The Journal of Systems and Software publishes papers covering all aspects of programming methodology, software engineering, and related hardware-software-systems issues. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, software development environments and tools, techniques for developing, validating, and maintaining software systems, software architecture and design, global software development, service orientation, agile approaches, mobile, multiprocessing, real-time, distributed, concurrent, and telecommunications systems, software metrics, reliability models for software, performance issues, and management concerns. The journal publishes research papers, state-of-the-art surveys, and reports of practical experience. All articles should consider the practical application of the idea advanced through case studies, experiments, or systematic comparisons with other approaches already in practice. Occasionally, special issues are devoted to topics of particular interest; proposals for such issues are invited.