Close, but not exactly. A seqential manual gearbox is a manual transmission with a clutch, but the clutch is actuated by something other than your left foot. Tiptronic, Steptronic, Sportshift, et al are all automatric transmissions which have torque converters and software controlling shift points. With those transmissions you aren't shifting manually so much as you're telling the transmission software that you want it to make a shift for you.

Historically, automatic transmissions were able to shift more quickly than a person operating a stick shift, which is why lots of people drag race with auto trannies.

Manual transmissions have been preferred because there's less power robbed by the transmission, which is also why a stick shift car will typically be faster than the same car with an auto.

Now, however, you can get a computer to operate the clutch extremely quickly so you get the advantages of a stick with the advantages of an auto.

Personally, I like pushing a clutch pedal and rowing a shifter. I think its fun.