Some time ago, I submitted a paper to a mathematical journal. I downloaded the Instruction4authors.pdf, a template and the LaTeX class file. Then, I started to look at them. Then, I weeped.
Here’s an excerpt from the template (compiled from three places there):
\textheight=8.2 true in \textwidth=5.0 true in \topmargin 30pt \setcounter{page}{1} % Place all authors' names in [ ] shown as running head; % No more than 40 letters. Leave { } empty % Please use `and' to connect the last two names if applicable \author[first-name1 last-name1 and first-name2 last-name2]{} \begin{document} \maketitle % Enter the first author's name and address: \centerline{\scshape First-name1 last-name1 } \medskip {\footnotesize % please put the address of the first author \centerline{First line of the address of the first author} \centerline{Other lines} \centerline{ Springfield, MO 65801-2604, USA} } % Do not forget to end the {\footnotesize by the sign } \medskip \centerline{\scshape First-name2 last-name2 and First-name3 last-name3} \medskip {\footnotesize % please put the address of the second and third author \centerline{ First line of the address of the second author} \centerline{Other lines} \centerline{Springfield, MO 65810, USA} } \bigskip % The name of the associate editor will be entered by an editorial staff % "Communicated by the associate editor name" is not needed for special issue. \centerline{(Communicated by the associate editor name)}
(Not to mention that true declarations are not needed, since there is no \magsteps nor similar things anywhere.)
Now even funnier is that the cls file contains a \ProvidesClass declaration inconsistent with its own filename, and large, l@w@lev@l
portions copy-pasted from amsart.cls (probably via that declared file, but that I am not sure).
Among other things, the cls file contains quite a few hyphenation exceptions. They include the words: “catastrophic”, “lamentable” and “idiosyncrasy”.
How appropriate.