Hi @hisnameisolllie,
Good article. Great to see curation moving up the agenda. It's a pity for me that it's happening at a time when I don't have much time to post at length on the matter.
I'd be interested in knowing which 'bot' you think is front running @wang? Having been knee deep in the curation game for a number of weeks, I have to say I haven't noticed any (significant) bot doing this.
I'm speaking as one of the more successful (in terms of curation rewards to SP) curators on the platform over recent weeks. @trogdor has me third in what I would term a 'slow week'. Also bear in mind I don't just vote for profit, I also vote on unheralded posts/ authors that I see as adding value.
What I have noticed is that since I (and maybe others) have been factoring in @wang's voting behaviour into my optimal voting strategy, @wang has responded by putting on the squeeze (as I've phrased it). I.e. voting earlier. It just so happens he has jumped to just before (what was) my most frequent voting window.
Anyway, I can say that the game has now evolved further, even in the last few days. Tracking good authors is only one piece of the puzzle in maximising rewards. Also there will be other bots working on better strategies to optimise gains, I've already seen some starting to evolve.
'Maximising Curation Rewards' is an interesting dimension to the Steemit eco-system, however you really need to be in it (devising strategies to maximise rewards day-in-and-day-out) to understand some of what's is going on and the players involved. Despite my success, I'd see myself as only getting a faction of the picture. What I can say is, it isn't just @wang. Bots are and will always be a big (and in some ways useful) part of the equation. Reports of their demise have been greatly exaggerated.
Thanks for the reply @nanzo-scoop I have been aware of you curation performance for some time, so I appreciate your opinion on the matter.
With regards to the Bot's front-running @wang, this was deduction I made based on voting behaviour on certain authors posts. Where @wang votes, there is a list of the same accounts, in the same order voting before him consistently, I cannot commit to these accounts being bot's or not, however the impact is the same either way. Maybe someone should do a 'bot bait' post to see this in action..? ;)
With regards to their demise. I was merely making a point that, unless they evolve, they will die. Your points on bot's working on better strategies and generally evolving will of coarse stem this demise (completely in the short term). Bot's being forced to evolve is only a good thing for all users of Steemit. I do think that, if Steemit is successful, there will be a significant arms race in this sector that should nullify almost all current bot developers.
Imagine Google Deepmind turned their Artificial Intelligence to Steemit Curation...