You are correct that the OP merely posted her assignment without showing any effort, or even a polite request for help. That actually happens a lot around here.
I gave her the first prompt ("Make an I/O list"), and Parky and Brian gave her a start as to what this might look like and how to organize her thinking. Then the ball was in her court.
But then you come along and suggest that we're being too helpful. Believe me, we understand where you're coming from, which is why it's general policy not to "just give the answer."
The moderators don't do what you think they do. I could, for example, take a half hour, do the entire assignment, post it, and while I would likely get chided for doing so, for truly robbing her of an education, the post would stand.
I have gone so far as to post an inaccurate solution (almost comically so) to the Traffic Light problem, which used to show up here with depressing regularity, because of the obvious laziness of the posters. Caveat emptor.
This is an open forum, and you are free to post what you like, including complaints and criticisms (as long as you're not abusive). We're all (mostly) professionals here, and usually welcome different ways of looking at things, including how we present ourselves to others. Most of us have developed a pretty thick skin (or gotten good at simply ignoring what someone says about us) and can take it. We can also dish it out in the same manner that it was given to us.
Sometimes we get posts that some start to be overly helpful on, and others jump in to question whether the problem is real or homework (particularly around lead/lag pump control). There was nothing wrong with your pointing out that Firegirl hadn't shown the slightest bit of effort beyond copy & paste, and a request for "help". It's just that everyone who posted here already knew that, and only gave enough clues to hopefully entice her to get the benefit of what this forum can offer.
You thought those clues were too much; that's your opinion and you're welcome to share it. Others will have an opinion that it was just the right about of bait, and will share that opinion. Bouncing ideas off each other is what makes this forum so great. :site:
The 3 days of radio silence from her indicates that she has no interest in actually learning this stuff. So we spend more time talking to each other than doing the helpful stuff that we often come here to do.