The Quantum Computing (QC), Quantum Information (QI), and Quantum Encryption (QE) Curriculum. (Why? Now? Never?)

Abstract

The curriculum needs for quantum computing (QC), quantum information (QI), and quantum encryption (QE) are discussed. QC is an application of Quantum Mechanics (Messiah 1958) to the problem of defining a computer using quantum phenomena. QI is an expansion of quan-tum mechanics analogous to classical information theory, and QE is an application of QI. Now that the first venture capital activity in QC (Maney 2003) has occurred, it is time to start considering where, if at all, the interrelated topics QC, QI and QE belong in the Information Systems (IS) curriculum. It is argued that the topics are neither premature nor mature, so that at present they should be inserted only as descriptive topics in a hardware course and a telecommunications course. Although they will probably never be a fitting topic for a full IS course, they already are part of our culture. Soon they may come out of the research labs and begin to affect the business world. There will always be the problem of how to effectively introduce QC and QI ideas in a “layper-son’s ” overview. I first review the prerequisite knowledge needed to study basic QC and QI as outlined in Nielson (2000). I analogize this to four problems in covering the IS effects of som