I usually tend to use 4 jobs as default for emerging world, and sometimes with a 150+ package list to update. So I usually see messages like this: >>> Verifying ebuild manifests >>> Running pre-merge checks for x11-base/xorg-server-1.14.3-r2 >>> Running pre-merge checks for kde-base/kdelibs-4.11.2-r1 >>> Emerging (1 of 144) app-arch/unrar-5.0.12 >>> Emerging (2 of 144) dev-libs/vala-common-0.22.0 >>> Emerging (3 of 144) app-emulation/emul-linux-x86-baselibs-20131008-r1 >>> Emerging (4 of 144) media-libs/freetype-2.5.0.1 >>> Installing (2 of 144) dev-libs/vala-common-0.22.0 >>> Emerging (5 of 144) kde-base/kde-env-4.11.2 >>> Emerging (6 of 144) x11-libs/libdrm-2.4.46-r1 >>> Emerging (7 of 144) x11-proto/dri2proto-2.8-r1 >>> Installing (1 of 144) app-arch/unrar-5.0.12 >>> Emerging (8 of 144) x11-proto/xf86driproto-2.1.1-r1 >>> Emerging (9 of 144) x11-proto/glproto-1.4.16-r1 >>> Emerging (10 of 144) dev-python/pyopenssl-0.13.1-r1 >>> Installing (8 of 144) x11-proto/xf86driproto-2.1.1-r1 >>> Emerging (11 of 144) sys-devel/gcc-4.8.1-r1 >>> Emerging (12 of 144) sys-libs/e2fsprogs-libs-1.42.8 >>> Emerging (13 of 144) dev-lang/vala-0.22.0 >>> Emerging (14 of 144) x11-misc/shared-mime-info-1.2 >>> Installing (7 of 144) x11-proto/dri2proto-2.8-r1 >>> Installing (9 of 144) x11-proto/glproto-1.4.16-r1 >>> Installing (10 of 144) dev-python/pyopenssl-0.13.1-r1 >>> Installing (13 of 144) dev-lang/vala-0.22.0 >>> Jobs: 7 of 144 complete, 1 running Load avg: 2.81, 3.68, 2.22 I suggest to replace the "X running" message for a list of job id(s) that are active at the moment. That could help me in looking at which one(s) is currently compiling/installing. In last case, a better message would be: >>> Jobs: 7 of 144 complete, 1 running (#11) Load avg: 2.81, 3.68, 2.22 Reproducible: Always
