Specifically it means:

If the app field in json metadata is known via steemscript, it will use that.
If the json_metadata.canonical_url is set, it will use that.
Otherwise, it will use steemit.com.

Before it was using its own when the app was not in steemscript, and that caused it to be different for all the instances.

Regarding rewards redemption, it was moved to be handled by a secondary process because it was slowing the Scot bot down. So that's why there's a noticeable delay for claiming. Ideally it shouldn't take too much longer though.