Finish side quests before or after main quest in Fallout 3?

I finally found time to play through Fallout 3 and I think I was lucky I

was already having the Broken Steel Add-On to not just end the game.

I really only went through the main quest this time, touching just a few side quests.

Now that I finished the main quest: does it make any difference whether I now start finishing all side quests or should I better finish them before I finish the main quest?

It doesn't matter.

at the end of the main quest you can choose to live on or sacrifice yourself...

This means that there are a few different options.

• Run through the main quest, then do the sides.
• Take it easy, follow the path of the main quest but also do most of the side quests that don't take a lot of walking. (Remember you can fast travel!)
• Go from town to town, do every quest and do the main quest on the end.

Option 1 is just for finishing the game, it's a bit harder then the other options as you don't get the XP from other quests.

Option 2 would be the most common option, it gets you trough the game the best way. You level up a lot, you get companions and all the other good stuff...

Option 3 would be if you want to play trough the game with the best karma... since you can then sacrifice yourself in the end.