Comment Do these modules get loaded unnecessarily? (Score 2) 21
In my own systems, I've just compiled my own kernel, but obviously you can't do that if you have a huge farm of devices to support.
Anyway, I have always thought that the whole point of a modular kernel for typical Linux distributions is that if your hardware or software configuration does not need a particular model, it is not loaded. If there's some piece of software (e.g. Virtualbox) that needs kernel-level access, those do get loaded as part of the software installation. Same for most package-managed software (install a VPN server, you get IPSec/ESP networking modules included). So with devices, they are autodetected (load driver module when you detect hardware, including when plugged in to USB or other removable port), and with other kernel features, they are brought in when some software requires it (some might of course be there by default, like firewall). Only case where you would manually edit