Migrating settings after SL clean install?

I'm a recent Mac convert, and let me just say I've seen the light. Even got my sister to buy one, and we've both been diehard PC's since the beginning.

I did a clean install of SL onto my 13" MBP. I had everything backed up onto an external hard, so when it gave me the option to migrate all my apps and settings, I did. Did I defeat the purpose of a clean install by doing this? I've seen some recommendations to drag apps from back up disc instead. Would that have been better? I was actually dumbfounded that everything worked as smoothly as it did, not being used to this coming from a Windows background.

Thanks...