Learn more at www.freeshell.org
SDF is also an
acronym for a "
free", publicly funded
UNIX server. According to the
website, the
system has been in operation since
1988 (presumably on
dialup).
Application is simple. Log onto sdf.lonestar.org using "plain"
telnet, and make a
temporary account. This interim account is limited to
pine,
ls,
dir, and
cd, so it isn't the idea base for any sort of
malicious behavior.
If so inclined, you can send in one
dollar, one
euro, or equivalent to some shady
P.O. Box. Of course, practice
common sense when sending
green stamps through the
USPS. This uprated account gives you a pretty wide selection of commands including
mkdir and
rm, as well as
elm,
tin but alas no
telnet. The website for SDF gives more info on how to trade money for more commands, and even a good share of server space. Again, this is at the user's discretion.
In my few months of using SDF, service has been good. The only delays in service have been for server or
equipment upgrades. The
owners make themselves available, and things seem pretty
legit if, again, one practices a bit of healthy
identity protection. There are some nice advantages to having a real server to plop
mailing lists on, most of all a bit of freedom from endless
reams of
spam that can
plague Web based "free"
email services.