Linux is an open source operating system. Linux can be obtained in source format and built by individuals or business organizations.
The Linux open source code encourages feedback and further development by programmers. Linux developers are encouraged to design their own specialized distribution of the operating system to meet their specific needs and to freely offer their source code to the Linux community for potential inclusion.
All Linux distributions share a similar Linux kernel and development library. Linux distributors provide custom components that ease the installation and maintenance of Linux servers. Before installing another distributor's version of Linux, verify that the kernel has been compiled for the Power PC and the iSeries™ hardware. Otherwise, your server might be incorrectly configured and will not run Linux in a logical partition.
Many of the distributors will provide a download via the Internet or a
CD-ROM version of Linux. Refer to Linux for iSeries 
for
links to each distributor.