There is a solution to this and its just to start making original tables!
I have more respect for the originators of a table then I do any MOD, the MOD tables are utilizing something that someone else has created and trying to improve on it (sometimes with mixed results)
if I drew a moustache on the mona lisa... I wouldn't get credit for the mona lisa! and I think that's the clear distinction that needs to be made when an mod author publishes a table.
It's not that clean cut. Remaking an entire table(recreating all the art, placing everything, coding) just so you can change the lighting, swap parts out/in or tweak things is not needed. Not only that but a lot of tables pull from the same pool of resources so wanting full remakes instead of mods is sort of not feasible in many instances.
Its always going to be a discussion of how many changes does it take to be called a MOD(at least one worth posting) or when that modder begins to be able to have say in what they've created and aren't held to someone else standards or feelings.
Some MODs are an extreme improvement over the original. Full art redraws, new lighting and physics you name it.. so there is a lot more nuance to it then - mods suck and only originals are worth checking out and liking... and most things in this VP are mods of mods of mods of mods.. its just how it rolls 90% of the time.
A change log is always a good thing but to a point.. if you tweak 1000 settings instead of listing each piece you tweaked(if you can even remember after being drunk at 4am or whatever lol) you just put, tweaked the physics..
Its like describing a dream.. the dream could of been hours but you can often boil it down to a few sentences.. and the person hearing your description has no real idea of what took place even if you try to tell them lol
Its all supposed to be fun so relax everybody and try not to let things like this bother you so much, its not worth it on any end