Here are some Drupal modules you can avoid using views and CCK. At tis time writing the CCK module is on core on Drupal 7. Of course, advanced usage of views is not for everyone but I think a middle level Drupal developer can manage it. Give it a try! If you need help don't forget to ask for help in the http://Drupal.org community.
- http://drupal.org/project/taxonomy_menu
- http://drupal.org/project/advanced_taxonomy_menu
- http://drupal.org/project/taxonomy_reemenu
- http://drupal.org/project/advanced_taxonomy_blocks
- http://drupal.org/project/term_node_count
- http://drupal.org/project/tagadelic
- http://drupal.org/project/taxonomy_cloud
- http://drupal.org/project/relevant_content
- http://drupal.org/project/taxonomy-block
- http://drupal.org/project/taxonews
- http://drupal.org/project/taxonomy_term_children
- http://drupal.org/project/vocabulary
- http://drupal.org/project/category
- http://drupal.org/project/directory
- http://drupal.org/project/views_node_taxonomy_filter
- http://drupal.org/project/relevance
- http://drupal.org/project/taxonomy_breadcrumb
- http://drupal.org/project/taxonomy_list
- http://drupal.org/project/book (core module)
- http://drupal.org/project/blog (core module)
- http://drupal.org/project/similar_by_terms
- http://drupal.org/project/custom_breadcrumbs
- http://drupal.org/project/taxonomy_browser
- http://drupal.org/project/vocabulary_index
- http://drupal.org/project/archive_by_terms