Apple ousts exec over linnen

This article from the Wall Street Journal describes how one of the large contributing factors in the firing of Scott Forstall (Apple's lead in mobile software dev) was a large disagreement in design philosophies. Forstall was a large proponent of the 'real-world' references found throughout Apple's software - most notably, the linnen drop-down in iOS and the bookshelves in iBooks. For most this probably seems like a silly reason, but for a company that is so focused on design, it was a striking point for Apple.

Although we're sure this wasn't the only reason for Mr. Forstall's departure, it certainly brings up a larger battle in the design world between the use of realistic, nostalgic textures/references and completely re-imagining things for a digital world.