I guess my take on the impact of a forum like this one goes beyond just reading posts. It includes developing relationships, exchanging ideas and experiences, get togethers, hammer-ins, visits to master smith shops, trips to japan etc... These are things the makers here do and the internet and this forum definitely help foster these relationships and experiences.
Other aspects like the modern heat treat oven help take a step like heat treating and make it executable without needing to spend years learning how to judge the color of the steel while in the coals of the fire.
I would be one of the last people to devalue apprenticeship as a valuable learning process. I learned my craft (which is not knife making) through low wage apprenticeship style work and I wouldn't trade it for anything. But I do also credit Julia Child with Master Chefs videos (from the internet) as playing a role in my development years.
The overhead costs incurred by utilizing new technologies available to the modern knife maker play a large part in why custom knives from outside Japan often have a higher price point. A coal forge, a hammer, a sen, a grinding wheel, some stones, and a few apprentices definitley helps drive prices down when compared to multiple 2X72 grinders, an evenheat oven, power hammer, dust extraction, cryo materials, and a solo head of household maker. The current exchange rate certainly helps the american and european customer as well.
Please do not take this as me being against non american makers. I have my first Shigefusa on the way and I am very excited to get it into rotation!