It was, it just takes so freaking long, you probably didn't even notice it :))

Taking out a single block would deactivate the portal (except for a corner block because they are optional) and its remains would prevent other portals spawning in that spot because it is identified as being occupied. You can use the same strategy of adding or removing obstructions to coax future portals into spawning where you want them.

Blocks don't have restrictions on being broken manually; using the correct tool simply speeds up the process.

That and using the right tool ensures that the block is collectible and not simply destroyed in the process.

I really do wish that obsidian wasn't so time consuming to mine though.

I have never mined obsidian. What I do is build a mould, shove lava in it and dump water over top. Repeat the process for each block of the portal or whatever.

There are whole oceans of lava in the Nether so this is much easier than finding a tiny pool of natural lava and pouring water over it, hoping all the while that the lava isn't more than one block deep (which it often is). Unless you are wanting to build entire structures out of obsidian I would suggest trying moulding instead.

Instead of pouring water over lava pools more than one block deep, you could with that same bucket of water simply place a spring somewhere that will end up in the pool of lava, turning its top layer into obsidian. When you then mine the obsidian, the water from the spring will immediately transform the lava block below into obsidian as well.

Are you running it on render distance normal or lower? Far is bugged.

It is? I've been using far since I first started playing and haven't noticed any issues. How is it bugged?

Ah, yes, far. That'll be it then. Thanks for that!
Screen goes black at random intervals since beta started. Alpha worked perfectly for me. It's just beta that has brought with it a slew of bugs.

Strange I too use "far" and I never had any bugs. (Except of course for the buggy first post beta version which had framerate issues and "transparent ground" issue but this was corrected the next day)

It might just happen on certain configurations.

Yes probably, owning an ATI I guess I must consider myself lucky of not being part of those configuration for once :)

I've got an Nvidia card. So it may very well be that the tables have been turned in this case. :P

ATI? Well, no BetterLight for You then. ;P

Oh, sorry, my fault, i was thinking about the GL shaders. ;)