I think that’s true, but also: When people ask the authors for things (edits to the post, time-consuming engagement), especially if the request is explicit (as in this thread), it’s important for third parties to prevent authors from suffering unreasonable costs by pushing back on requests that shouldn’t be fulfilled.
I think it’s almost always fine for criticized authors to defend themselves in the comments, even if their defense isn’t very good.
I think that’s true, but also: When people ask the authors for things (edits to the post, time-consuming engagement), especially if the request is explicit (as in this thread), it’s important for third parties to prevent authors from suffering unreasonable costs by pushing back on requests that shouldn’t be fulfilled.