To me, design is the next frontier in technology, and Steve and Apple led the way. We are human beings afterall, and our appreciation of the artful and well-designed is intrinsic. Why can't great engineering have both and satisfy our needs and our eye, and ultimately our soul? The Golden Gate Bridge is an excellent example of what Steve was talking about - it's not a veneer, it's beauty goes to the bone. Same goes for the user end of a website.
for that matter. The experience should be functional and beautiful.