What is a Standard?

From time to time, I see or hear a neat definition of standards that's helpful and memorable. And sometimes a definition comes to me from out of the blue. How does this sound to you?

Standard: The smallest number of communication rules necessary to avoid anarchy.

I like this because it follows the “small government” principle. Also, it stresses the idea that standards are about communication – too often, people seem to think advocates of standards are just interested in conformity for its own sake, when the whole point is really to enable connections and conversations.