Am I stupid to keep apps simple?

This is one ever present question in my mind. I talk to people who talk big things. Big technologies and how it can be implemented. Taking easy routes does not make an application simple. I wish I can be a guru but here are a few guidelines if followed can make a system very simple, scalable and highly flexible:

1. Follow the open standards.
2. Shun that design If one layer cannot be separated with another.
3. Use MVC as an umbrella pattern for the application.
4. JSP is the most dangerous (meta) language. It entices you to take short cuts. Handle it with care.
5. If possible XMLify your model layer.
6. Use widely used content structures. How different is an Item description from a blog?
7. Use basic design patterns. Life will become easy.
8. Stay stupid.
9. Look if Apache already has one.
10. Think thrice before using EJBs.