> I did not know where to ask this, I thought some experts here might know.
>
> I am writing a basic digital signal processing package in Mathematica
> (for me, for school work, and demos that I write, nothing commercial,
> will all be free code) which I use to do my housework, etc...
>
> I am actually trying to implement from scratch in Mathematica many of
> the Matlab useful DSP design functions where there is no Mathematica
> equivalent. This way I learn the algorithms better, and also have the
> function to reuse later in Mathematica. I have about 10 functions
> implemented so far. with 1,000 more to go :), I use textbooks to learn
> the algorithms from, and implement them that way.
>
> I am trying to keep each function the same name and API as the matlab
> ones. This will make it easier to use if I share my code later with
> students or others, as Matlab's DSP function are well known.
>
> For example, I use the name butter() to design a butterworth filter
> since this is the name used in Matlab, and use the same input and
> output. I hope that software function names are not copyrighted? I do
> not think so.
>
> My question is: When I document the API for my Mathematica function, and
> I do ?butter in Mathematica, I want it to display similar text as the
> Matlab help.
>
> So, can I copy some of the text shown when doing help for the Matlab
> function?
>
> Since I try to keep my function, as much as possible, to accept the same
> arguments and return the same output as Matlab's would (in a List for
> Mathematica, instead of in a vector in Matlab, etc...), it seems silly
> for me to keep trying to reword things, since they are already written
> well in Matlab help. So why not use the same text?
>
> Will this be ok? Or do I have to use my own words by rewriting the
> description of the input and output?
>
> Again, all the Mathematica code I am writing myself, but I am taking
> about parts of the documentation text.
>
> thanks
> --Nasser
If you don't get caught, or if you do and The MathWorks doesn't care,
yes you can.
Otherwise, it's copyrighted work, and you can't.
Figure on re-writing the help in your own words -- paraphrasing it is
probably OK, reading the algorithm, implementing the function, then
writing what you've done will be _excellent_ practice for documenting
your own work.
Copying all of the Matlab 'help' comments verbatim is like waving a
legal red flag in front of the MathWorks bull.
--
Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com
Do you need to implement control loops in software?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" was written for you.
See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html
Reply by Nasser M. Abbasi●July 6, 20102010-07-06
I did not know where to ask this, I thought some experts here might know.
I am writing a basic digital signal processing package in Mathematica
(for me, for school work, and demos that I write, nothing commercial,
will all be free code) which I use to do my housework, etc...
I am actually trying to implement from scratch in Mathematica many of
the Matlab useful DSP design functions where there is no Mathematica
equivalent. This way I learn the algorithms better, and also have the
function to reuse later in Mathematica. I have about 10 functions
implemented so far. with 1,000 more to go :), I use textbooks to learn
the algorithms from, and implement them that way.
I am trying to keep each function the same name and API as the matlab
ones. This will make it easier to use if I share my code later with
students or others, as Matlab's DSP function are well known.
For example, I use the name butter() to design a butterworth filter
since this is the name used in Matlab, and use the same input and
output. I hope that software function names are not copyrighted? I do
not think so.
My question is: When I document the API for my Mathematica function, and
I do ?butter in Mathematica, I want it to display similar text as the
Matlab help.
So, can I copy some of the text shown when doing help for the Matlab
function?
Since I try to keep my function, as much as possible, to accept the same
arguments and return the same output as Matlab's would (in a List for
Mathematica, instead of in a vector in Matlab, etc...), it seems silly
for me to keep trying to reword things, since they are already written
well in Matlab help. So why not use the same text?
Will this be ok? Or do I have to use my own words by rewriting the
description of the input and output?
Again, all the Mathematica code I am writing myself, but I am taking
about parts of the documentation text.
thanks
--Nasser