Although Tony Hey seems to be honestly interested in quantum computing (and he first started his career as a particle physicist, so his roots in physics beckon him to quantum computing), it looks like Microsoft is hiring him mainly for his expertise in distributed computing. Let’s face it. Microsoft is not the Bell Labs of yore. MS’s main concern is to duplicate and incrementally improve the products of its competitors–in this case, distributed computing.

By all accounts, Bill Gates doesn’t think very highly about quantum computing. Indeed, by googling “Bill Gates” AND “quantum computing”, I found the following Bill Gates’ quotes:

“In our research group there are things like the mathematical theory group that look way out into the future to things like quantum computing.”

Take the company’s quantum computing group. Most likely, Gates said, this work “won’t result in anything in the next decade–and there’s a reasonable chance that it won’t result in anything at all. Now if it does result in something, it’s mind-blowing, because it’s just a different paradigm for computing.” (source of quote)

The much touted Microsoft Quantum Computing group consists only of one person, Michael Freedman, plus the occasional collaborator. Furthermore, though obviously a brilliant guy, MF is mostly interested in a very narrow subset of quantum computing, topological QC.

Hey, maybe someone who recently started work in the state of Washington should give a QC talk at Microsoft, and explain to Bill Gates that we expect results much sooner than that!

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