MacIntel app crashes when installing ports

I'm using MacPorts on a MacBook Pro and I've found that installing large ports that require extensive compilation (particularly octave) appears to cause the other applications on my system to become unstable. I've particularly noticed lots of Mail and Safari crashes. I'm well aware that bad memory is often to blame for these sorts of problems, but I haven't had them when installing Fink packages that required similar amounts of compilation. My hardware test passes fine, and my logic board has been recently replaced (and the problems occurred before logic board replacement as well). Has anyone else experienced this? ---- Michael Ross mgross@psych.umass.edu