xml-dev - ISO standardization & availability

["Paul W. Abrahams" <abrahams@valinet.com>]

One issue I haven't seen mentioned in the idea of proposing
XML for ISO standardization in one form or another is that
of availability.   W3C specifications are freely available
over the Web.  Not so for ISO standards; as someone else
pointed out a while ago, the documents are sold at prices
that few individuals and even small businesses can afford.
And they can't be reproduced because of copyright
restrictions.

I'd hate to see XML go that route.  If XML is to become an
ISO standard, it has to remain freely available.

Paul Abrahams