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I've been looking around, but I'm still not sure on the what OpenCL is. Other than multi processor stuff...

Is it another graphics API like OpenGL and DirectX? Or something that works alongside OpenGL?

I'm planning on learning OpenGL soon (with java if it makes a difference) so I want to know how/which direction to learn it with.

Also, I hear things about CUDA which confuses me further. Just looking for some simple clarifying statements. Thanks.

Chiron
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Hyland
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2 Answers2

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OpenCL is a language/API for doing general purpose highly parallel calculations on a graphics card, but can also be used to generate computed images which are displayed by openGL or directX

It's an open standard (like openGL), CUDA is the NVIDIA only competitor.

Why? Because your $100 graphics card can do 1000s of tasks in parallel - turning it in a mini-supercomputer!

gnat
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Martin Beckett
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OpenCL is parallel programming language to program almost all kinds of modern processors CPUs, GPUs, DSPs to name a few. this article provides a good introduction of opencl

user2501679
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