The all-electronic format of the LMS JCM gives the journal five important advantages:

• SPEED
  Each paper is published on the web in the form of a screen-readable and downloadable PDF file, as soon as it has been accepted and processed. There is no delay for making up issues, for typesetting or for distribution. Editorial and refereeing standards are the same as with the other LMS periodicals.

• FLEXIBILITY
  The LMS JCM encourages authors to submit papers containing material that is difficult to publish in paper form because of its format. For example, one of our published papers contains a large number of tables, and another has attached and downloadable computer programs. We welcome papers that contain graphics or databases. In fact, we welcome papers in any area of mathematics that makes use of computing.

• SEARCHABILITY
  The LMS JCM has a powerful search engine that matches words in papers, and (for users with Acrobat plug-ins) takes the viewer to the page on which the word occurs.

• LINKS
  The main text of each paper is published as a PDF file – with hypertext links within the paper, between the paper and its references, and to other sites on the internet.

• UPDATING
  The main text of each paper is guaranteed to remain unaltered. However, each paper carries a file listing any attachments (which can be updated at any time, with a note in the file to record the updating), and any corrections or comments to the main paper, subject to the editors' approval. This file could become a forum for discussion if the users so wish.

The LMS JCM has three other features that distinguish it from the other LMS periodicals:

• THEORETICAL COMPUTER SCIENCE
  Among other reasons, the LMS launched the LMS JCM in order to increase its support for mathematical computer science. The links between mathematics and computer science are growing steadily in depth and variety, and the LMS JCM welcomes mathematical submissions concerning any aspect of computer science (See below for a fuller list of subject areas covered by the LMS JCM.)

• COPYRIGHT
  Unlike the other LMS periodicals, the LMS JCM does not claim copyright of papers that it publishes. Instead, it asks authors for a non-exclusive licence, which gives it sole right to control the distribution of the electronic file. Authors are free to republish a paper after it has been published by the LMS JCM, provided that they make due acknowledgement.

• SUBMISSION
  All submission is electronic, and so is nearly all communication between authors and editors.
  Papers are submitted for refereeing in Postscript or PDF format, on the understanding that the authors of accepted papers are responsible for supplying the LaTeX source file(s) for "camera ready copy", for processing by our software.
  All submitted papers should be formatted using the JCM class file, which requires LaTeX2e.
  ("Add-ons" are published in whatever format is most appropriate: HTML, text, etc.)
  Before submitting, please read the notes for authors.

Papers in any or all of the following categories are invited:

• mathematical aspects of computation;
• papers in mathematics that benefit from being electronic on grounds of their format;
• computational aspects of mathematics.

In more detail, the LMS JCM invites:

• papers that incorporate:
  large amounts of data (including mathematical tables) or experimental results;
  source code for programs;
  hypertext;
  material inviting comment or update (though not unless likely to be of long-term interest);
• papers that discuss the design and analysis of algorithms
  (sequential, parallel or distributed; deterministic or randomized)
  for problems in any area of mathematics;
• papers on:
  numerical mathematics;
  computational complexity;
  cryptology;
  symbolic and algebraic computation;
  optimisation;
  approximation theory;
• papers that discuss the mathematical aspects of:
  models of computation;
  automata theory;
  category theory;
  proof theory;
  type theory;
• papers on:
  the semantics of programming languages;
  process algebra and concurrent systems;
  specification and verification;
  databases;
  rewriting;
  neural nets and genetic algorithms;
  computational learning theory;
  theorem proving.
  

System descriptions are also considered for the journal. They are expected to provide a clear overview of the capabilities of a system that must itself be innovative or important, and may include descriptions of the algorithms and implementation methods used, if these are noteworthy. Worked examples are encouraged, as are "hands-on" tutorials that make use of the journal's electronic format. "Live" links can be provided to manuals or other material on authors' own websites. Although no specific length restrictions are imposed, detailed listings of commands and features should be omitted from the main paper.

The journal also welcomes survey papers. Such an article should summarise the research in an area within the scope of the journal; the motivation for having such a survey should be clear and one would normally expect there to be a particular focus on recent work. The organisation of the material should enhance the understanding of the subject and clarify potential directions for future research.

Professor Derek Holt	Mathematics Institute University of Warwick
Professor Rick Thomas	Department of Computer Science University of Leicester

There is an editorial board of experts covering a wide range of mathematics and computing.

Submissions are received and handled through the review process and up to publication by LMS staff at De Morgan House, London.

The LMS JCM has been extraordinarily lucky in finding support on the technical and editorial side. The founding Editor-in-Chief was Professor James H. Davenport, of the University of Bath. David Carlisle, a leading authority on TeX, wrote our style file. Adam Worrall and Julian Gilbey have created a superb suite of programs for us. We have had valuable help from the Knowledge Media Institute at the Open University and from Computing Services at the University of Warwick, and we have often relied on the wisdom of Mark Dawson on all matters electronic.