Quantum computing uses principles of quantum theory and qubits (quantum bits) that can represent superpositions of states to perform calculations. The document traces the history of quantum computing from its proposal in 1982 to modern developments. It explains key concepts like qubits, entanglement, and parallelism that allow quantum computers to solve certain problems like factorization and simulation much faster than classical computers. Recent progress in building quantum computers is discussed, including D-Wave Systems' quantum annealing approach. While obstacles remain, quantum computing could have important applications in networking, cryptography, and artificial intelligence.
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