is there any reason not to add a debug variant to ports, in the event the upstream developers need the entrails for their efforts? I have been communicating with some folks on the gnome team on the issues with the gnome python bindings and editing the Portfile seems like something it would be nice to avoid with a "port build py-gnome +debug" option.
All I had to do was add "-O0 -Wall -g" to the CFLAGS but for many users that might not be something they're comfortable with. Add to that the additional complication of the instructions reading "-O0 -g- Wall" (the difference a space can make) and the resulting failures and it might prove frustrating.