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Identification of stable versions of articles is a process by which particular versions of Wikipedia articles are identified as accurate and reliable. Stable versions are worthy to be relied upon. Stable versions complement but do not replace the current system of developmental wikis. The single most important distinguishing factor is that the identified version has been checked by editors to meet a standard of quality. Stable articles are not final, but rather indicate a consensus that a particular version of an article meets a standard as judged by those marking it as stable.
Making stable versions is part of the maturation of an article through its lifecycle, preceded by others such as creation, stub, expansion, through to attention, verification, peer review, good article, and finally featured article status.
A stable article...
Note however that the good article criterion regarding pre-emptive "stability" is moot, while the stable versions system picks a version that will be stable throughout the nomination procedure. If, however, the article is unstable due to strong opposing views for which a NPOV formulation has not yet been found, it is unlikely the article will get through the stable versions procedure.
{{
Nomstable|Mathematics|34094583}}
— text to nominate a stable version{{
Reqstable}}
— placed adjacent to a request to declare a stable version nomination; typically on the talk page of the stable version article that is categorised into
Category:Wikipedia stable version requests.{{
Certstabletrue|Username}}
— to support the certification a nominated stable version.{{
Certstablefalse|Username}}
— to object the certification of a nominated stable version.{{
Stable}}
– placed on the wiki version of the article to advertise its stable version.{{
WPCD}}
– placed on Talk page of articles considered necessary for a stable version.Print versions is a process by which particular versions of articles that are identified as good enough for print. They are nearly identical to stable versions but for a different purpose. The reasoning is if it is good enough for print by investing in its costs, then it should be good enough to be reliable and accurate. The English Wikipedia is the largest wiki in the world with cohesive content that is a great candidate for print. Examples of associated projects that mutually benefit from this are Wikipedia:WikiReader, Wikipedia:Vital articles and WikiProjects such as Wikipedia:WikiProject Mathematics.
Print versions are liable to manifest print editions of Wikipedia that are of different set of general topics such as an edition for Wikipedia:Vital articles or an edition for high school mathematics. The goal is to sell these print editions in stores, including both brick-and-mortar storefronts (eventually) as well as online retailers, such as Amazon.com. We as a community of Wikipedians have a profit motive for this program to direct the revenue towards the maintenance of Wikipedia.