A Minimalist Contribution to Medieval Manuscript Studies

Abstract

This poster describes an effort to adapt certain principles of "minimal computing" in an attempt to rescue a work of medieval manuscript scholarship from the verge of digital obsolescence. In particular, it describes how the concept of composability -- specifically, the idea that computer programs should "do one thing, and do it well" -- can serve to guide the process of paring down and repackaging a scholarly project into its most re-usable and sustainable form.