No, they wouldn't be worth paying for. The value of a standard is that it is universally used. ISO standards are only used by people who can afford to pay for

No, they wouldn't be worth paying for. The value of a standard is that it is universally used. ISO standards are only used by people who can afford to pay for them. The very act of charging for them reduces their value. The requirement of standards adherence for government contracts can raise interesting questions around paid-for standards, too. Also, the point of standards isn't "learning". The point is to agree on common definitions. It enables interop, that's it.