.install_started timestamp vs 'find /usr/local -newer'

[kwesterback@home.com]

Trying to follow the suggestions in checklist.html I got to
part 18 where it recommends using the command
 
  find /usr/local -newer work/.install_started -print

to discover files that may be left behind after an
uninstall.

I found that (for small ports anyway!) the timestamp on
.install_started is the same as the timestamp on the 
installed files, as the installation takes < 1 second.

Applying the patch

--- bsd.port.mk.orig	Fri Dec  3 19:13:47 1999
+++ bsd.port.mk	Sat Dec  4 08:11:09 1999
@@ -1554,6 +1554,7 @@ _PORT_USE: .USE
 	fi
 .endif
 	@${_MAKE_COOKIE} ${INSTALL_PRE_COOKIE}
+	@sleep 1
 .endif
 	@cd ${.CURDIR} && make ${.TARGET:S/^real-/pre-/}
 	@if [ -f ${SCRIPTDIR}/${.TARGET:S/^real-/pre-/} ]; then \

made things work for me. Not being a .mk guru I merely hope I
used the most appropriate syntax. (What are the '@'s for anyway?)
And of course there may be more elegant way to make the timestamps
differ.

Is this a useful modification, or am I missing something that 
makes the identical timestamps a feature/non-issue? 

.... Ken