Correct, the patches above are copies of the changes made in the repository that will be used to build pfSense 2.4.4-p1. So not "hacks" exactly. If it's all working for you now then there shouldn't be anything to worry about. When you upgrade to 2.4.4-p1 the manually edited files will be replaced with the copies from the new release, which already contain these changes.

@jknott said in Hardware switch or NIC brridge?: There used to be some cut through switches, that would start switching as soon as it learned the destination MAC, but those have disappeared And there still are, the cisco nexus 5000 line did/does it... The 9000 series nexus I believe default to cut through but can be put in store and forward, etc. So disappeared is not true... But cut through was never in the soho or budget lines of any switch maker..