[Jmatlab-users] contributing video processing (and request for legal clarification)

[Matthew A. <mat...@ym...>]

Dear all,
I have heard about the jmatlab project recently as an alternative to FreeMat and octave. From my understanding jmatlab has the best architecture, reusing powerful packages from the HPC world. I would like to contribute some image and video processing tools, but I am concerned about the legal basis of jmatlab. Please clarify the following questions, because I am reluctant to take part in a project with a fragile future:

1) Is jmatlab affiliated with Mathworks in some way? Afaik Matlab is a registered trademark. How can you use their name as title, and in your documentation? Do you have any statement from Mathworks on the choice of your name?

2) You may be aware of the legal case between Mathworks and National Instruments on the use of flow diagrams for representing mathematical algorithms (for example: http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~tlavian/spring2009/studentsPresentations/MathWorks%20vs.ppt). I see the same infringement with jsimulink. Is there no risk of running into the same trouble? Also Mathworks holds several patents on their software, some named on their homepage, some hidden. Did you have those checked?

3) You write that several jmatlab procedures were developed starting with octave code. Octave is licensed under the GPL. Then jmatlab needs to be licensed under GPL as well, and the jmatlab source code must be shared. I only see a link to an eclipse update site, probably distributing solely the class files without sources.

I must say that I have not been able to try the download, because the www.jmatlab.org/update site doesn't work for me. Please neglect question 3), if you have already GPL'ed jmatlab.

Don't misunderstand my questions. I am not to enforce any steps on this promising project. I only want to make sure that I am not running into trouble when participating. And I am afraid of the future of my possible contributions, in case the jmatlab project has to be closed for some funny legal reasons. I would like to see my contributions covered by GPL and hope for a positive answer.

Once these questions are answered, and when I have successfully downloaded jmatlab and integrated my toolboxes, I'll be happy to contact you again and upload my tools if somebody is interested.

Best regards
Matt