[joe_the_user]

Just cobbling together articles I've read... Once the board failed to fire Altman, this transition was a done-deal, it was just a matter of when. Before the board fired Altman, he had been engaging in a more covert effort to take control - putting together personal attacks on various board members intended to drive them out and hiring people with a similar attitude to and loyalty to himself. When the board fired him, they didn't give any clear reasons and that's most mysterious part of the situation. Apparently they were all concerned about his campaign to take control of the board but they each had slightly different reasons for agreeing. I'd further speculate that the board thought in lawyer-advice terms - say as little as possible to avoid a retaliatory lawsuit.

But the board's lack of communication apparently allowed Altman to demonstrate he was more important to the organization than the formal/legal structure, 90% signed intents to quit and the board backed down. It seemed that Altman simply represented the attitude of the many Silicon Valley tech-people - once you have a chance of money, don't hold back, do everything you can to make it.