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References: Economically Viable Quantum Computing — The Unicorn of Physics

  1. Quantum computing - Wikipedia - Comprehensive overview of quantum computation theory, hardware approaches, and current limitations, providing the technical reality against which the chapter measures decades of breathless promises.

  2. Quantum supremacy - Wikipedia - The milestone of a quantum computer outperforming classical computers on any task, achieved in carefully controlled conditions that the chapter notes bear little resemblance to practical applications.

  3. Qubit - Wikipedia - Explanation of the fundamental unit of quantum information, including the decoherence and error-correction challenges that keep practical quantum computing perpetually five years away.

  4. Quantum Computing: An Applied Approach (2nd Edition) - Jack D. Hidary - Springer - Accessible introduction to quantum algorithms and hardware, balancing genuine excitement with the engineering realities this chapter satirizes.

  5. The Quantum Labyrinth - Paul Halpern - Basic Books - History of quantum mechanics told through the rivalry of Feynman and Wheeler, capturing the field's tradition of brilliant theorizing that takes decades to become practical.

  6. IBM Quantum Roadmap - IBM Research - IBM's public timeline for quantum computing milestones, a living document of optimistic projections that the chapter treats as evidence for its "perpetually five years away" thesis.

  7. Google Quantum AI - Google Research - Google's quantum computing program, including the Sycamore processor that achieved quantum supremacy on a problem no one needed solved.

  8. Quantum Computing Report - Quantum Computing Report - Independent tracker of quantum hardware progress, funding, and capability benchmarks, providing data for evaluating claims against actual performance.

  9. Scott Aaronson's Blog - Shtetl-Optimized - Leading quantum computing theorist's commentary on hype versus reality, the field's most prominent internal critic and a kindred spirit to this chapter's skepticism.

  10. The Quantum Computing Hype Bubble - IEEE Spectrum - Engineering-focused analysis of inflated quantum computing expectations, confirming the chapter's thesis with charts, timelines, and the quiet desperation of peer reviewers.