Many years ago, I used to think that a graphics processing unit (GPU), more commonly known as a graphics card, was just a device dedicated to playing video games on a computer at their maximum potential. But, one day, while going through a textbook (Advanced Computer Architecture by Kai Hwang), I realized that I was unaware of a world that goes way beyond PC gaming.
Without a doubt, most consumer GPUs are manufactured to achieve those amazing graphics and visuals to enable some spell-binding gameplay. But there's a world that explores its application a whole lot further, and that is the world of GPU computing.
In this chapter, we are going to learn the basic ideas behind GPU computing, a historical recap on computing, and the rise of GPU computing. We will also read about the simplicity of Python and the power of GPUs, and learn about the scope of...
