What is up with the laugh track?

Not that I can't watch the show with it, but I never understood why the creators felt the need to put it there. It just seems so redundant, as the show's comedy comes through just fine without it. I've seen episodes of sit-coms where the laugh track was mysteriously missing and it made the show so flat and dry in comparison. That is not the case with "Scooby Doo". I remember, about 15-20 years ago, they were regularly shown on Carton Network without the laughs. Not only didn't it hurt, it actually improved the show. Too bad the DVD releases don't give you the option to program it out. But, like I said, it's at least bearable (if not beneficial).