Whatever the change is, I think @ned and his team need to go back to drawing board to assertain whether steemit is on progressive course. There is much power in the hands of few who decides the voting pattern good content or not.
I have checked the contents of some who earn tons of valuable votes and those who barely earn a dime, it raises questions on what steemit is all about. It has been a case of minnows chasing the "Big Boys" in order to be noticed instead of of your quality contents. For a lasting sustainability let some changes be made.