Hacking pushbuttons

Hi aarg and "killzone"...
i obviously read again about NPNs and PNPs on the net before coming here and waste your time... and its not because i suck at electronics that i havent been using BJT succesfully, every now and then, for ages. i know the basics of the differences and still i dont get it.
My question was: beside the fact that one is high-activated and the other is low-activated... whats the difference that make NPN work in my case and the other not?
sorry, maybe this question has such a simple and short answer that i sound stupid, but im genuinely not getting it... please help.
thanx