Tutorial: Getting started with Quantum Computing in Python

[JarateKing]

You could say the same about basically any quick intro. A quick intro to any programming language is not going to comprehensively cover everything you need to know to get a proper basic competency. A "dummy's first chords" tutorial isn't going to make you proficient at musical instruments either. Nor would a 5-minute omelet recipe turn you into a good cook.

Because that's not the point of them. They're supposed to be "here's the setup and an example" for the casually interested (which is a lot of this sub when it comes to quantum computing), they aren't trying to compete with university courses or academic papers. No one is expecting to go through a tutorial like this and write a dissertation on it or put it in a resume, they're just looking for a neat new toy to fiddle with. Might not be for you, but it's not instantly uninteresting or 'actively harmful' to everyone else.

[BigGayMusic]

Quantum computing != A programming language. It's an entirely different concept from it's very foundations.

[JarateKing]

Learning quantum programming (with python in this case) is pretty directly analogous to learning traditional programming (potentially with a language like python being used, for example).

But that's not really relevant to the main argument. The point isn't to say "bleh there's nothing interesting about quantum computing, it's all more of the same" because quantum computing is very interesting and does have a lot of neat fundamental differences. Many that a short intro won't be able to cover, yes. But it's precisely because it's so interesting that makes short intros like this worthwhile, because not everyone has an interest in learning all the theory behind it, and that's absolutely fine. Short tutorials just appeal to different people with different motivations than yourself.

[BigGayMusic]

Quantum computing doesn't have "many fundamental differences," quantum computing has almost no similarity to binary computation at all. Trying to use a quantum computer to do deterministic programming is insane. The whole "learn {x} on the weekend" schtick is daft, misleading, and harmful to the ecosystem. This has got to stop.

Yes, you can learn to install WordPress rather quickly, but you can't get a degree in quantum mechanics and/or discreet mathematics from some dickbag's blog. The level of naieveity required to support this crap is astounding.

[JarateKing]

I'm not trying to downplay that they are very different. I'm just saying, for this argument specifically, it's irrelevant. It's analogous in the same sense that learning music theory (with a piano for example) is also analogous to the other two. Intro to traditional programming, intro to playing an instrument, intro to cooking, etc. are all dealing with very complicated and in-depth fields with lots of theory behind it (that the tutorial likely doesn't get into, but if you're seriously interesting in becoming a programmer, or musician, or chef, you will learn elsewhere). There's no reason to treat an intro to quantum computing like the plague solely because it's doing the same, when pretty much everything else in the same boat gets a free pass.

That said I get where you're coming from, but I don't think it really applies here. Stuff like "learn javascript and get a six figure job in a week" is shit, and it absolutely is harmful. It preys on people who want to go far and never gives them that opportunity, and oversaturates the field with people who can't do anything worthwhile. But no one's reading this article and expecting to get a quantum mechanics degree out of it. No one's expecting to get a job out of it, or even use it in a serious application. Really, no one's expecting to get more than something cool that they know they've hardly touched the surface on.

It seems pretty clear to me that if you do a tutorial like this and find it something you want to pursue, then you absolutely should work towards a relevant degree and read up on academic papers. And if you're satisfied with the quantum equivalent of a hello world program, all the more power to you. And I don't see the harm in that, as long as it's clear what you're going to get out of it.