And copy editors rejoiced!

The Chicago Manual of Style is going online. The entire 15th edition will be up; this marks the styleguide's 100th anniversary.

Subscriptions will be available by the end of the month; they're $30 a year (although if you act now you can get the first year for the low, low price of $25). (An even better deal? Looks like they'll have a free 30-day trial.)

Buying the print version is $55. For $60, you can get a CD-ROM version.

Erin McKean is thrilled, and she bets copy editors will be, too. "I've met more than a few copy editors who have sat down and read it cover to cover, like a novel, with a bowl of popcorn in their lap. ... It would be very rare to find copy editors that don't do a considerable amount of their reference work online."

I don't use the Chicago manual, but I couldn't live without my online AP Stylebook. Chicago's move is going to be a boon for editors.