Bug#734373: OpenCV: please build SIFT and SURF modules

[Nobuhiro Iwamatsu]

Hi,

Thanks for your report.

> Source: opencv
> Version: 2.4.6.1+dfsg-2
> Severity: Normal
>
> Hello,
>
> unfortunately, the Debian OpenCV packages don't provide the SIFT and
> SURF modules.
>
> It seems like these modules were outsourced into a nonfree module, and
> need to be enabled explicitely at build time with cmake flag
> "-DBUILD_opencv_nonfree=ON".
>
> I didn't check the license of these modules, but as long as it's
> possible to distribute them in non-free, I suggest to build them (or at
> least make it easy to enable them at build time by simple flag in
> debian/rules).

I understand that the processing speed of OpenCV can be improved by
using a nonfree module. And, I also understand that many users want to
use this module.

I think you also know that, because it contains the problem of patent,
I have been removed from the source code in Debian this module.
I do not know whether there is a need to remove the source code, but
think of safety, I am that you do not distribute the source code in
Debian.

  http://www.cs.ubc.ca/~lowe/keypoints/

You can see from the following information about the patent which is for Debian.
  http://www.debian.org/legal/patent
  http://www.debian.org/reports/patent-faq.en.html

>
> Here's some further information:
>
> http://stackoverflow.com/questions/18561910/opencv-python-cant-use-surf-sift
>
> The issue has already been reported to Ubuntu as well:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/opencv/+bug/1101049

Ubuntu because it is a commercial company, I think the issue is more difficult.

>
> Kind regards,
> jonas

IANAL, if you have more infomation, could you teach me about this problem?

Best regards,
  Nobuhiro

-- 
Nobuhiro Iwamatsu
   iwamatsu at {nigauri.org / debian.org}
   GPG ID: 40AD1FA6