Why not let us buy from factions we're allied with?
Also there needs to be a way to check the current alliances so we know who to attack and who's friendly.
I want to promote mainly using your own factions ships, with a few others here and there. I think the best solution is either what I have just added (trader will trade a small number of other factions ships/weapons with your stations) and/or the expensive black market idea for fully fitted out ships.
Yeah a diplomacy display will be the first thing I build when StarSector 0.6 comes out (as it should have support for custom info panels etc. in the game).
Oh snap! Nice thing to wake up to. Do I need to start a new game for this update? Sorry if this has been mentioned before I'm just in the middle of my let's play and don't want to start over if I don't have to(even though I am about to die anyway
)
Sorry but I think you would have to start a new game. Way too much stuff has changed underneath

my faction's stations sell other factions weapons and ships, i presume this is not intended? :|
I think it is actually. I think what happens is a trade fleet goes from station to station buying from one and selling to another to give a little variety. If I'm not mistaken..
Yeah you should see a little variety. The ships/weapons should also come and go from the station, so there should be different things there each time a supply convoy (your stuff), a trader (potentially other factions stuff) or a station resource injection happens (your stuff).