Eric Portelance tweeted this morning a fascinating interview with a former Apple designer who defends Apple’s recent uses of skeuomorphism.

A leather texture, for example, definitely creates a certain environment and state of mind when you’re using it. I don’t think there is right and wrong, or good and bad here.

Exactly. Like anything in design, there is tasteful use of skeuomorphism and then there is going too far. Too much of anything can be bad.

Apple has arguably optimized for the first-time user experience of their apps, but their use of skeuomorphism has a purpose. I think many nerds who are upset about skeuomorphism aren’t taking that purpose into account.