Triple Booting & rEFIt

Is it possible to triple boot Gentoo Linux, Windows Vista, and OS X without using rEFIt, possibly by choosing each at startup by holding down the options key?

Just don't install Refit

So, can the firmware bootloader boot Linux? Where does rEFIt come into all of this?

rEFIt just has some nice features built in such as the ability to reset the partitioning table and access the EFI shell. If you're absolutely sure of what you're doing and don't mind the ugliness of the hard drive icons that show up when you press option, you should be fine in theory. I actually know someone who dual boots OS X and Linux without rEFIt.

What's so ugly about the hard drive icons? I think it's far more elegant than a standard PC. I'll be following a guide. I'd assume that it'd be fine, even if I don't setup elilo correctly. Linux just won't boot.