When the first Linux kernel was released 25 years ago, it became the go-to platform for hobbyists and developers looking to build systems and develop software on the cheap. Since it was designed for x86 machines, the Linux operating system could be deployed on just about any old hardware lying around.

Of course, a lot has changed since then, and Linux has become a viable and widely used OS for every platform, including mission-critical IT infrastructure, thanks in part to IBM’s early adoption and investment in Linux and the Open Source community.