It is an exciting time for software developers and computer users. With GPU Computing becoming mainstream and OpenCL having become an industry standard, adopting and harnessing this newly available computing power has promising implications for Corel’s users and will positively impact how they interact with our software. Companies like AMD have led the way, with cutting-edge technology offerings like the AMD Fusion Accelerated Processing Units (APUs), providing a platform from which new optimizations can take flight.

As a software developer, the decision to improve performance by using OpenCL to gain access to the GPU’s power seems like an easy one to make – but it isn’t necessarily always the right call!  By focusing on the outcomes we wish to achieve, and developing a “per situation” decision framework before technology projects begin, we are adding a step that will accelerate project delivery, minimize risk, and drive team efficiency.

For Corel, our history of working with our communities to pinpoint improvements based on their needs determines our approach. Our priority is – quite simply, our users. Our goal is to have a positive impact for the largest group of users possible and focus our optimization efforts on the features and functions they consider most important.

For products such as Corel VideoStudio® Pro, WinDVD® and Corel Digital Studio™, the possibilities of OpenCL optimization revealed themselves in exciting ways – from increased efficiency in the open/save functions, to significant speed enhancements in the rendering and encoding processes, to the extended battery performance vital to video playback. Working with the AMD Fusion team to explore the possibilities of performance and usability enhancements has been a rewarding, ongoing process.

The goals of OpenCL usage are to allow near-transparent use of all available computing resources (CPU, GPU or APU), make unused GPU cycles available for non-graphics processing without increasing battery usage or impacting displayed graphics, and enable data/task based parallel processing (far beyond that offered just by multi-core CPU’s). Our goal is to work with companies like AMD to effectively translate this potential into features that will best benefit the users of our programs and applications.

No new technology is without its challenges. We look forward to seeing further strides made in OpenCL unification, allowing for a common method of approaching optimization across all products and chipsets. In the meantime, we continue to support OpenCL in the way that makes most sense for us – as a way of bringing the users of our applications a more rewarding experience. We applaud AMD for their leadership in this regard and the ways in which they have helped move us closer to achieving our goals. With the promise of OpenCL, the future is bright for our users, and we look forward to playing a key role in shaping what is on the horizon.

For more information about OpenCL visit the Khronos website at www.khronos.org.

Graham Brown is the CTO for Corel. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites, and references to third party trademarks, are provided for convenience and illustrative purposes only.  Unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such links, and no third party endorsement of AMD or any of its products is implied.