Image read/write for octave

[A+A Adler]

Recently, there have been several posts asking about
reading/writing images from octave.  Numerous 
solutions have been proposed, the simplest involve
reading from a pipe from a program which converts
the image to a p?m format and parsing this format with
fread / fscanf commands.

Unfortunately, this is slow, UNIX specific, and
depends on the existence of the converter programs.

I think we need to incorporate image reading/writing
into octave. This should be *.oct files.

I have written some *.oct file links to the IJG jpeg
library code (ftp://ftp.uu.net/graphics/jpeg)

(For your information, this code provides access to
 jpeg, bmp, p?m and write for *un*gif (ie. non-unisys patent
 offending gif files) )

I'd like to recommend incorporating this code but I'm wondering
if the license is GPL compatible.
(I'll post it to octave-sources anyway (once I've cleaned it
up a little), but I really think this would be a very useful
feature for octave)

Here is the IJG JPEG licence:

______________________________________________________________

LEGAL ISSUES
============

In plain English:

1. We don't promise that this software works.  (But if you find any bugs,
   please let us know!)

2. You can use this software for whatever you want.  You don't have to pay
   us.

3. You may not pretend that you wrote this software.  If you use it in a
   program, you must acknowledge somewhere in your documentation that
   you've used the IJG code.

In legalese:

The authors make NO WARRANTY or representation, either express or implied,
with respect to this software, its quality, accuracy, merchantability, or
fitness for a particular purpose.  This software is provided "AS IS", and
you, its user, assume the entire risk as to its quality and accuracy.

This software is copyright (C) 1991-1998, Thomas G. Lane.
All Rights Reserved except as specified below.

Permission is hereby granted to use, copy, modify, and distribute this
software (or portions thereof) for any purpose, without fee, subject to
these conditions:

(1) If any part of the source code for this software is distributed, then
this README file must be included, with this copyright and no-warranty notice
unaltered; and any additions, deletions, or changes to the original files
must be clearly indicated in accompanying documentation.

(2) If only executable code is distributed, then the accompanying
documentation must state that "this software is based in part on the work
of the Independent JPEG Group".

(3) Permission for use of this software is granted only if the user
accepts full responsibility for any undesirable consequences; the authors
accept NO LIABILITY for damages of any kind.

These conditions apply to any software derived from or based on the IJG
code, not just to the unmodified library.  If you use our work, you ought
to acknowledge us.

Permission is NOT granted for the use of any IJG author's name or company
name in advertising or publicity relating to this software or products
derived from it.  This software may be referred to only as "the Independent
JPEG Group's software".

We specifically permit and encourage the use of this software as the basis
of commercial products, provided that all warranty or liability claims are
assumed by the product vendor.

______________________________________________________________
Andy Adler,                               address@hidden



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