Re: The cost of everything and the value of nothing.
... gold, silver and bronze support from intersted companies ...
The companies that help to create the standards are generally the companies that stand to profit from products that rely on those standards. Having an inside track gives them an opportunity to shape the standards, and so is certainly an advantage. Asking those companies to support the standards body/ies and the standards process seems only fair.
For everyone else, there should be no more than a nominal charge for a download or a charge to cover the cost of printing for a hard copy.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
