RS-232 was very popular

😜 As boomers might remember, and is made clear by the post and its commentaries, this is sarcastic fiction - "this has never happened". ✅ RS does stand for "recommended standard". For vintage records of the term, see this 2001 Matlab guide https://mserre.sph.unc.edu/BMElib_web/apiextMATLAB6p1.pdf, page 8-4, or the National Bureau of Standards "Standards for Computer Aided Manufacturing" 1976 handbook https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GOVPUB-C13-2ef4aaa5a150eedcb85a1e6985e90bfa/pdf/GOVPUB-C13-2ef4aaa5a150eedcb85a1e6985e90bfa.pdf, p. 44. 💡 The "Standards for Computer Aided Manufacturing" (p. 18) states that the first version of the RS-232 interface was standardised (by the Electronic Industries Association) in May 1960. 💡 The harmonisation of charging ports has been concretely implemented for mobile phones since 2009, voluntarily at first https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/50321?locale=en, and USB-C is now made compulsory (through a EU directive, requiring the adaptation of national laws) for phones and other small electronic devices https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2022/2380/oj.