Editorial: What is the purpose of publishing?

This issue has two papers that offer useful ways to test software more effectively. The first, Verification support for ARINC-653 based avionics software, by de la Cámara, Castro, del Mar Gallardo, and Merino, shows how to automatically extract PROMELA models from C programs and shows results from model checking real-time avionics software. The second, Improved code defect detection with fault links, by Hayes, Chemannoor, and Holbrook, presents results from an experimental study of fault links, or relationships between types of code faults, and the types of components where the faults are located. I recently had an interesting conversation with a younger colleague. The conversation started with deciding where to submit a paper, but quickly became more general. I eventually asked her: ‘Why do you want to publish this paper?’ We came up with some interesting possible answers.