Originally Posted by
GUWonder
There are many benefits to standardization -- gosh, it helps even the illiterate to perhaps fill out a form they may not be able to read -- but that doesn't mean it came entirely without some hassles for some people too. Some of the involved "standardization" elements are creating a lot more paperwork or other hassles than used to be the case a few decades ago.
Standardization has a long way to go even
within the US even for birth certificates. Long-form only short-form only, notarized/non-notarized, government issued paper/facsimile copy on purple stamp, varies widely from state to state, even from county-to-county and what year you were born.