[tomsem]

Something doesn't add up here: I've self-published an ebook for sale on iTunes, and you definitely get to choose whether it has DRM or not (and the default is 'no DRM'). I assume Doctorow has access to the same self-publishing mechanism that I used.

So it is simply not true that "Apple has a mandatory DRM requirement for books offered for sale for the iPad," as Doctorow asserts in his Publisher Weekly column/blog. There have to be other factors that pertain in this case, but Doctorow doesn't discuss these. Perhaps he felt such discussion would detract from the points he wanted to make, but as it is, I feel he's being less than transparent in his characterization of Apple's requirements.