6 ms·
question: Why does getting a copy of an ISO doc cost money?
by lukeholder 15y ago
question: Why does getting a copy of an ISO doc cost money?
- TazeTSchnitzel 15y agoTo cover the operating costs, pay their employees, etc. If they gave them away free they'd need sponsors I guess. So it's probably to maintain neutrality.
- Yarnage 15y agoI would have expected that cost to be covered by those seeking to establish a standard rather than the people who want to implement it. Does that mean submitters and downloaders pay or just downloaders?
- dchest 15y agoThey are funded by member organizations.
- pmr_ 15y agoThat is not entirely true. ISO itself is funded by the member bodies (the national subgroups so to say), member organizations and selling standards. This gives the concrete figures for 2011 [1] on page 2. [1] http://www.iso.org/iso/about/iso_in_figures.htm http://www.iso.org/iso/about/iso_in_figures.htm
- dchest 15y agoWell, of course, they make money by selling standards, since they sell them. From your link (2011): 55 % through membership fees 45 % through sales of publications and other income from services 2010: 53/47 2009: 55/45 2008: 60/40 .. 2006: 62/38 2005: 65/35 .. 2002: 80 % - financed directly 20 % - member body subscriptions and publications income I think they can operate without paid publications. They could, at least.
- notJim 15y agoAm I reading your link right that they receive 45% of their revenue from selling publications? I don't know many organizations that could stand losing 55% of their revenue.
- LeafStorm 15y agoAnd more importantly, why does it cost a whole 238 francs (~$261)? I mean, a nominal fee for distribution I could understand, but you can buy a whole computer capable of running Ruby for that much.
- astrodust 15y agoIt's about ten Raspberry Pi computers capable of running Ruby. That's a bargain compared to other ISO standards though.
- jlarocco 15y agoWhy wouldn't it?