Yes, the solution is obvious. It is also unfortunately theoretical. In practice no matter how often you say we should collectively evolve the specs, the dynamics in grassroots ecosystem is that everyone moves individualistically and by doing so implicitly chooses to be weak. Everything fragmented, no cohesion, little synergy.
The advantage that companies have is that they can pay people to be dilligent and dedicate to the boring chores, stick to a task and complete it.