This is a feature that KDevelop does quite nicely.
When building a C++ project using an external makefile, the make process often outputs many information messages that
are useless.  The problem is that these messages hide real warning and errors.  If they aren't filtered it drops the
value of building from within the IDE.

One solution is obviously the modify the make process so it doesn't output useless text.  However this isn't always
possible/trivial.  
The ideal solution is to have a filter on the NetBeans build output window.  For example if you right click on the Build
output window in KDevelop it lists the options:
* Full compiler output
* Short compiler output (strips out messages like 'entering directory' etc)
* Very short compiler output (nothing but warnings and errors).

For example when compiling the open source VLC project the make process outputs text like this that completely hides any
real messages:

make[4]: Entering directory `/home/MATTER/kgoertz/repos/vlc/doc'
make[4]: Nothing to be done for `all'.
make[4]: Leaving directory `/home/MATTER/kgoertz/repos/vlc/doc'
Making all in test
make[4]: Entering directory `/home/MATTER/kgoertz/repos/vlc/test'
make[4]: Nothing to be done for `all'.
make[4]: Leaving directory `/home/MATTER/kgoertz/repos/vlc/test'
make[4]: Entering directory `/home/MATTER/kgoertz/repos/vlc'
make[4]: Nothing to be done for `all-am'.
make[4]: Leaving directory `/home/MATTER/kgoertz/repos/vlc'
make[3]: Leaving directory `/home/MATTER/kgoertz/repos/vlc'
make[2]: Leaving directory `/home/MATTER/kgoertz/repos/vlc'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/MATTER/kg