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Standards cost money because the process to create them costs money. Sometimes governments, big companies or organisations like the EU fund standard development
by estaseuropano 6y ago
Standards cost money because the process to create them costs money. Sometimes governments, big companies or organisations like the EU fund standard development, these then end up freely accessible.
That said, it really shouldn't be this way.
- erik_seaberg 6y agoOne copy of a book has value by itself. But a standard needs everyone to follow it, so a business model that shrinks the audience is self-defeating.
- ixfo 6y agoIt really should be that way - i.e. we agree that standards are a net good (and I don't think anyone would argue otherwise) for industry and society, so make them free at the point of use and fund their development through government. This removes any commercial incentives that may result in regulatory capture - a big issue in some areas - and should (if implemented properly) drive investment in strategically sensible areas. The profit that most national/international standards bodies just about covers costs, but none of these bodies are particularly expensive to operate in the grand scheme of things. Some already get partial funding from govts. Full funding is clearly the sensible model.
- Anechoic 6y agoStandards cost money because the process to create them costs money. But the money you pay to the standards doesn't go to the creators, it goes to the organization to make them available. (I've contributed to ANSI standards).
- lonjil 6y agoThe people who make the standards do not get any money from you buying a copy of the standard.