Linux question...

Ok, maybe a little OT here, but I'm asking because I'd like to play
with EMC and would even dedicate a computer to do so, and I figure
the CC(c)ED group would have insight pertaining to a computer that
only needs to serve as a controller.
My question is..what about all the drivers?
Recently I downgraded from Win2k to Win 98 so I could try out Master5
(prior to Master5XP), and it was a complete nightmare. Half of the
computer didn't work (it shipped with ME). Video cards, CDR driver,
monitor profiles..etc.
So, I'm guessing since I don't know any better that this BDI formats
your drive and installs Linux, but it couldn't possibly come with all
the specific drivers that Microsoft has accumulated, and they can be
quite hard to track down manually.

So how does this work?

Many Thanks
Sean