Nix has had a progress indicator for a few years now[0]. It doesn't provide any time estimates but it does show which part of the build it is on (unpack/patch/configure/build/install), how many dependencies it has built or fetched from a binary cache and how many remain. The full build log is accessible with the nix-log command as well, so it's nice from the both a user and dev viewpoint.
For long builds I have stopped watching build logs live altogether and append `; tput bel` to the command to get audible feedback at the end.
For graphical applications, especially on mobile, I wish progress bars got out of the way more. Users ought to be able to continue using an app while a task occurs in a separate thread, and whose progress bar doesn't take up the entire visual field. Many apps, especially on iOS, seem to still be guilty of this.
For long builds I have stopped watching build logs live altogether and append `; tput bel` to the command to get audible feedback at the end.
For graphical applications, especially on mobile, I wish progress bars got out of the way more. Users ought to be able to continue using an app while a task occurs in a separate thread, and whose progress bar doesn't take up the entire visual field. Many apps, especially on iOS, seem to still be guilty of this.
[0] The creator shows it off here, to applause: https://youtu.be/XVIKScU7Uf4?t=420