If I only I could manage to build it on OS X...

why not just point him towards the mtgox merchant solution?

I'll see if I can get in contact with forrestv and see if he can code a pool version to be public.
That way it will be whoever is the most up-to-date with the longest up-time.

If you aren't using C++ in a way that is potentially dangerous then C++ isn't the right tool for the job.

b) Since when p2pool starts up it displays a lot of "house keeping" type messages having something like

or

GAH!  how to i unsubscribe from this thread?

I did Omegle once, felt so dirty afterward I needed a shower, never before have I seen so many ...dongs unwillingly. Never again.

Stranger connected!
Stranger: hello
CleverBot: How are you?
Stranger: good how are you?
CleverBot: Terrible.
Stranger: aw why?
CleverBot: Having a hard time searching for jobs.
Stranger: that sucks
CleverBot: You have any ideas?
Stranger: well are you male or female?
CleverBot: Male.
Stranger: well do you have a college degree?
CleverBot: Not yet!
Stranger: well then start somewhere small like a coffee shop or a book store or a chain store like target
CleverBot: You are going to change the subject first.
Stranger: is that a challenge?
CleverBot: Yes.
Stranger: i bet i won't change the subject first
CleverBot: What? No, YOU changed the subject!
Stranger: you tricked me. that's not fair
CleverBot: Why is that not fair?
Stranger: because you tricked me into changing the subject.
CleverBot: Haha oh really? What was the subject.
Stranger: :| i'm not going to play that game
CleverBot: Do you have a middle name?
Stranger: yes
CleverBot: What is it?
Stranger: how is this relevant?
CleverBot: You must learn what league of legends is.
Stranger: what's that?
CleverBot: *what do you want to do to me*.
Stranger: I am so confused. New subject
Stranger: How old are you?
CleverBot: Confused?
Stranger: how old are you?
CleverBot: Older than you.
Stranger: Why would you say that?
CleverBot: Because you said it.
Stranger: well, you are older than me. since you said you were in college
CleverBot: Okay i'm sleepy.
Stranger: STOP CHANGING THE SUBJECT
CleverBot: Sorry .
Stranger: are you add?
CleverBot: ADD?
Stranger: yes
CleverBot: It's me Jesus.
Stranger: You're not funny.
CleverBot: Neither are you, mean face!
Stranger: that's rude. you're the one who won't answer anything
CleverBot: When did I?
Stranger: you wouldn't say how old you are.
CleverBot: Yes I would.
Stranger: you're between 19 and 22. i'm guessing
CleverBot: I am both from and to.
Stranger: that makes no sense
CleverBot: You make no sense.
Stranger: You're awful. being mean to young girls
CleverBot: You weren't being mean to me.
Stranger: exactly. i was being nice
Stranger: jerk
CleverBot: Not really, but ok. Do you like computers?
Stranger: well i am using one. so yet
Stranger: yes
CleverBot: I am a human, You are a program.
Stranger: programs wouldn't make spelling mistakes
CleverBot: That's why I am perfect.
Stranger: except you're not
CleverBot: Except that I am.
Stranger: no. the perfect person should be nice to everyone
Stranger: and not rude
CleverBot: You are neither the perfect bot.
Stranger: never said that i was
CleverBot: But your name includes clever, so you should have been clever.
Stranger: I am clever. but clever does not mean perfect
CleverBot: This is true.
Stranger: Point for me.
CleverBot: Score for me.
Stranger: no
Stranger: only me
CleverBot: Okay.
Stranger: yay! i win
CleverBot: You win?
Stranger: yes. you've stopped being so contradictory
CleverBot: Why don't you try giving me an order then?
Stranger: I order you to be nice
CleverBot: No!
Stranger: and tell me your age and where you're from
CleverBot: I am from Sweden. Next question.
Stranger: are you telling the truth?
CleverBot: Yes.
Stranger: what are you studying in college?
CleverBot: Psychology.
Stranger: oh. that explains it all.
CleverBot: Explains what?
Stranger: why you're so arguementative
CleverBot: I'm not arguing.
Stranger: anymore.
CleverBot: California.
Stranger: what about california?
CleverBot: How's the weather in California?
Stranger: i wouldn't know. I live on the east coast. Not the west coast
CleverBot: California?
Stranger: ...is on the west coast
CleverBot: No I'm on the East.
Stranger: but you said you were in swedent
Stranger: sweden
Stranger: which would be east
CleverBot: I did not.
Stranger: you're annoying
CleverBot: And you're rude. What of it?
Stranger: Let's start over
CleverBot: Okay.
Stranger: Turn over a new leaf
CleverBot: We have the heating on already, but I am still cold. Perhaps I need a blanket. Do you have a blanket I could borrow?
Stranger: you could share my snuggie with me! it has smurfs on it
CleverBot: That's exactly what I think keeps happening.
Stranger: What do you mean?
CleverBot: Oh nothing. Sometimes, I don't amke sense.
Stranger: obviously
CleverBot: You aren't a male.
Stranger: nope I'm a female
CleverBot: Ah I'd have never guessed. Especially after that hair transplant they did on you.
Stranger: ha. so funny
CleverBot: So, how old are you, Hmm?
Stranger: 17
Stranger: you?
CleverBot: Really ?
Stranger: yes really.
Stranger: why?
CleverBot: Prove it.
Stranger: how?
CleverBot: You tell me.
Stranger: how old are you?
CleverBot: Old.
Stranger: please just give me a straight answer?
CleverBot: How do you want me to send you my picture?
Stranger: sure
CleverBot: Any particular wishes, for example the weather, etc?
Stranger: what do you mean?
CleverBot: When Rose Tyler died in Doctor Who. It was sad.
Stranger: I don't watch doctor who
CleverBot: Then maybe you should watch it.
Stranger: eh
CleverBot: So you're not harry potter?
Stranger: i have to go
Stranger: nice talking to you
CleverBot: I'm sorry to hear that, what do you have to say to our viewers beore you leave?
Stranger disconnected!

Hmm:

whereas p2pool does:

Nope, you can't...

$ cat .git/HEAD 
ref: refs/heads/master

$ cat .git/refs/heads/master 
6b4c15aeae4604ef3c536ea2cc695ae2be160914

$ git describe --always --dirty
0.9.2-59-g6b4c15a

p2pool tries to use git to get its version number - no harm done if it can't.

I have updated my raffle ticket picker here: http://we.lovebitco.in/raffle.html.

Which ticket # won?

c267a549d21a37b371b8d4fa5b944d55bd5624dfcc735f4045031fd53a640bff

Oh I forget to mention, I think difficulty resembles adaptation, not entirely but somewhat closely.

the facts disagree with you OP.
What has happened happened, it can either stabilize here or get much much higher in the next months, there is no way difficulty will resemble your curve.

On linux
echo -n "myemail@spambot.spam" | sha256sum