diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 559f599..c0a0a68 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -328,14 +328,12 @@ static_lib: picotcp picotcp_driver libzt_socket_layer utilities $(ZTO_OBJS)
 	mv ext/picotcp/build/lib/*.o obj
 	mv ext/picotcp/build/modules/*.o obj
 	$(ARTOOL) $(ARFLAGS) -o $(STATIC_LIB) obj/*.o
-	@date +"Build script finished on %F %T"
 endif
 ifeq ($(STACK_LWIP),1)
 static_lib: lwip lwip_driver libzt_socket_layer utilities $(ZTO_OBJS)
 	@mkdir -p $(BUILD) obj
 	mv *.o obj
 	$(ARTOOL) $(ARFLAGS) -o $(STATIC_LIB) obj/*.o
-	@date +"Build script finished on %F %T"
 endif
 # for layer-2 only (this will omit all userspace network stack code)
 ifeq ($(NO_STACK),1)
@@ -343,7 +341,6 @@ static_lib: libzt_socket_layer utilities $(ZTO_OBJS)
 	@mkdir -p $(BUILD) obj
 	mv *.o obj
 	$(ARTOOL) $(ARFLAGS) -o $(STATIC_LIB) obj/*.o
-	@date +"Build script finished on %F %T"
 endif
 
 ##############################################################################
@@ -379,28 +376,24 @@ tests: selftest nativetest ztproxy
 
 ZT_UTILS:=zto/node/Utils.cpp -Izto/node
 
+sample:
+	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -D__SELFTEST__ $(STACK_DRIVER_DEFS) $(LIBZT_DEFS) \
+		$(SANFLAGS) $(LIBZT_INCLUDES) $(ZT_INCLUDES) $(ZT_UTILS) test/sample.cpp -o \
+		$(BUILD)/sample -L$(BUILD) -lzt
 selftest:
 	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -D__SELFTEST__ $(STACK_DRIVER_DEFS) $(LIBZT_DEFS) \
 		$(SANFLAGS) $(LIBZT_INCLUDES) $(ZT_INCLUDES) $(ZT_UTILS) test/selftest.cpp -o \
 		$(BUILD)/selftest -L$(BUILD) -lzt -lpthread
-	@./check.sh $(BUILD)/selftest
-	@date +"Build script finished on %F %T"
 nativetest:
 	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -D__NATIVETEST__ $(STACK_DRIVER_DEFS) $(SANFLAGS) \
 		$(LIBZT_INCLUDES) $(ZT_INCLUDES) test/selftest.cpp -o $(BUILD)/nativetest
-	@./check.sh $(BUILD)/nativetest
-	@date +"Build script finished on %F %T"
 ztproxy:
 	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) $(SANFLAGS) $(LIBZT_INCLUDES) $(LIBZT_DEFS) $(ZT_INCLUDES) \
 		examples/apps/ztproxy/ztproxy.cpp -o $(BUILD)/ztproxy $< -L$(BUILD) -lzt -lpthread $(WINDEFS)
-	@./check.sh $(BUILD)/ztproxy
-	@date +"Build script finished on %F %T"
 intercept:
 	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) $(SANFLAGS) $(STACK_DRIVER_DEFS) $(LIBZT_INCLUDES) \
 		$(ZT_INCLUDES) examples/intercept/intercept.cpp -D_GNU_SOURCE \
 		-shared -o $(BUILD)/intercept.so $< -ldl
-	@./check.sh $(BUILD)/intercept.so
-	@date +"Build script finished on %F %T"
 dlltest:
 	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) 	
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0b11c86..cfba6cd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -14,46 +14,49 @@ Pre-Built Binaries Here: [zerotier.com/download.shtml](https://zerotier.com/down
 
