I can certainly understand the desire in Redmond to rip-off the Apple menu. The purpose is to have a quick and handy way to start programs. It's a program launcher of sorts. It is not a file navigation system. Without constant manual deleting of Start menu items, the average Windows user soon finds himself with a Start menu that cascades wildly, filling half the screen, when all he wanted was to quickly start a frequently used program.
All convenience is lost.
If you don't, ask a Windows user. I'm sure he'll have a story or two about uninstallers for you. I'd rather gnaw off my own leg and pack the bleeding stump with salt, however, than trade my Mac OS for Windows. Finally, I'd like to suggest that the above items, as well as a good many others that I don't have time to go into, all come together to form a single fact that's greater than the sum of its parts. This fact is the most important reason why I love the Macintosh.