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I think that, where information is concerned, standards are critical.
Just look at the discussions and concerns about old formats no longer being readable on current devices (whether it's drm servers going down or simple abandonment but current/future devices).
Look at the problem odd-ball standards can cause (cost, safety, functionality), such as Imperial measures...I believe it's down to the US and one small country in Africa that use Imperial...and even scientists in the US don't use it anymore. It was a standard developed with less, well, forethought, than metric. It's still around, but it's not doing anyone any good. Metric, thought out more by experts, is far superior in all measures (pun intended), including usability. I'm glad for those experts.
Accessibility, consistency across browsers/editors/etc, a hope of real web-based typography and design, a guarantee that anyone, anywhere, anywhen who knows the rules of the standard can access the information.... that stuff I'd happily leave to the experts to decide. Alas, the 'non-experts' or the selfish (businesses that develop un-needed proprietary standards that don't achieve the above goals) don't always listen.
OK...I doubt I'm making any sense. But I support standards in information sharing, measurement, etc.
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