how to install octave with image package in windows XP without Cygwin

Install octave 3.0.5 using the windows installer.

Then go to:

http://www.tatsuromatsuoka.com/octave/Eng/Win/

Download the zip file, follow the read me on where to put the files. Then open octave and type:

> pkg rebuild image
> pkg load image

Then use

> pkg list

To confirm that it is installed. Now you can use imread and all of those other great functions like you do in Matlab!

I had a heck of a time finding this out, tried compiling with Cygwin on windows but found this out using google and it was much easier.