Both of these responses are very helpful and illuminating. As an undergraduate trained in a university where editing was very much considered subordinate to intepretation it was not until I encountered digital resources that I became aware of many of such issues.
Mark I really do not mean to denigrate archivists. I am now the acting Head of Department (Chair) of the only UK Department of Information Studies (iSchool) to have an archives programme so if I were I would be undermining my own institution. What I was trying to say is that, whether it's right or wrong, this is the perception in the scholarly profession, and that perception drives questions of reward, tenure, promotion etc. Digital resource creation is also similarly undervalued in many such processes. So what I am trying to interrogate is why such assumptions are made, and very much not lining myself up with those who make them.
Having said that I think the discussion of the scholarly process involed in creating an archive is fascinating and extremely valuable to those of us not expert in the area.