What can the advisor "ask" to students?

In a friend email, I could say that he was discussing the issue of how much an advisor should ask to students ?

Here is my proposed answer :
Indeed the sentence about advisors asking too much is very interesting.
Advisors ? They advise. The individuals are fully responsible for their work. It took me years to understand that, but now it's clear for me... as many of my young friends could tell you.

Then the advisors should not ask much or little. He/she should not ask anything.
Either students do well, and they stay in an active group, or they don't do enough, and they depart, because they would spoil the high spirit of the team.

Let us also remember that life is difficult for some of us: low money, jobs outside, poor (intellectually) family, health problems... The advisor, in my idea, is there to be a friend, just like referees: friendly people asking questions to make others be sure of what they do.

And to finish : the summum of intelligence is kindness and rightness