> Not a native english speaker, but this seems like a nitpicky non-issue to me. How is it not the same as "could you please pass me a glass of water" vs. "would you please pass me a glass of water"? Both indicate a request rather than talking about actual physical ability to perform the action.
in the case of something like the glass of water, "could" makes the sentence more indirect, and more polite.
the original post is "it would be great if [huge task undertaken by unspecified persons] could be done". this native speaker would not attempt to polite-ify a request for something like that (and i don't think other native speakers would either), so the original post can't be making a request. it is expressing a hope that the thing is possible. mburns (reasonably) then explains that it is possible. then codesushi42 sort of goes on the rails, and i can't figure out what they're attempting to convey at this point.
in the case of something like the glass of water, "could" makes the sentence more indirect, and more polite.
the original post is "it would be great if [huge task undertaken by unspecified persons] could be done". this native speaker would not attempt to polite-ify a request for something like that (and i don't think other native speakers would either), so the original post can't be making a request. it is expressing a hope that the thing is possible. mburns (reasonably) then explains that it is possible. then codesushi42 sort of goes on the rails, and i can't figure out what they're attempting to convey at this point.