Editing Encyclopedia:Reference desk/Miscellaneous (section)

== Explain on Print Encyclopedias ==

Why are there only few print encyclopedias being published today? And why isn’t Wikipedia making official and real print copies anytime soon? What is the purpose if they are going all digital? [[Special:Contributions/107.115.29.138|107.115.29.138]] ([[User talk:107.115.29.138|talk]]) 19:10, 19 May 2025 (UTC)
:Print media is right up-to-date the moment the contributors stop contributing and the editors stop editing. The manuscript then goes to the printers, and after printing in each language desired, the bulky, resource-intensive printed media is physically shipped hundreds and thousands of miles to warehouses. There, the bulk packages of books are broken down into smaller batches for distribution to wholesalers. After the books arrive at the wholesalers' warehouses, they they are distributed (usually by truck) to retailers. Once the books are on the retail shelves, customers -- some of whom may have pre-ordered, but most of whom will only see the edition after it is on the shelves -- purchase the book. It is then taken home (or to a library; adding additional delay) for use. This process takes months, during which time there is no updating. If one is lucky, the edition being consulted is only a year or so out-of-date. As for Wikipedia, the charm and beauty of it is that the last time the contributors stopped contributing and the editors stopped editing -- about five seconds ago -- is possibly the point at which it begins to go out-of-date. That process, however, stops when the next contributor / editor makes a change. [[User:DOR (HK)|DOR (ex-HK)]] ([[User talk:DOR (HK)|talk]]) 22:23, 19 May 2025 (UTC)
::More information about this print encyclopedia? [[Special:Contributions/2600:387:F:4B16:0:0:0:9|2600:387:F:4B16:0:0:0:9]] ([[User talk:2600:387:F:4B16:0:0:0:9|talk]]) 05:31, 20 May 2025 (UTC)
:Reading [[Print Wikipedia|this]] thoroughly may help explain why Wikipedia isn't printed.  More [[Wikipedia:Size of Wikipedia|info on size]] here.  And [[Wikipedia:Version 1.0 Editorial Team|some ancient history]] relating to producing a version that could be printed.  Btw, there was once a facility for producing [[Wikipedia:Books|books of Wikipedia articles]] that could be printed.  That can still be done manually, with printing through specialized third parties, I believe -- but I've never had any interest in trying it.  -- [[User:Avocado|Avocado]] ([[User talk:Avocado|talk]]) 12:44, 20 May 2025 (UTC)