One horrible example of this is Google's obsession with JavaScript scrollbars. Their rationale for doing this was because apparently native scrollbars become unusable for very long "infinite scrolling" pages. Well duh, infinite scrolling pages are a fucking moronic idea too.
"you can be guaranteed that it will work on any random computer you come across without needing to install anything"
Hah. I call bullshit on that.
Also, most apps worth a damn are long-lived and become quite stable after a while. Most web apps are trend-driven garbage that gets turned over every 12 months.
Actually, people positively DO NOT want to "consume web apps". They just want something that works and is convenient. Thanks to every other platform being highly anti-competitive, the web platform has edged them out. It's a shame though, because web apps are generally mediocre garbage running on a deeply flawed, slow, largely insecure platform worked on by barely-competent hipsters.
Basically, if your news/informational/blog site doesn't work without JavaScript: kill yourself now before you reproduce.
Also, there are fleetingly few applications whose best implementation is a "web app". Why go over the network for an effing todo list (and give the NSA this weeks shopping list in the process)?
Web sites should NEVER require any JavaScript to display correctly. End of story.
There is no such thing as a "transpiler". This is moronic hipster word. Translating a "source" language to another source language is still COMPILATION. Get over it. No new hipster word required.