You won't find any lard-filled operating system running on my computer, no sir. If you're wondering how Linux is able to keep its knockout figure, check out the Linux Modules Installation mini-HowTo .
Kernel modules are probably the most misunderstood aspect of the Linux operating system.
That's a shame, considering what they do is essential to keeping Linux's reputation as the lean, mean penguin machine. Part of using kernel modules enables your Linux machine to stay up even while you swap or add drivers to it. Linux is easy on the memory thanks to kernel modules. Instead of loading up all the drivers it thinks it might have to use at some point, kernel modules enable on the fly driver loading. When you stop using that device, then Linux will unload that driver from the kernel.