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)?"

Why free?

[Jahf]

Ok, so I'm curious, what is the benefit to the provider to give free access to shell accounts.

All the shell accounts I've had in the past (I'm in the camp that just runs their own server over broadband now) were in some way attached to a paying account and/or were provided by a school or employer.

I can see a low-cost account, say $5/month for no compiler and $10/month for compiler (or just limit the account to x% CPU), but free doesn't make sense to me.

Not saying I think they should go away if they exist, just wondering what the incentive to give someone command-line access to your box would be?

Check out their network stats page

[Gothmolly]

Notice the spike, right around the time that this article was posted. Hard data on the Slashdot effect!

I Love Google

[Anonymous Coward]

A quick search turned up something that might be of interest: free shell accounts [ductape.net]