how to make better use of native tools

[David Smoot]

I'm not a port expert but I have an opinion... The problem is this:
the port system exists to give you access to all this wonderful open
source library.  Apple likes open source tools but they have no
commitment to interoperability or standards.  So if you rely on their
infrastructure, it may change slowly but it can break any time.

I built a cross compiler toolchain to build linux powerpc binaries on
my intel mac.  There was a great cross compile tool chain builder for
linux that did not work on Mac because of OS X inconsistencies with
make and other standard tools.  Ironically I was able to make the
script work by over riding mac versions of these tools with port
versions.

I'll trade inconvenience for standards and control.  There are people
that come to ports just so they can have the "standard" version of a
tool.

David