Apache web server and Linux should not be confused. Linux is an Operating System. Apache is a web server. Apples and oranges. :)
As for your hotlinking, try this:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} \.(gif|jpeg|jpg|png|swf)$ [NC]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !^$ [NC]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !gangleri\.nl [NC]
RewriteRule (.*) http://www.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotlinking
that will work, and wont ban your domain, but bear you mind youre going to see image hits from sites that you WANT to be able to grab your images. feedburner is one such animal, bloglines might be another.
there's also live, and google's feedreader.
so you might want to include these under your domain above:
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !google\. [NC]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !bloglines\. [NC]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !feedburner\. [NC]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !live\.com [NC]
AND.. I really dont recommend putting that in your uppermost .htaccess. Its much wiser to put that in a sub directory that contains images.. or the upper most directory thats STILL a subdirectory.. if you follow.