I think, if you intend making a flash website, this only makes sense if you use actionscript (the internal programming language) as well.
If you only do it with graphics and animations it either will grow up rapidly or it might look like made for a kiddys place. Especially if you have several text flying around makes the file size explode.

Although I don't like fully flash-sites, you can make them for use with low-band modem too. The preloading of content can be made in the background so the user almost won't notice it. Just put your animation into pieces which you load BEFORE the user will click them.

The argument with the back-button is true ... and not. The original back-button don't work with flash, that's right, But nobody refuses you from making one by yourself. Works wonderful.

By the way: SwishMax is not as easy as most of the "quick and dirty" flash-generators. Yo're right. But it is much easier than the original Flash by Macromedia/Adobe. And 99,5 % compatible with it. And much cheaper anyway.

Have a nice flashy night.