While I’m reporting on my computer mishaps (go here if you want to know how to install ITK), here’s another headslapper. (BTW, this applies to Snow Leopard/OS X 10.6.3.)

MacPorts is a command line tool for installing software, and I was trying it out for the end goal of getting ImageMagick on my computer. Installing MacPorts itself went smoothly. Then, as its documentation suggested, I tried to update by running sudo port -v selfupdate. “Tried” is the operative word, as I kept getting this:

Error: Unable to execute port: can't read "build.cmd": Failed to locate 'make' in
path: '/opt/local/bin:/opt/local/sbin:/bin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin' or at its
MacPorts configuration time location, did you move it?

No, you twit, I did not move it.

Sarcastic frustration being ineffective for compelling my computer to cooperate (whew alliteration of c-p sounds), I turned to Google and found that a few other people also experienced this problem. At least two arrived at resolution by (re)installing Xcode with Unix Development Support. I installed Xcode from my OS X install disc, and after that MacPorts updated properly. I’m not sure if the version of Xcode available online for download will also work.