I don't see really how skeuomorphism is a bad thing. If you make things too alien in any sort of UI, it can throw off many users, sometimes even advanced ones.

I don't see really how skeuomorphism is a bad thing. If you make things too alien in any sort of UI, it can throw off many users, sometimes even advanced ones. The thing that I don't believe many people realize is that skeuomorphism has been used with regards to UI design since the earliest days of computing. We call electronic messages "e-mail". We call our contact list an "address book". We call the waste file folder a "trash bin". Skeuomorphism is everywhere, and I don't think there needs to be such a vocal and violent uprising over it. Was it overdone in iOS? Yes, it was. Does skeuomorphism need to be completely taken out? Of course not, because then it would be unfamiliar to new users and current users alike. Just look what has happened with Windows 8. Lose the leather in FMF, get rid of the tacky chrome in the Music app, but leave everything more or less the same. Skeuomorphism is not a bad thing when used in moderation.