Editing Encyclopedia:Historical archive/Policy/Approval mechanism (section)

=== ChrisG proposal ===
main article: [[User:ChrisG/Approval_mechanism]]

This is a suggested approval mechanism to meet the need to make Wikipeda a more reliable source and to support [[User:Jimbo_Wales/Pushing_To_1.0|Wikipedia 1.0]]. It is a twist on the namespace workflow mechanism suggested by Magnus Manske [[Wikipedia:Approval_mechanism#Magnus_Manske.27s_proposal|here]]. It is a process firmly based on wiki principles. It is flexible because decisions about quality are based on human judgment that each article meets the minimum standards for approval for Wikipedia 1.0. If it is agreed that standards should be raised then humans can amend their judgment appropriately during approval debates for more modern versions.

'''Aims'''

The design aims to:
* Have no effect on the wiki process for creating and developing articles.
* No fork within Wikipedia
* Identify specific versions of articles as being stable and hence give the reader the comfort that the flagged version has been reviewed as meeting certain minimum standards.
* Identify specific versions of articles as suitable for Wikipedia 1.0. 
* The process needs to be scaleable. It needs to be able to approve a large percentage of Wikipedia within 3-6 months. 
* Mark versions of each article appropriately depending on the outcome of any approval process for that version. This gives a guide to quality of particular versions in the history. 
* Be simple to understand.
* Be easy to manage.
* Be democratic.
* Avoid requiring any exclusive, 'expert' clubs.
* Be relatively simple to code.
* Difficult to game.
* Evolutionary approach rather than fundamental change in Wikipedia process.
* Be acceptable to the majority of Wikipedians.

'''Overview of the process'''

The process makes use of namespaces to create a workflow process. A copy of the recommended version of an article is moved through the system, with an attached discussion page and votes. The process is best illustrated visually:

[[Image:SuggestedWikipedia1.0process.png]]