Parallel building/compiling

Hi all,

I got to musing just now, after watching the
output of VICE being made, and recalled something
about GNU 'make' being optimized for 'parallel' builds.

Is parallel building like compiling separate object
files on different machines, at the same time?

If so, what are the various techniques for the final link?
Do the get sent to some central/master machine to
be held until they are all present, and then linked?

Are there 'build farms', like 'render farms'?

Just curious.

TTFN,
Tarkin
.