When using distcc to compile on a sh arch, you'll get this error: make[2]: Entering directory `/var/tmp/portage/usbutils-0.11-r5/work/usbutils-0.1 1/libusb' /bin/sh ./libtool --mode=compile gcc -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I. -I. -I. -O2 -pipe - m4 -c access.c gcc -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I. -I. -I. -O2 -pipe -m4 -c access.c -o access.o cc1: error: invalid option `4' distcc[8711] ERROR: compile access.c on 192.168.11.12 failed make[2]: *** [access.lo] Error 1 make[2]: Leaving directory `/var/tmp/portage/usbutils-0.11-r5/work/usbutils-0.11 /libusb' make[1]: *** [all-recursive] Error 1 make[1]: Leaving directory `/var/tmp/portage/usbutils-0.11-r5/work/usbutils-0.11 ' make: *** [all-recursive-am] Error 2 !!! ERROR: sys-apps/usbutils-0.11-r5 failed. !!! Function src_compile, Line 43, Exitcode 2 !!! (no error message) !!! If you need support, post the topmost build error, NOT this status message. When not using distcc, this works. When using distcc for most other packages, that works too. distcc tries to launch the usual gcc, which is not the one for sh4-gentoo-linux-uclibc-gcc which it should use in this case.
read the cross/distcc guide
Reading the small paragraph "Setting up Distcc to Work With Automake" indeed solved this. My fault. I cross compiled many packages with distcc and I never had experienced problems wit it. I must have picked only non-automake packages.
