Around here most companies just have subscriptions or get to them through university libraries. It is still annoying, I aggree. It is funnier once you realize that they completly rely on free work as well.

That said, standards are imo one of the greatest t achievements of humanity. And if you’ll ever be involved in that process, you’ll quickly see why this whole thing is expensive.

If you don’t want to pay that much, don’t curse at ISO, put pressure on your government to provide it for free. Imo well invested tax money.

My personal main problem is that companies sometimes infiltrate the process.