[ltp] Questions/Pointers for ThinkPad 600 Model 2645-21u

[MegaBight]

Hi,
     I just got a ThinkPad 600 Model 2645-21 with 160 MB RAM and 3 GB 
Hard Disk, and I'd like to get a nice stable Linux distro up and 
running on it, but I'd like to get some feedback from the linux 
thinkpad community before I jump in.

1) My BIOS date is 4/98 should I update it?
2) What Linux distros do TP600 users recommend? Should I go RH9? 
Mandrake 9.1? Debian?
3) Has anyone done a TP600 customized Gentoo install? Was there enough 
of a speed bump to justify the labor?
4) Is TP600 sound supported? Do I go with ALSA or OSS? What about audio 
in?
5) Do we have stable PCMCIA support for the TP600? What's needed to get 
it to run?
6) Is an accelerated XFree86 server available for the video chip?
7) Does this wacky eraser-tip-stuck-in-the-keyboard-mouse work in X?
8) Is there any reason to do DOS on this thing or can I wipe the whole 
drive and just do Linux?
9) What is battery life like when running linux? Is any power 
management supported?

Thanks much in advance, all pointers and info are greatly appreciated

megabight@electricocean.com