It's amazing how many people come up to you at the end of a gig and say "I wish I'd never given up piano lessons". I have some sympathy.

When I was a lad it was classical piano or nothing. I think it was about 2 years before I got to a "classical" a tune I could recognise and thus relate to. I am lucky enough have always been able to play by ear and this compensated for the boredom of interminable scales.

By comparison any modern keyboard and tutor method is a godsend. Therefore I'm with the "if it helps, why not use it" school.