through the RAM they have they would run a virtual enviroment seperate from anything you see on your computer like a windows shell(possibly some sort of explorer for this enviroment could be made something like a Task Manager in Windows to further manipulate it for those who like to tweak things, or those who run into problems and have to manage their PC in a more technical way) and it would calculate it's own math and algorithems and transmit the data to the main CPU through it's own special BUS leading to the said CPU.The Addon Component would have nothing pulling from it's own resources so it would be unhindered in it's tasks that are sent by the main CPU leaving the CPU to tackle more mundane things like keeping Windows from crashing.I know a bit about hardware but I don't know that much about it. Any ideas on this or is there some massive flaw in my slaw?Kudos to those who are helping me understand this x.x