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Either P=NP or not. Hoping one way or the other changes nothing. Nor does it change how efficient computing is, nor does it have any effect on cryptography. Discovering a vastly more efficient means of factoring primes--perhaps via quantum computing--would do that. But just learning that P=NP does nothing to further such a discovery. Almost certainly, if P=NP, the exponents and/or constants in a polynomial factoring algorithm would be galactic. (FWIW, Knuth believes that P=NP and that it has no practical consequences.)
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Not really. P=NP but the degree of the polynomial is Grahams number doesn't let people into your bank account
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it could make lots of compute way more efficient, not sure why it is catastrophe..
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Why? Nature doesn't care if people are making financial transactions based on flawed cryptography.
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Have you been in nature? It's cold and full of bugs and disease.
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