Unix Shell Accounts?

mcovey asks: "Unix shell accounts used to be easy to find, with quality applications installed and free web space. Nowadays the only free ones left are either not accepting new accounts, have limited applications or send you on a wild goose chase to register. Does anyone know any free or low-cost shell accounts that include compilers, IRC, background processes, FTP, a decent editor and an email app (preferably pine, since I have a config file already on my IMAP server)?"

And on a related note

[mkavanagh2]

Does anyone know where I can find an open mail relay for legitimate purposes? For some reason, all the public open mail relays seem to be scarce now :(

Sure, I'll give ya one!

[VisorGuy]

Yeah, you can have one on my syst...

"System halted"

Re:Why free?

[PylonHead]

Why?

So they can deal with a lot more bullshit in their lives!

By offering free shell accounts, they give spammers a base to work from.

By offering free shell accounts, people can coordinate their DDOS attacks from their box.

By offereing free shell accounts, they can deal with people running high bandwith gaming servers that choke off their networks.

Now, I wonder why it's hard to find people giving out free shell accounts with compilers?

No

[10101001 10101001]

No, but there are tons of free* Windows accounts for to use. I've heard the figure at millions.

*Cost does not include any lawyer fees or jail time associated with the use of said Windows accounts.