Taking down your witness node to focus on  something else (Dapps) isn't a bad idea. I believe that was done to shift focus and be properly productive.  

Pertaining to the fight with Justin,  I believe he caused that for himself. All his lists drove towards centralizing the steem community project. He bought and owns the largest share, but he should respect the fact that steem is a community based economy that should be treated as it is. No one derive joy from fighting him.
 
Ned could not manage  steem well or should I say,  he didn't take steem seriously, but if Justin and the witnesses can work hand in hand,  there would be a rapid growth on the steem blockchain.  The truth is,  he cannot decide the fate of steem on his own.  If  he dim it fit to do things as he thinks right without putting the witnesses into consideration,  steemit will become a battlefield for writers. 

Most of your suggestions for @justinsunsteemit cannot be achieved without a collaborative measure with the right bodies on the blockchain. 

Working well together is the key to success.  I hope things get back to normal betweeJustin sun and the witnesses. One love keeps us together.