Choosing to build modules

Modules
• Code (eg. device drivers) inserted into the kernel while it is running
• Eg. floppy disk driver or printer port driver only needed when accessing those devices
• Saves on memory (kernel code is not swappable)
Nearly all device drivers can be built as modules
Not usually a good idea to build boot-time devices such as a hard disk device driver as a module (however it can be done with initrd)
Sound-card support is better built compiled-in, anything else that can be modularised should be