Wow. That's seriously impressive - I knew about the binary compatibility, but didn't expect it would bootstrap a Linux distro.

In what sense would "quite a few Linux distros [...] run perfectly" in this context?

Take a closer look -- if you're talking about the plaster mouldings in the ceiling in Victorian/Edwardian/Art Deco houses, they were originally there to decorate the ventilation holes for gas or fuel fumes, or in hot climates for letting hot air get into the roof.