What the heck is going on here?

Not much. Probably drifting towards an appreciation of mediocre, but genuine, human creativity.

Along the way, sysop is treating this as a learning opportunity. Experimenting with tools and software that only need a cheap VPS and a domain, rather than the addictive convenience of a Big Tech Platform.

Sysop is also using third person language because it amuses them to do so.

Is any AI used?

Yes, such tools are used for technical assistance. They are not used to produce any creative-type material on Plop Shop.

How can anyone have asked you questions when there is no contact information listed?

Do you honestly think any FAQ pages are entirely demand-driven?