for FOSS the reference implementation is co-created by the consumers of the software. the users will only accept a new release if it fits their functional need

for FOSS the reference implementation is co-created by the consumers of the software. the users will only accept a new release if it fits their functional needs and passes their verifications. the Linux kernel, the toolchain, or libraries like ssl libs are co created by the very organisations that consume the software. FB, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, IBM with red hat, Suse, Oracle, SAP they all concrete the Linux kernel, and for each kernel release they validate, each of them, the technology. that's how the reference implementation _is_ the standard. same goes for rust, which brilliantly leverages build automation of the cargo package repository to protect the compiler and toolchain from regressions: https://brson.github.io/2017/07/10/how-rust-is-tested https://brson.github.io/2017/07/10/how-rust-is-tested the more crates have sound test suites, the better the quality statement of the compiler is.