Computers (as I understand them) operate based on an off/on behavior, aka base 2, as does most other ''digital'' equipment. The reason for this limitation is because a component (transistor) can be either on, or off. Same for fiber optics - there is either a pulse of light, or a lack of light.
Wouldn't things be faster and more advanced if you could operate things on a base 5, 10, 20, or higher?
For example, instead of fiber optics sending pulses of light, have a type of variable wavelength laser, which could produce 8-256 or more different colors based on the laser's wavelength. Of course they would have to develop the technology to both send and receive the beams... but it could be done. Imagine how much faster electronics with microprocessors would be!
The question is, why hasn't it been done yet (or has it?) What are the current drawbacks (besides the lack of hardware)?
Why limit computers to base-2 computing? Why not a base 3 or higher?computer repair
Actually it is already being researched. Try searching for quantum computing or spintronics
To put it simply - quantum computing aims to use quantum states (which can go up to 32) of a sub-atomic particle.
This answers your question about using a higher base - higher the number of quantum states that you can ''read'' or ''set'' higher is the base of your ''quantum computer''.
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