Yeah, that is (or was) part of the gentoo fun. :3 Lots of that kind of fun around the python versioning. Figuring out what emerge's output means is sometimes 90% of the challenge, and other times if feels like that, but then it turns out to be only 10% of the challenge. But as for python versioning specifically, that may have very recently had a big uptick in getting slipstreamed through with fewer bumps in the road for users to deal with. Fingers crossed in hope, ~ remains to be seen through many future versions yet.

And there are official binhosts now, so it generally only compiles what you've changed the useflags for. Gentoo package management's as snappy as other distros now. Though still as involved as ever for configuring the system how you want (albeit with few more ways to make it bother you a little less often now).