[euge]

my beers got that much better with the addition of starters.  i'm really pleased i started using them.

Once you get used to starters and you start harvesting your slurry from previous batches, you will be SO glad you learned how to make starters because you will be able to store your old slurry and bring it back to life when you want - saving yourself a ton of money and trips to the LHBS. I buy yeast maybe 3-4 times a year now, and I brew about twice a month.

It's important to remember that when repitching slurry any bacteria present will grow along side the yeast even though the batch was awesome. Two or three down the line and it might not be. Of course you'll now want a microscope to look at your yeast. Muahahah

IMO actively fermenting yeast and top-cropping gives awesome results as well. Totally impractical for most homebrewers, though I guess one could crop into a starter wort or even just a plastic container.

As far as first starters go they've never failed to improve my beer even if I didn't like how the batch turned out.

[gmac]

I do mine exactly the same as you did and I've yet to have a problem at all. 

One thing I like to do (because I'm cheap) is to add a cup or two of sterilized wort back to the growler after pitching.  I've found the little bit of yeast left in the growler jumps into action.  After a few days, I add another quart or two and in a week I've got another starter ready to go.  Of course you have to plan on brewing something that needs that yeast again in the near future but for WLP001 or something that I use a lot, I find this way I can usually have a starter ready to go when I need it.  No idea about the yeast number etc but based on the volume of settled yeast, it's gotta be more than a tube or a smack pack.  I wouldn't do it for lager where you really want a dense starter but for ales I'm more than happy with the results.