I own a couple or FOSS repos myself, and after some years I tearnt to classify my projects into two categories:
ego-boosting: projects I don't care much and that I give away just because I enjoy making them and increment my selfish ego-feelings when someone uses it.
work: a project that has a specific work purpose or is the base or core product and that I want the users to adopt it.
Now, I hope the following isn't too rude, but it's the way I developed a thick skin, and also how I think about it when trolls and haters come around my projects: being a repo maintainer gives you a (small) position of power (take it easy, you are not Torvalds!). That is, when someone downloads or uses your project, is that someone that came to you and not the way around; when shitposting in some forum happens, it's them talking about you and not the way around. When there is a rude request of some type, it's them needing you and not the way around.
When someone comes with "you should X...", my toughs are "yes, I should because, instead of being completely useless about it, I'm the only one who can do something about it".
Of course, the above applies to the ego-boosting kind of projects more than to the work ones (since I want adopters coming and staying around, I can be more flexible).
If the request or critique comes from well educated, patient users, then obviously the above doesn't apply and the support/request goes through smoothly.
If the critique comes from a peer maintainer or someone you esteem, then the situation could be different (and happened a few times to me, and I can't remember how I felt).
ego-boosting: projects I don't care much and that I give away just because I enjoy making them and increment my selfish ego-feelings when someone uses it.
work: a project that has a specific work purpose or is the base or core product and that I want the users to adopt it.
Now, I hope the following isn't too rude, but it's the way I developed a thick skin, and also how I think about it when trolls and haters come around my projects: being a repo maintainer gives you a (small) position of power (take it easy, you are not Torvalds!). That is, when someone downloads or uses your project, is that someone that came to you and not the way around; when shitposting in some forum happens, it's them talking about you and not the way around. When there is a rude request of some type, it's them needing you and not the way around.
When someone comes with "you should X...", my toughs are "yes, I should because, instead of being completely useless about it, I'm the only one who can do something about it".
Of course, the above applies to the ego-boosting kind of projects more than to the work ones (since I want adopters coming and staying around, I can be more flexible).
If the request or critique comes from well educated, patient users, then obviously the above doesn't apply and the support/request goes through smoothly.
If the critique comes from a peer maintainer or someone you esteem, then the situation could be different (and happened a few times to me, and I can't remember how I felt).