I hesitate mentioning this because I'm not keen on, as you say, starting a firestorm. However there is some pretty solid evidence out there to support that long interval oil changes are actually better for reducing engine wear than frequent oil changes.
Just in the last few years there is some pretty reliable research that shows the most severe engine wear occurs immediately following an oil change. It appears that when fresh oil is put in the engine, the fresh detergents aggressively attack the protective additives that have attached themselves to the interior surfaces of the engine. Meanwhile, it takes several hundred miles (IIRC, anywhere from 700 - 1000 miles) for the fresh protective additives to attach themselves to the metal surfaces. During this period the engine is susceptible to more severe wear, until the protective additives have attached to the engine.
So if these recent studies are correct, more frequent oil changes means the engine is exposed more frequently to this severe wear period. Quick math says that following a 3000 mile oci as opposed to a 6000 mile oci will expose a car to twice as many of these severe wear periods, 17 more over 102k miles.
On the other end of the spectrum, there is absolutely no evidence that running an extended oil change interval (within the limits of the filter capacity and the motor oil additive pack life) add to engine wear. Within reason, of course. Clearly there is tons of evidence that severe engine damage can occur from not maintaining a car. But Mobil, Amsoil, and others, market oils that are specifically engineered for up to 15k mile oil change intervals. Fram, Mobil, Royal Purple, Amsoil, Wix, all offer filters that are designed for extended oil changes. These are intended to be used in a carefully researched and planned maintenance schedule - not for a means to ignore the maintenance needs of a car.
For me, it makes much more sense to spend money on a quality oil filter and go with the extended oil change interval. But I threw in the towel years ago at trying to convince those who still prefer 3k mile oci. Clearly they are ingrained in tradition and personal beliefs, and all the evidence will not change their mind, but only cause internet anger. :laugh: