ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Streaming SIMD Extensions

Streaming SIMD Extensions, or SSE for short, are computer instructions that allow a processor to perform multiple mathematical operations on sets of data all at once. Think of it like doing a bunch of math problems in one big group instead of doing them one at a time. This makes the processor work faster and more efficiently.

Imagine you want to add two lists of numbers together. Instead of adding each number in one list to the corresponding number in the other list, SSE can add all the numbers in both lists together at the same time. This saves time and makes the computer work more efficiently.

SSE is a set of instructions that were added to processors in the early 2000s. These instructions allow the processor to perform multiple mathematical operations in parallel, meaning that they can be working on more than one set of numbers at the same time. This can greatly increase the speed at which a computer can perform calculations.

The latest version of SSE, SSE4, has over 50 new instructions, each designed to speed up a specific type of operation. For example, some instructions are designed for video processing, while others are designed for audio processing.

Overall, SSE is a powerful tool for improving the performance of computers that need to perform a lot of mathematical calculations. Whether you're working with graphics, audio, or just doing some heavy number crunching, SSE can help your computer perform those tasks more quickly and efficiently.