yes of course alt coin are as good as bitcoin because many altcoin have very good project. with their blockchain technology they can providea more sustainable solution to the problem of the world. moreover they are far cheaper than bitcoin and with the market move on they can give handsome profit
Bitcoins are pioneers. The code and concept of bitcoins was created first. All the other altcoins have taken the same open source code of bitcoins and made changes in it for improvements or addition of features.For that altcoins it is important for Bitcoin.
There is so many altcoins nowadays and to think for its every uses bitcoin and its developers cannot do it all. This altcoins even it was a copy but it was more enhance and focused on the field of their own business or mission while bitcoin stays as a most important crypto, both bitcoin and altcoin is important to each other.