> Mostly realtek is well supported in almost any os, but the buffer
> management isn't that good (is it?).

Quoting from
/* $NetBSD: if_rl.c,v 1.6 2000/02/02 17:09:38 thorpej Exp $ */
(which I believe has moved to some other name in -current, but my
machine with a -current source tree is sick right now):

 * The RealTek 8139 PCI NIC redefines the meaning of 'low end.' This is
 * probably the worst PCI ethernet controller ever made, with the possible
 * exception of the FEAST chip made by SMC.  [...]

and yes, most of the gripes are relating to buffer management.

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