This CUDA Be The Start Of Something Great

Indeed AMD is lagging behind quite a bit in this respect. But they do offer something similar (in complexity) to CUDA now through BrookGPU (which is like C, unlike CTM which was more like assembler). And according to Phoronix it's not only meant for the FireStream processors (which are the only GPUs that do double-precision flops in hardware, so in that respect they are ahead of NVidia...); it should also run on R600 and newer mainstream GPUs.

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=amd_stream_released&num=1
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=amd_stream_qa&num=1

The difference, as I said, is that CUDA works on any G80 or newer nVidia chipset. It isn't limited to a specific type of graphics card, unlike all AMD's solutions to date.

CTM was a complete flash in the pan if you want my own opinion - it was too limited in its scope.

Isn't "R600 or newer" just about the same generation of cards as "G80 or newer"?

Exactly the same in fact! Oh also, don't speak to soon about double precision - there's always a chance nVidia could add it with the next gen cards...