Sebastian writes:

> perhaps we could have an example of a "standard" that is not "owned";
> it is completely contradictory!!
>
> ISO is "owned" by its members

Do you mean that "http", the protocol and "HTML", the language,
are "owned"?  I thought that TimBL and CERN gave them to the world
for free.

You did make your point.

So let's changed "owned" to some other word or phrase.

                                   -- Bill