Ask HN: Why are ISO standards so expensive?

#1

Post by spiffistan » Thu, Jun 13, 2019, 1:55 PM UTC

Or, why are they not free?

Many times during my professional career I've wanted to read the underlying standard for a product or a system, and I can't ever be bothered to cough up the ~100 CHF they seem to demand. As a result I've never actually read a standard.

Re: Ask HN: Why are ISO standards so expensive?

#2

Post by Kenji » Thu, Jun 13, 2019, 2:29 PM UTC

Same thing happened to me. "Hmm, let me check the actual standard for it, out of curiosity. Oh wait, I have to pay 100CHF, I guess not."

I have no idea why that is but I wish there was a scihub for ISO standards. Because a world in which ISO standards (or any international standards, really) are free for anyone to read is an objectively better world.

Re: Ask HN: Why are ISO standards so expensive?

#3

Post by octocode » Thu, Jun 13, 2019, 2:29 PM UTC

The fee is to pay for the ISO's operating costs of maintaining and distributing the standards. They do have a section of publicly available standards, if you're interested: https://standards.iso.org/ittf/PubliclyAvailableStandards/

Re: Ask HN: Why are ISO standards so expensive?

#4

Post by jjoonathan » Thu, Jun 13, 2019, 2:37 PM UTC

Many other standards organizations have figured out funding models that don't shut out hobbyists, the interested public, academics, and professionals with tangential (rather than direct, funded) interest. ISO has not. They are behind the times in this regard.

Re: Ask HN: Why are ISO standards so expensive?

#5

Post by Scene_Cast2 » Thu, Jun 13, 2019, 2:42 PM UTC

On one hand, I ran into this myself a couple of times (needed to spec some tolerances for shafts and holes; wanted to find laboratory glassware specs). Didn't end up getting them since it was a one-off query each time.

On the other, you have to admit that they do a much better job of making money for the value they provide, compared to e.g. compiler developers. (Just from a cold capitalistic viewpoint. I don't philosophically agree with not having a free way to get started with programming.)

Re: Ask HN: Why are ISO standards so expensive?

#6

Post by chopete » Thu, Jun 13, 2019, 2:44 PM UTC

Can think of 2 reasons why it is not free.

a. These are meant for a business to show off its compliance. A business means it is already making money. I am sure every company would be happy to pay that 100CHF to buy it for you , just like they can afford to buy a book, if they are thinking about ISO.

b. The ISO compliance is to be asserted by a 3rd party auditor. They are a member of the ISO community and/or have a copy of the standard with them.

Re: Ask HN: Why are ISO standards so expensive?

#7

Post by lathiat » Thu, Jun 13, 2019, 2:51 PM UTC

Sometimes you can access standards from a library. Not sure how common that is for ISO but maybe look it up.

Re: Ask HN: Why are ISO standards so expensive?

#8

Post by danmg » Thu, Jun 13, 2019, 3:00 PM UTC

there are torrents that have all the standards...

Re: Ask HN: Why are ISO standards so expensive?

#9

Post by andrewaylett » Thu, Jun 13, 2019, 3:02 PM UTC

I've been part of a team developing C++ compilers and run-time libraries. We used the final draft, which (at least for C++) is freely available. I suspect anyone relying on the final text (were it to differ from the last public draft) would be disappointed to discover that pretty much no-one uses it.

It doesn't seem to me to be a terrible trade-off to say that ad-hoc use via public drafts is fine, but if you need to use the actual spec for whatever reason then you're probably being paid to abide by the spec and it makes sense to charge for it.

Where I strenuously object to non-public specifications is where they're referenced in (and required by) legislation: if ignorance of the law is no excuse, the law had better be freely available.

Re: Ask HN: Why are ISO standards so expensive?

#10

Post by brandmeyer » Thu, Jun 13, 2019, 3:03 PM UTC

IEC standards are also expensive. However, there's a hack available. Denmark has incorporated many of the international IEC standards as national standards "by-value". They are also available at a much lower price than the IEC standards.

So if you buy the ~100 USD DS-60950-1, you'll find a Danish cover page followed by the otherwise 900 CHF IEC/EN-60950-1 (the International/Eurozone IT equipment electrical safety standard), which also happens to be harmonized with the ~2500 USD UL-60950-1 (The American IT equipment electrical safety standard).