Port system changes.

[Dewayne]

Has something changed in the ports system?  We build our 506 packages from the ports tree, on four systems (i386 [Pentium3,
Prescott] & amd64 [Core2, K8]) each month.  Last night these packages failed:
Package 		Attempts	Failures
security/heimdal    4           4
security/nettle     4           4
net-mgmt/icinga     4           1

Fortunately their was an advisory, at the end of the build failure log, to set 
MAKE_JOBS_UNSAFE=yes 
Which was inserted into the Makefile, allowing successful package creation.

It seems to me that the ports system is experiencing a process of continual improvement. Normally a good thing, depending on how its
managed.

Is it possible that the ports system, and I'm really talking about /usr/ports/Mk be subject to improved engineering practices.
Planned changes that impact users are properly communicated so that users of the infrastructure mechanisms can make necessary
adjustments prior to building their various port builds?  As our last line of defence against unexpected "gotchas", we always check
/usr/ports/UPDATING & /usr/ports/CHANGES before initiating a build.

One of the facets of the FreeBSD project is the reliability and controlled management of the operating system, and upon release,
predictable build and deployment.  I look forward to the practices within the ports infrastructure system, that enhance FreeBSD's
reputation.

Regards, Dewayne.