[SciPy-user] scipy code contribution question

[Bill Baxter]

On 7/5/07, David Cournapeau <david at ar.media.kyoto-u.ac.jp> wrote:
>
> Lev Givon wrote:
> >
> As everybody here I guess, IANAL, but the safest thing to do is to
> explicitely ask the mathworks.


The license I got with my copy of Matlab is pretty clear:

"""
Except as expressly provided by this Agreement, including the
attached Addendum, Licensee may not adapt, translate, or convert
"M-files", "MDL-files" or "P-code" contained in the Programs in
order to create software, a principal purpose of which is to
perform the same or similar functions as Programs licensed by
MathWorks or which is intended to replace any component of the
Programs.  The Licensee may not incorporate or use "M-files",
"P-code", source code, or any other part of the Programs in or
as part of another computer program without the consent of
MathWorks.
"""

You can contact them and try, but I don't expect they'd be willing to give
you explicit consent to translate their M-files in this case, since is
precisely for the purpose of creating software that does the same thing as
Matlab.  And even worse it's for creating *free* software that does the same
thing as Matlab.

On the other hand, if Octave has an implementation of this particular
function you're after, then you are much more likely to get the developers
permission to translate it to Python and put it under BSD.

--bb
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