ccw计算机中心,ccw算法的说明(Explanation of ccw algorithm)

I'm having some trouble understanding the ccw (counterclockwise) algorithm:

int ccw (Point P0, Point P1, Point P2) {

dx1 = P1.x - P0.x;

dx2 = P2.x - P0.x;

dy1 = P1.y - P0.y;

dy2 = P1.y - P0.y;

if (dy1 * dx2 > dy2 * dx1) return -1;

if (dx1 * dy2 > dy1 * dx2) return 1;

if ((dx1 * dx2 < 0) || (dy1 * dy2 < 0)) return 1;

if ((dx1 * dx1 + dy1 * dy1) < (dx2 * dx2 + dy2 * dy2)) return -1;

return 0;

}

This code it used to see if two lines intersect:

bool intersect (Vector2D l1, Vector2D l2) {

return (((ccw(l1.start, l1.end, l2.start) * ccw(l1.start, l1.end, l2.end)) <= 0)

&& ((ccw(l2.start, l2.end, l1.start) * ccw(l2.start, l2.end, l1.start)) <= 0))

}

I can understand the code inside the intersect function, but I don't really understand the code inside the ccw function.

Why it isn't used the cross product?