“Any update on this” should just subscribe you to the issue without actually leaving the comment
EDIT: This is a small scale project and the user waited 19 days before bumping. To me that's perfectly reasonable.
Or maybe they just ran into a case where they need the issue resolved, but aren't sure if they should wait or if it's likely to take long enough that they should find an alternative or a workaround.
If they went to the trouble of creating an account just to bump this issue... they probably care about it. Asking for update is just as often a way to subtly say "Can I pick this up?" or "Is there a way I can help move this ticket?" or "There was a pr, is this not getting merged because you won't accept this changeset?"
You seem to be making a value judgement I just don't get - who fucking cares if it's just some rando - they were all random people when they started the thread...
This is blocked because the primary author is not available to help due to geopolitical issues.
Even if it is just some lazy person who wants stuff done (and frankly - I think that attitude is fairly defeatist - you have no idea who that person is) why are you letting them occupy your headspace if that's what you think?
Basically - even if they are lazy, you making the assumption makes you an asshole. Worse - it makes you less effective, because you take a possible volunteer and snub them immediately. Between the two - I'm much more annoyed by your behavior than theirs.
Above all, I much prefer this to people that find my email/LinkedIn and pings me there. That's where I draw the line.
A direct comment is a lot more useful - both because I know it's not a bot, but also because it gives me a touch point for another interested party, who might be able/interested in helping.
ex: "Any update on this" can easily be followed with "Not at the moment, we have a work in progress [here], but could use additional hands" or "We're still trying to understand all the use-cases for this, what are you trying to accomplish" or any number of other relevant and useful things.
Personally - I enjoy having some human interaction as motivation every now and then, and it's easy enough to just ignore if the answer is "I'm busy".
My main reason is to signal "there are still people out there in need of this". My addition always is "What can I do to help move this forward?" (unless that is made clear in the thread already, ofc). To signal that my need is urgent enough for me to put time, effort or funding into it.