Ask HN: Vitalik says that QC might break ECC before 2028. This is crazy, right?

Quantum computers haven't even factored a three-digit number yet, right? I don't have handy the equivalent in discrete log solution, but... even if somehow (??!) they gain the 4+ orders of magnitude for Shor's space computation, there remain major unsolved boring problems like error correction and cooling, right?

Or have there been some galaxy-shaking developments in QC that actually make this somehow plausible?

Some recent, relevant, major discussions I brushed-up on before posting this:

* Willow announcement: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42367649

* Majorana 1 announcement: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43104071

* OpenSSH statement: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44863242

* The case against Google's claims of "quantum supremacy": https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42384768

edit: I do want to say, I like Vitalik a lot and I think he has a beautiful and friendly brain and heart; the few times I hung with him he has been cool as heck. This is not an anti-Vitalik post. More of a "where are we really in QC" post, which I figure some people here can summarize in fairly simple terms.

10 points | by jMyles 1 day ago

5 comments

  • FergusArgyll 1 hour ago
  • ecesena 1 day ago
    Link to Vitalik's post would be preferable, context is important.
    • jMyles 1 day ago
      As far as I can tell, it was something he said in his devconnect address, for which no video appears to be available yet.
  • l___l 1 day ago
    > Quantum computers haven't even factored a three-digit number yet, right?

    Since there isn't proof that such computers don't exist, the answer is: wrong.

  • jMyles 1 day ago
    Not sure if GilKalai is around, but I'd be particularly interested to hear thoughts.
  • stOneskull 22 hours ago
    i have a little site that collects articles to help keep up to date on all things quantum. you might be interested in it.. entangled.cloud