It is appropriate, on World Quantum Day, to talk about quantum computing and quantum computers, as the two are often confused. Quantum computing is any method to generate quantum effects whereby qubit states can exist in superposition (o,1, both) rather than binary states (0,1). Binary states are represented in classical computing in low-level software as logical 0s and 1s but in hardware as high and low-voltage states.

The typical system to do quantum computing, or at least simulate it, is usually High Performance Computing (HPC). That works, it's a proven technology that has a rate of return of $44 per $1 invested - and higher when COVID research is considered. The development of HPC clusters with message passing is one of the most successful technological developments in computing in the last thirty years.

In contrast, a quantum computer directly uses a quantum mechanical system and requires appropriate specialised hardware. For example, GENCI in France uses a photonic computer, LRZ in Germany uses superconducting qubits, PSNC in Poland uses trapped ions, etc. David P. DiVincenzo offers the most significant physical challenges that face quantum computers, regardless of what technology is used; these include scaling qubits, initialisation of values, developing a universal gate for the construction of a quantum operation, developing gates that are faster than decoherence from a quantum state due to environmental interactions, and reading qubits (especially considering that can alter the quantum state).

As a result, classical computers outperform quantum computers in all real-world applications. Not only that, there is a serious issue of whether quantum computers will ever be able to outperform classical computers. Mikhail Dyakonov points out that the rudimentary qubits used in quantum computing systems is insufficient for useful calculations.

"Experts estimate that the number of qubits needed for a useful quantum computer, one that could compete with your laptop in solving certain kinds of interesting problems, is between 1,000 and 100,000. So the number of continuous parameters describing the state of such a useful quantum computer at any given moment must be at least 21,000, which is to say about 10^300. That's a very big number indeed. How big? It is much, much greater than the number of subatomic particles in the observable universe."

The promise of quantum computers is, of course, very significant in theory. In theory, it can perform some calculations incredibly fast, and the larger the task, the more impressive the result, to the extent that common secure encryption systems could be broken, as well as the more prosaic use in quantum simulations. In reality, the physical implementation has been more than challenging, to put it mildly. Classical computers, in principle, can solve the same problems as a quantum computer can, in principle solve as well. For a classical computer the problem is the sheer quantity of time that is required. For quantum computers, the problem is the implementation in reality. For the time being, and for the foreseeable future, it seems that quantum computing will continue to be done on classical computers.