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Would be awesome if they use proper open source software stack, like OpenCL, not that NVIDIA proprietary crap. Using anything from NVIDIA harms open source, be

by xvilka 7y ago

Would be awesome if they use proper open source software stack, like OpenCL, not that NVIDIA proprietary crap. Using anything from NVIDIA harms open source, because until they bankrupt there won't be FOSS drivers and software for their GPUs.

tasty_freeze 7y ago
If you hate nvidia so much, why do you want open source drivers for their crap products? You might be an OSS purist, but most people are trying to solve problems, and cuda is apparently more useful than opencl. Nothing is stopping you from enhancing opencl as a language, building useful libraries, writing documentation, holding conferences to build an ecosystem around opencl, and evangelizing the technology, just like nvidia did for cuda.
- xvilka 7y ago
  I already work on open source a lot, just in other areas.
  - penagwin 7y ago
    Interesting... It's like time is a limited resource. You just answered your question as to why people use CUDA. All the popular frameworks run on CUDA, and from what I hear openCL sucks to use.
privateSFacct 7y ago
CUDA is not crap. At the time this paper was written it had been out for a number of years, had good multi-platform support, and had good support for nvidia GPUs. If they had used opencl they may have been using an immature product, that might really have been apple only at the time (or apple and IBM?). I don't know thie history but 8-9 years ago (when the research work may have started) nvidia was tpushing the cuda idea (almost entirely alone - AMD still playing catchup).
- wyldfire 7y ago
  OCL was pretty mature then. CUDA is not crap but it is lock-in and IMO its best features were captured by OCL.
yingw787 7y ago
There's open-source graphics drivers that use NVIDIA like 'nouveau', which in my experience are much better than the proprietary nvidia graphics drivers on linux. Otherwise, I believe CUDA exists and remains proprietary because ISAs change by GPU generation, and because NVIDIA has a habit of patching graphics bugs outside its API for gaming customers, both of which lead to tight coupling between client libraries and the underlying hardware.
- xvilka 7y ago
  I know about nouveau and respect its developers so much. Trying to make it work despite an active resistance from NVIDIA itself - it requires some patience and rigor. The stance on providing firmwares to the project is ridiculous. I believe, NVIDIA invented the whole signing feature just to undermine nouveau efforts, using security just as a pretext (as many vendors do).

by xvilka 7y ago

tasty_freeze 7y ago

If you hate nvidia so much, why do you want open source drivers for their crap products? You might be an OSS purist, but most people are trying to solve problems, and cuda is apparently more useful than opencl. Nothing is stopping you from enhancing opencl as a language, building useful libraries, writing documentation, holding conferences to build an ecosystem around opencl, and evangelizing the technology, just like nvidia did for cuda.

xvilka 7y ago
I already work on open source a lot, just in other areas.
- penagwin 7y ago
  Interesting... It's like time is a limited resource. You just answered your question as to why people use CUDA. All the popular frameworks run on CUDA, and from what I hear openCL sucks to use.

privateSFacct 7y ago

CUDA is not crap. At the time this paper was written it had been out for a number of years, had good multi-platform support, and had good support for nvidia GPUs. If they had used opencl they may have been using an immature product, that might really have been apple only at the time (or apple and IBM?). I don't know thie history but 8-9 years ago (when the research work may have started) nvidia was tpushing the cuda idea (almost entirely alone - AMD still playing catchup).

wyldfire 7y ago
OCL was pretty mature then. CUDA is not crap but it is lock-in and IMO its best features were captured by OCL.

yingw787 7y ago

There's open-source graphics drivers that use NVIDIA like 'nouveau', which in my experience are much better than the proprietary nvidia graphics drivers on linux. Otherwise, I believe CUDA exists and remains proprietary because ISAs change by GPU generation, and because NVIDIA has a habit of patching graphics bugs outside its API for gaming customers, both of which lead to tight coupling between client libraries and the underlying hardware.

xvilka 7y ago
I know about nouveau and respect its developers so much. Trying to make it work despite an active resistance from NVIDIA itself - it requires some patience and rigor. The stance on providing firmwares to the project is ridiculous. I believe, NVIDIA invented the whole signing feature just to undermine nouveau efforts, using security just as a pretext (as many vendors do).