Medieval source-based textual scholarship is arguably blessed
by the internet. Scholars can exchange paleographic, codicological and
other philological information on listservs like MEDTEXTL. They can work in
teams, examining text and digitized color photographs shared as e-mail
attachments, or as file transfers, in JPEG, GIF and other image formats
on web pages, debating the significance of a serrif, a minim, or
evidence of a trimmed manuscript page. They can exchange MIDI, MP3 and
other audio files for editions interpreting manuscripts of musical
scores. The distance separating team members is little relevant and
they are as mobile as their digital communication devices.
In addition, textual scholars can produce critical editions on the web
which would not be given due consideration by traditional paper
publishers, not because of quality or of methodological soundness, but
simply because of the money involved in producing critical editions
that are fully appropriate for a variety of readers, and which take
advantage of the enormous amount of relevant information available in
our time. These editions will certainly enhance the reader's ability to
judge the validity of an editor's choice of manuscripts or readings.