Isn't there a huge difference between "this is the coolest thing we could build with a billion dollars" impressive and "you can buy one of these at the store, take it home, and use it for something" impressive?

I started re-reading Michael Crichton's Timeline recently and the first few chapters are quantum this and quantum that. It reminded me of this thread.

I just checked Google shopping. Still no quantum computers for sale.

In the 1950s, there were no semiconductor computer or semiconductor consumer products.

Meanwhile the gigabyte disk drive exists because of quantum physics.

Not sure what you're on about, tw.

It's a secret.

Not necessary.

Babbage never finished his machine. Curiously, it was duplicated maybe less than 10 years ago. They discovered many his is prints were backwards - maybe intentionally so that others could not steal his design. Interesting is that his mechanical computer did work - had he finished it.

Which says nothing about quantum physics place in mankind's future.