"Theory of Computing" (ToC) is an online journal dedicated to the widest dissemination, free of charge, of research papers in theoretical computer science.
The journal does not differ from the best existing periodicals in its commitment to and method of peer review to ensure the highest quality. The scientific content of ToC is guaranteed by a world-class editorial board.
The journal is endorsed by ACM SIGACT, and is indexed by both Scopus and Web of Science. It is also part of the Free Journal Network.
The Department of Computer Science of The University of Chicago provides the main server, technical support, and archiving. The articles will also be posted on CoRR (Computing Research Repository), a virtual guarantee of indefinite archiving and periodic adaptation to new software and storage media. Arrangements for long-term archiving at other major sites are in progress. Mirror-sites are available on four continents.
Following the model of the highly successful Electronic Journal of Combinatorics, ToC is an all-volunteer operation.
The key difference between ToC and existing publications (paper as well as electronic) in the areas covered by ToC is its commitment to free access. We believe that
to the plight of CS libraries,
around the country and around the world.
By donating our volunteer work as authors, editors, reviewers to commercial publishers, we contribute to creating and perpetuating the crisis of the libraries worldwide. The trouble is, the only existing alternatives are a handful of (relatively widely but not universally accessible) society-owned journals and unrefereed postings on the web.
With our volunteer work, we wish to provide the community with an alternative that takes advantage of the speed and universal accessibility of the web, yet preserves the rigor of peer-review, a cornerstone of scholarly publishing.
The Editors