The IEEE Transactions on Information Theory is a journal that publishes theoretical and experimental papers concerned with the transmission, processing, and utilization of information. The boundaries of acceptable subject matter are intentionally not sharply delimited. Rather, it is hoped that as the focus of research activity changes, a flexible policy will permit this Transactions to follow suit. Current appropriate topics are best reflected by recent Tables of Contents; they are summarized in the titles of editorial areas that appear on the inside front cover.