gmake-4.4.1 has a performance regression: at least the science/nwchem project now builds much slower

[Yuri]

When the port devel/gmake was updated from 4.3 to 4.4.1 on 2024-03-03, 
the science/nwchem port began to build much slower. It used to build in 
1-1.5 hours, and now it builds in 10+ hours and times out on builders.

Some GNU make changes caused this.
Did anyone else observe performance problems?


Thanks,

Yuri