Quote - > Quote - Linux gave it the option of being open sourced, which led to rapid improvement.

The open sourcing of Blender was nothing to do with Linux.
When NaN shut down, a buy out of the code was organised so that the code could be open sourced.
See -> http://www.blender.org/blenderorg/blender-foundation/history/

Linux was an easy platform to port to, because is extremely similar to Unix (similarly for MacOS)
I'm not sure, but ISTR that there where ports for Linux and Macs before the Foundation buy out (it was definitely available for Windows in the NaN days).

I am aware of the history of OSS, and never said Linux created that movement.  Linux being an OSS alternative to Unix made porting easy, and blender's popularity among Linux users gave it a large enough following to raise the needed money.  I don't see how it could have happened without the gains OSS and Linux made during the time immediately leading up to the decision.  Could any other community, already having dozens of commercial or free/shareware 3D programs, have been bothered to raise the necessary money?