Spotlights

[Macoleco]

I believe the economical system that we have nowadays creates "spotlights". By this I mean that companies, and even universities, focus entirely on the option that works to solve certain problem, and completely or almost completely ignore other alternatives which on the long run are better options. This slows down scientific progress since it we end up spending an incredible amount of resources on something that will end up being replaced.

Take for example computer processors. Companies such as Intel or HP have spent decades fighting each other, trying to make transistors smaller to make faster processors. On doing this, there is almost no research regarding quantum computers. It is until now, that we are reaching the limits of how small a transistor can be, that more resources are being put on quantum computers. If we had made efforts from the start on developing quantum computers, perhaps we would be closer to finally building them, or maybe they would already exist.

I think an economical system that pushes forward every type of research for many alternatives at the same time is the best option for scientific progress

What do you think?

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Well, progress and industry tend to address matters at hand.  Granted, it is a bit short-sighted, but there's really no alternative.  Suppose, for instance, that fifteen or twenty years ago, tech companies stopped making current computer components smaller and faster, and focused on quantum computers.  What would happen to the market in the interim?  And it's important to remember that it IS a market - selling better versions of existing computer components is a lot of what enables research into quantum computing.

Boru

[The Grand Nudger]

That's the value of publicly funded research initiatives.  The sort that almost invariably form the bedrock of some later private enterprise.  They don't have to chase profit. They can also open up more options for our blessed free market, by churning out non proprietary tech and leaving the market end to interested parties.