[All4BigGuns]

Rating should be equal to System (which you should have equal to Response). Personally, I wouldn't waste optimization on any but Analyze and Encrypt. Picking (System) in ergonomic programs would be good too.

[Csjarrat]

yes, skilinked datajacks will work fine for DNI. you can plug data jack into fibreoptics and connect to commlink that way as well if you'd prefer. i believe trodes work just as well for dni

as regards commlinks, get the best one in the book. you can only upgrade them to +2 of the attribute so i think its the novatech airware and navi combination you need to be able to get the best upgrades.
if you want rating six commlink to start off with, then you need to get restricted gear and response 6. upgrade the system to match and get the best firewall you can.
tbh though, its a lot of cash, you might as well stick with R5 kit and software.
having your software at R5 means you can put program options in them (avail is too high for this @ chargen without restricted gear on R6 software)
so you could put mute on your exploit program and ergonomic on others to keep your response high.

[Tsuzua]

Rating should be equal to System (which you should have equal to Response). Personally, I wouldn't waste optimization on any but Analyze and Encrypt. Picking (System) in ergonomic programs would be good too.

This is fairly good advice.  On thing you can do is start with a Response 4, System 6 commlink with a ton of rating 6 programs.  Then when play starts buy a rating 6 response module.  You can't start play with one due to the availiablity cap, but it's fairly cheap and your face should be able to find you one.  Once you have it, all of your programs will naturally increase to 6.  In the meanwhile, you can survive with rating 4 programs for a run or two.

[All4BigGuns]

Another piece of advice, ignore those here who try to make the claim that Firewall isn't restricted by Response (everything else is, so it's really just rules lawyering and looking for exploitive loopholes to say it isn't).