Exactly. They are practically the same thing. I on the other hand like the start menu, because it allows me to have quick access to lots of programs and directories without cluttering my desktop (I like a clean/empty desktop).
@ana it isn't so much that it isn't okay for people not to like it, as much as I keep asking dozens of people to say what they don't like about it, and nobody can give me a valid reason. So then I just think people hate it in principal.