2025 Essays

Digital Development of the Digital Critical Edition of BnF Ms. Fr. 640

Catapano, Terence; Rosenkranz, Naomi

This essay examines the Making and Knowing Project's creation of a digital critical edition of BnF Ms. Fr. 640. The Project's unique methodology, combining historical research, material reconstruction, and digital scholarship, necessitated an iterative and collaborative approach to digital development. The challenges of working with a complex text like Ms. Fr. 640 are detailed, highlighting the need for flexibility and adaptability in both scholarly and technical workflows. The essay explores the evolution of the Project's digital tools and strategies. Throughout the process, the Project team navigated the tensions between scholarly thoroughness and practical constraints, emphasizing the importance of defining minimum viable products and setting clear priorities.