but I would say the sock puppet accounts are currently in the top to prevent witnesses that have proven themselves to be a security risk for Steem users from reaching the upper ranks.

This is major hyperbole... how would getting xpilar or steem.supporter in the Top 20 represent a security risk?! The bigger security risk is having one person controlling several of the Top 20 accounts and centralizing the chain, like the already known sock puppet witnesses we have talked about...

Apart from all this, why is being a developer a requirement to be a STEEM witness? I do agree that it is a bonus if they are, but it is probably just as important that they be in different physical locations with differing opinions and ideals. The development on steem over the past year has been almost non existent, even from those you say are supposedly working on projects...