the Kernel config File

[Sandro Noel]

Greetings.

i'm fairly new at FreeBSD. but i'm having a good look at  
understanding it.

i'm a litle confused about the whole kernel config file.

i would like to have a kernel as thin as possible, and that can load  
modules,
to be as flexible as possible with the device set i can use/add in  
the future.

the build system is quite forward, but what i dont get quite clearly,
so here are some questions...

the NOTES files contain much more options than the generic file do i  
need them in my configuration file?

if they are included into the configuration file are they built as  
modules or straight to the kernel.

if they are not in the configuration file will they still be compiled  
as modues ?

do i need all the modules to be present on the system if i use devfs ?

Is there any utility software out there that i can use to "design" my  
configuration file
something like on linux?

again, thank you
Sandro Noel