Should reddit start a list of definitive online/paper/ebook editions?
As a lover of literature and an educator, I often am on the hunt for a particular text, but find that Google/scholar has many editions of the same text in online, print and ebook forms. However, there are many good editions and many bad ones. The difference is difficult to discern unless you know the text well.
For example: Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is widely available online. Gutenberg project makes you download; not always useful. The MIT online should be reliable, but it is riddled with typos. I discovered this the hard way while teaching it. Another exemplum gratis: I prefer the "In Search of Lost Time" translation of Proust to "Remembrance of Things Past." We could give opinions on both and perhaps it would be useful to future users.
I was thinking that we could name an author of the day and contributors could help with wade through the multiple media and editions and give their best recommendations.
I was also thinking we could start a subreddit, like r/library.
The questions: Is this a stupid idea? The wrong forum? Not Reddit's job? Is it replicating Google Scholar, etc.? Is there anyone here or perhaps in another subreddit that would be interested in such a project?
Edit: While I understand and appreciate the differences in the example of Shakespeare between the Quarto and the Folio editions (and the subsequent reprintings and modifications), and the arguments for using either. I was thinking more like should I use the Norton Complete or the Riverside Complete. It is difficult for the average reader or student, and sometimes educator, to immediately recognize the merits of each. The same applies to the online and ebook editions. Which would I recommend and why?
Towercity recommends we let the patron choose by including the merits of any editions that may exist. I think that is an interesting, if more intensive, labor. This seems like an informed "amazon review" option or a booksellers recommendation shelf. Educated and helpful.
Edit 2: Translation seems to be a beast of its own in your excellent opinions. Perhaps we can test the waters on single-language texts.
Edit 3: Correction in punctuation. Slight addition.
Posted Dec 2, 2012, 7:18 PM UTC · edited