When first installing gentoo, the docs give you a list of things you need to be sure you do in configuring your kernel--e.g. enable device and virtual memory file system, enable the various filesystems that you're using, etc. I think it would be easier for people who haven't built a kernel before if the default .config file had all that stuff enabled, had all the network drivers enabled to build as modules, etc. Then, folks who cared could turn stuff off appropriately, but by default, folks would get an appropriate kernel.
this is already done and is progressing forward, try 2.4.19-gentoo-r9 :)
