Rondo: A Minimal Single Page Application for Digital Exhibits

Minimal computing is a promising conceptual framework for digital humanities infrastructure, but the static site architecture most commonly associated with minimal computing can present a steep learning curve, particularly in a workshop or classroom context. This article introduces Rondo, a new minimal framework for digital exhibits which requires no software installation or command line interaction. Rondo differentiates itself from static site tools by adopting a single page application architecture with data stored in a Google Sheet, but it includes tools to disconnect from Google Sheets and create a static site with no external dependencies. Rondo’s reliance on Google Sheets reflects an approach to computing which draws inspiration from Agnès Varda’s film The Gleaners and I. Gleaning, the practice of collecting food or other resources left behind by commercial enterprises like farming, is proposed as a productive framework for exploring the relationship between digital humanities and the technology industry. Rondo’s integration with the Digital Public Library of America presents another way to explore the possibilities of small acts of curation, criticism, and juxtaposition using resources gleaned from larger institutions and corporations.