[A] The default slackware kernal works fine, so you should start out with that.
If you really want to optimise then just install the sources which come with
slackware and compile yourself. But it doesn't really make that much
difference.

Until you get your PCMCIA modem I wouldn't really worry about changing
anything. When you do get your modem though you don't need to touch the kernel
as all the PCMCIA stuff is implemented as loadable modules.

You will need to either compile the modules yourself or get a copy of the
binaries. Compiling the modules is pretty straight forward, but you do need the
kernel sources to compile the modules.

[A] I disagree. The stock "bare" slackware kernel has a lot of stuff that will
add to your overhead and is useless to the aero. Definitely re-compile, and use
a kernel that can support the apm patches: the patches I got required at least
1.1.78. That's the kernel I have, and it is FAR better in speed, as well as
being able to handle suspend-resume much better. The pcmcia stuff is not
important until you get a modem, as the floppy isn't supported by the driver,
and works OK if it's plugged in at boot and you don't suspend. the loadable
modules have to be attached, so you need a kernel that supports modules, which
the slackware kernels do not do as of yet.