the origin sin in this "problem" is providing such high quality knives that the hone will make such a difference.
I've used a grooved OEM Wuesthof steel on my set for pushing 40 years. it has not ruined anything.
the whole debate has so many issues it does not fit in a tweet. diamond / ceramic / grooved / smooth / pebbled are not "identical" in what they are, nor what they do, nor how they do it and how they "affect" a knife edge.
and then there is the rather not slight problem of the user. the big ape with the knife point dug into the stainless counter, grunting as he girds his loins pushing the hone down on the knife to sharpen it . . . is a problem.