Amazon Web Services has a free tier for one year. I've been using a 'micro' Linux server for SVN for a couple months. (I started an account for some actual processing jobs, but that is finished)
EC2 has one problem, which is that shutting down the instance deprovisions it, i.e. destroys all data it contains. You are supposed to handle that yourself by copying you data to S3 prior to shutdown.
Some people have been burned by this behavior, because they did not read the docs.
---------- Post added at 01:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:56 PM ----------
Exactly the opposite - you are getting paid for attaching the installer.
The way I see it, is that SF takes my stuff, uses it to push adware on unsuspecting users, and then gives me a cut of the adware profit. I find this completely unacceptable, because I am opposed to adware.
On the other hand, if I was OK with pushing adware on users, then I'd set my own adware distribution scheme ($5/mo VPS will do, besides, there's always Amazon S3) and keep all the profits to myself.
So SF's scheme is only good when one is at the same: (1) too greedy to have ethical doubts about pushing adware and (2) too stupid/lazy to do the adware distribution himself.
