Are web sites today so complicated because they have to be or because they can be?

I am sure if you are a web site designer, you believe the former, but as an end user and part time designer, I am really beginning to wonder.

For example, why do I need Flash, Silverlight, or Shockwave, to find where your restaurant is located? Why do I need to have JavaScript enabled to log into your web site? Why do I have to download megabytes of wrapper to read a couple of kilobytes of information?

While I understand the argument that a web site is supposed to represent your business or association as an online presence, I wonder who is doing the design and if they have any concept of the needs of the users on the other end.

The original idea of http/html was to make it easier to share information between academics, especially reports and other scholarly learning. And information sharing should still be at the heart of any web site. But if I have to jump through hoops to get access to your information, chances are I am going to be looking for my information some where else.