Though I have all faith that Bethesda will find a way to cater perks to our needs, I was somewhat saddened to hear that attributes and classes were done away with. I realize though, that the attribute and class system did limit you and one of Todd's more logical arguments against this was to allow the player to be exactly as they want to play and reduce restarts due to dissatisfaction with a certain class. I did have to create custom classes sometimes in Oblivion as apposed to using classes like Crusader, which included too many combat styles I wouldn't make proper use of as major skills. However, I do feel like they helped in an RP sense and allowed you to more easily develop a set character concept if that was your goal. Even just the naming of a character class, a simple bit of text, made me feel more connected to my archetype. Instead, Skyrim will use a system of perks tied to each skill and chosen at each level that will allow you to develop in all different sorts of ways. I agree with the sentiment of being what you play as, but I would appreciate the ability to RP a certain classes with certain characters.

I think that perk trees connected to the traditional TES classes could solve this conflict seamlessly. These perk trees would require a prospective character to have expertise in more than one skill to qualify for and pick these perks. For example, Illusion and Speechcraft could be required to select certain Bard perks, Destruction and One-Handed could be used for some Spellsword perks, H2H (assuming its still in) and Acrobatics would be needed for Monk perks, Sneak and Alchemy for Assassin perks, etc. These are just examples and not all of them would require the same two skills, like a Assassin perk could be One-Handed Dagger and Sneak for a more stealthy assassination strike and Spellsword perks requiring Alteration and Block to allow a better, magic enhanced One-Handed block, all depending on what the function of the perk is. If a perk is usable in any combat style and not specified to a single style, like a combat perk that could work with One-Handed or Two-Handed, its requirement could simply be like Block + One-Handed/Two-Handed, so you could choose which style to use.

I think taking some inspiration from the TES classes for some perks would allow RPers to be a class of their choosing while allowing jacks-of-all-trades to dip into each class perk tree and take what they wish depending on their skill qualifications. I don't mean to presume Bethesda hasn't already solved this their own way, likely far superior to my musings, just wanted to do some brainstorming as to how this sort of thing could be implemented. If you have any comments, ideas on how this could be handled, some examples of Class specific perks, or whatever else, feel free to share.

I don't really see this happening.

I do see this happening. I don't know for sure if there will be perks that require two skills (As I understand it, all perks are on a skill tree.), but I can't see them making all these perks and not including perks that represent classes. Maybe a perk called battle-mage that boost your spell damage when you are in metal armor.