Dear Readers:

Here is the first issue of 2003, a bit late, but both the February issue and March issues are already well advanced. I am sure you will enjoy the mix of papes we have in this issue, contrasting with the fact that February and March will be dedicated to a specific topic each: the February issue presents a selection of papers from the 5th international workshop on Tools for System Design and Verification whereas the March issue presents the best papers from the international workshop on Compliler Optimization Meets Compiler Verification.

Naturally, we still need good papers for later issues, and also would like to encourage you to consider editing a special issue on a topic of your choice.

For now, enjoy reading and let us make sure that this 9th year of J.UCS will be a very special one! If we count our first issue in 1994, do you realize that we are already in year ten? This must be a record for an electronic journal!

Cordially,
Hermann Maurer