[samzub]

It looks like they did at the time : https://www.engadget.com/2010-12-29-european-standardization...

I think standardization does not harm innovation. With more actors working on the same standard, it can evolve and get better while consumers are able to reuse hardware (here, phone chargers)

[mlindner]

> I think standardization does not harm innovation.

Standardization isn't the problem. Enforced standardization is the problem. Standardization is beneficial when done by the industry because it's a collaborative process where everyone works together to create standards that are mutually beneficial. When the government comes in and enforces an already created industry standard it becomes impossible to change or improve it. This has happened in many industries where things are now done "just because" as the law enforced a now very outdated standard.

And no, the government doesn't create standards, they all come from industry originally.