I suspect that some younger developers simply started tinkering with CheatEngine before they learned proper programming so they feel very comfortable using it instead of a regular debugger. I started programming by tinkering with BASIC game listings so I feel a certain kinship with this approach.
Also CheatEngine is probably easier to set up and will work regardless of whether you have access to the source or not. And unlike more advanced tools like IDA you don't have to worry about expensive license or pirating since it's free and open source.
That being said if you're reporting bugs on open source projects on GH please try to use more appropriate debugging tools, I don't know what to do when somebody starts posting dumps of the Windows VM address space to show me how something isn't working as it should...