 *** 
 
-### Example
+### C++ Example
 
 ```
+#include <sys/socket.h>
+#include <arpa/inet.h>
+#include <netinet/in.h>
+
 #include "libzt.h"
 
-char *str = "welcome to the machine";
-char *nwid = "c7cd7c9e1b0f52a2";      // network to join
-char *path = "zt1";                   // path where this node's keys and configs will be stored
-char *ip = "10.8.8.42";               // remote address
-int port = 8080;                      // remote port
+int main() 
+{
+	char *str = "welcome to the machine";
+	char *nwid = "c7cd7c981b0f52a2";      // network
+	char *path = "config_path";           // where this instance's keys and configs are stored
+	char *ip = "10.8.8.42";               // remote address
+	int port = 8080;                      // remote port
 
-struct sockaddr_in addr;
-addr.sin_family = AF_INET;
-addr.sin_addr.s_addr = inet_addr(ip);
-addr.sin_port = hton(port);	
+	struct sockaddr_in addr;
+	addr.sin_family = AF_INET;
+	addr.sin_addr.s_addr = inet_addr(ip);
+	addr.sin_port = htons(port);	
 
-zts_startjoin(path, nwid);
+	zts_startjoin(path, nwid);
 
-int fd, err = 0;
-if ((fd = zts_socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0)) < 0) {
-	printf("error creating socket\n");
-	return -1;
+	int fd, err = 0;
+	if ((fd = zts_socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0)) < 0) {
+		printf("error creating socket\n");
+	}
+	if ((err = zts_connect(fd, (const struct sockaddr *)&addr, sizeof(addr))) < 0) {
+		printf("error connecting to remote host\n");
+	}
+	if ((err = zts_write(fd, str, strlen(str))) < 0) {
+		printf("error writing to socket\n");
+	}
+	if ((err = zts_close(fd)) < 0) {
+		printf("error closing socket\n");
+	}
+	zts_stop();
+	return 0;
 }
-if ((err = zts_connect(fd, (const struct sockaddr *)addr, sizeof(addr))) < 0) {
-	printf("error connecting to remote host\n");
-	return -1;
-}
-if ((err = zts_write(fd, str, strlen(str))) < 0) {
-	printf("error writing to socket\n");
-	return -1;
-}
-if ((err = zts_close(fd)) < 0) {
-	printf("error closing socket\n");
-	return -1;
-}
-
-zts_stop();
 ```
 
-Bindings for various [languages](examples)
+Other bindings for popular [languages](examples)
 
 For an example using only the [Virtual Layer 2](https://www.zerotier.com/manual.shtml#2_2?pk_campaign=github_libzt), see [test/layer2.cpp](test/layer2.cpp)
 
diff --git a/test/sample.cpp b/test/sample.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5aebc34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/sample.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+#include <sys/socket.h>
+#include <arpa/inet.h>
+#include <netinet/in.h>
+
+#include "libzt.h"
+
+int main() 
+{
+	char *str = "welcome to the machine";
+	char *nwid = "c7cd7c9e1b0f52a2";      // network
+	char *path = "config_path";           // where this instance's keys and configs are stored
+	char *ip = "10.8.8.42";               // remote address
+	int port = 8080;                      // remote port
+
+	struct sockaddr_in addr;
+	addr.sin_family = AF_INET;
+	addr.sin_addr.s_addr = inet_addr(ip);
+	addr.sin_port = htons(port);	
+
+	zts_startjoin(path, nwid);
+
+	int fd, err = 0;
+	if ((fd = zts_socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0)) < 0) {
+		printf("error creating socket\n");
+	}
+	if ((err = zts_connect(fd, (const struct sockaddr *)&addr, sizeof(addr))) < 0) {
+		printf("error connecting to remote host\n");
+	}
+	if ((err = zts_write(fd, str, strlen(str))) < 0) {
+		printf("error writing to socket\n");
+	}
+	if ((err = zts_close(fd)) < 0) {
+		printf("error closing socket\n");
+	}
+	zts_stop();
+	return 0;
+}
\ No newline at end of file