Project Xanadu, Hypertext and Digital Editions: Exploration of what digital editions are and could be

Jan Odstrčilík

The number of digital editions of medieval texts is always growing. It is becoming something almost obligatory to include in our projects. Yet, many digital editions still look almost like printed ones. Of course, they add many bells and whistles, like displaying various versions of the text side by side and with images from the manuscripts as well. However, in many other aspects, we are still often in the realm of imitating printed books, e.g. with the critical apparatus.

In this exploratory paper, I will look at some innovative approaches to digital editions. How are they trying to make textual variants more visible and meaningful? What are they doing to make texts interconnected? What new dimensions do they add that are missing in the printed books?

However, while focusing on interactivity and hypertext aspect of digital editions, we should not forget the need to make them suitable for linear focused reading. How can this be achieved and what is often overlooked in current approaches?

This paper will not offer any definitive answers but will hopefully incite discussion on this topic.