Seriously, my blood boils. For a game that wants to be modular, can we just please cut that crap out of the description of the class? If I want a ranger who prefers to use bolas, or spears, or a single sword (like ARAGORN!), why should the rules push me to pick some other fighting style?
Modularity talk was likely just marketing BS. I'm beginning to think it won't really materialize in any meaningful fashion.
Instead will get non-modular assumptions baked right into the basic game, class descriptions, etc.,.
I think the article by Mearls where he says the best D&D play comes from times the DM must set the rules aside and use rulings instead is a pretty clear indication that they're not really interested in making rules modules to support a certain type of play. After all, why bother when the rules are to be set aside when it comes time to produce the best play?
The modularity will likely come in half baked add on rules and tweaks that are no different than a list of approved house rules to tack onto a game that already produces a certain style of play.
I don't think we'll ever see the designers go "We want to support X type of play, now lets design a rules module to do that!" Instead, I think they're going to comb through the playtest feed back and catalogue the house rules that they hear about the most and just rework them as pass them off as modularity.
I think if modularity ever was a true design goal, it'd be something they lead with a little more strongly than a tiny note indicating you can drop backgrounds & themes if you want an older school feel.
People will always say "You don't get it! This is about testing the basic system first!" As if you can have a basic system around modularity without making modularity a key component that needs to be tested as part of the core of the game.
So expect rigid Ranger fighting styles. And all sorts of assumptions that you think should be optional or in modules. Perhaps later they'll release a single weapon ranger build like they did with brawling fighters in 4E. Or in the mean time, you can choose a non-ranger theme and somehow expect your idea for your ranger to be found there.