With regard to Star Wars edits, George Lucas is entirely to blame (I don't necessarily mean this in a negative way either). With the Special Editions, George threw out any concept of canon and continuity. Whether you like it or whether you don't, everything is fair game as far as ideas and edits are concerned. If we want to make improvements to films (as long as one doesn't profit from this project) I think it is fine. Even preservation projects to restore the theatrical version of films that have been changed later are fan edits on a small scale.

Most fan edits are and should be made to please the editors and no one else. If you happen to agree with their editorial choices and enjoy the new version, that's great.

With the regard to criticism of edits, constructive or otherwise, the editor should be open to criticism. On the other side of the coin, the viewer of the fan edit ought to have the right to offer criticism, but still should keep in mind that the edit isn't for them, so if there are things they dislike, that is their own choice to dislike it and the editor is of course under no obligation to please everyone and anyone.

Like it says at the start of the MagFan edits, "It is said that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly upon our point of view. This is merely another."