Forget Ninja Turtles and Lego’s, as a kid I would have wanted a B’Owl.
And of course, there is some debate as to whether I am this guys son.
Next on Jerry.
2/16/2007
Of B’Owls and Vasectomies
Basic or Applied Research: Quantum edition
While the dust has settled for now, I found one quote of particular interest surrounding the new Orion system from D-Wave.
The CEO of the firm noted that it was not a true quantum computer, but rather one that used quantum mechanics to solve problems. Stating,
“Users don’t care about quantum computing—users care about application acceleration. That’s our thrust,” Martin said to the Associated Press. “A general purpose quantum computer is a waste of time. You could spend hundreds of billions of dollars on it” and not create a working computer.
For those who complain that basic research budgets are on the decline and clamor endlessly for financial hand-outs, this strikes precisely at the root of the issue.
As I’ve noted previously (as has Klein), D-Wave’s business philosophy is a good thing, because it appears management practitioners have perhaps matured to the point where they want to not just create cool, whiz-bang technology — but technology consumers are also willing to buy.
For those stuck in an Ivory Tower, I know it must seem like a crazy and radical business model, but maintaining profitability is something private firms cannot ignore like their subsidized academic counterparts. Perhaps this motivation is the reason why the private industry has actually shown a useful and usable solution first — sell or become extinct.