That's correct, there are still plenty of high-quality carbon steel kitchen knives out there (especially Japanese). With regular maintenance they work very well. But for most people it's simply not an convenient option. I don't mind sharpening my kitchen knives now and then but having to oil them after every use is simply too tedious even to a knife freak like me, let alone the average Joe & Jane. So I think the corrosion resistance of stainless is well worth the slight tradeoff in edge holding and quality. Of course, a professional might feel differently.