How long ago was this???
In the last couple of months. Sorry just need to edit this to say it often happens. But can only be done at renewal so need to be established as resident ; and justification for changing of course. I would think that was fair?
Yes, but some préfectures are so difficult that easier just to restart process and factor in a quick trip to home country for interview,
Agree @JaneJones but is the cost of going back to old country viable? Might also depend on level of spoken French to deal with prefecture and, of course, the person one gets on the day 
If you arrive on a tourits visa the only way to “change it” to a working visa is to apply for a new visa. You cannot “change” a visa once it has been issued and is in your passport. And you cannot “renew” one type of titre de séjour for a different type, you can only “renew” like for like. I suppose you are talking about applying for a change of status rather than applying for renewal, Applications for renewal are normally submitted online, changes of status must normally be done via the prefecture so different process entirely. And the person will still have to meet the same conditions for the new status that they would have had to meet if they had applied for the initial visa with that status, ie if they want to work they to have had an employer obtain permission to employ them, if they want to set up a business they need an approved business plan and so on.
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That is absolutely true, but it is possible to have a change of status and it is not difficult. Just meet the original conditions. And it has been done plenty of times
I agree, it is not difficult to be granted a status if you meet the conditions for that status, why would it be?
But a person who opted initially for a visitieur visa because they were not able to meet the conditions for a work visa, will not magically find themselves able to meet those conditions simply by virtue of already being in France having entered on a non working visa.
Ah yes but circumstances change for people and the system here accommodates that
It is possible and, as you say, not that difficult if you meet criteria. The issue seems to be the very low priority this is given by many préfectures, so people give up and get a new visa from their home country.