If I understand correctly this patch will allow web application servers running bticoind to confirm payments without an active receiving wallet.

I would like to reiterate that this is an important feature. Since the mybitcoin debacle there is now a deadlock for merchant services between the risk of a server side wallet, and the risk of 3rd party merchant services. I am shocked to find out that getreceivedbyaddress does not give a correct value for any address except those in your wallet. This means that a receiving wallet must be left on the server and it will receive ALL bitcoin income for the service. Even with code to regularly sweep the account, this is clearly an unacceptable security risk.  On the other hand all 3rd party solutions are even riskier.

Conscientious merchants simply can't move forward with bitcoin without this patch.

j