I'm trying to determine the best way to impliment offering free virtual servers. Here's a copy and paste of the thread I started on my forums:
Quote:So I've been working on a system for providing free Virtual servers but since the number will be very limited I need some feedback before proceeding any further.
Would you be interested in a free virtual server that comes with no control panel and is unmanaged (meaning we are not required to offer free support)?
We will not be giving these away for free like our hosting accounts so we will need to screen every applicant like we do now but we will be placing stricter requirements for those who wish to obtain one. So here are the options I'm thinking:
1) Require monthly posts to obtain a VPS.
I personally don't like this idea because Post2Host brings spam to the forums but willing to consider this idea.
2) Require a single post requesting a VPS and justification for a VPS.
I'm fairly certain this will be required anyways but I'm interested to see other's views on this.
3) Provide VPSs for developement and testing only and have a time limit on each VPS.
This means that the free VPSs will not be permanent and will an expiration time to allow for other users to obtain a VPS for developement/testing reasons after X weeks/months.
4) Require a link/banner on their site for Host2x.
I try to avoid banners/links since they are hard to enforce but for the limited amount of VPSs I wouldn't mind creating a script to do daily checks. Keep in mind that the banners/links are for Host2x only and not advertisements, just a simple "Hosted by" type of thing.
I'm welcome to any other suggestions. 
Here are the VPS specs:
64MB RAM, 128MB Swap, 4.8GHz worth of shared CPU, 5GB Disk Space, 50GB bandwidth on 100MB port, HyperVM VPS control panel, XEN based system level container, and 1 dedicated IP.
For the Link back you should create a script that will but a diagonal banner in the corner of every page and is impossible to be edited by the user.
Err impossible is nothing Dot.tk tries. Workarounds still exist. I would just post 2 host. Development is good, but then i don't get one. One posts needed is a good idea. Screening also good.
Make the p2h quality posts. and much be checked by a team first.
(2009-09-07, 02:11 AM)Lyndon Wrote: [ -> ]For the Link back you should create a script that will but a diagonal banner in the corner of every page and is impossible to be edited by the user.
I will not be installing any software on the VPSs, plus the users will have root access so it doesn't matter what I install they can always edit/remove it so that's pointless.
(2009-09-07, 02:39 AM)T0m Wrote: [ -> ]Err impossible is nothing Dot.tk tries. Workarounds still exist. I would just post 2 host. Development is good, but then i don't get one. One posts needed is a good idea. Screening also good.
Make the p2h quality posts. and much be checked by a team first.
That's what I'm thinking but I'm trying to figure out a way so that I can offer more VPSs in the future without spending thousands of dollars to purchase a new server.
Inactive account rules. 1 week no activity, email sent 2 weeks. gone.
That's kind of pointless because if I were a user I would just make a weekly cron to wget a file from somewhere to be "active".
By active i mean like... A bandwidth meter. If it reaches say 20gb, and doesn't drop below, make that the limit, before a review.
(2009-09-07, 04:00 AM)KuJoe Wrote: [ -> ]That's kind of pointless because if I were a user I would just make a weekly cron to wget a file from somewhere to be "active".
Well you could require a certain amount of posts a month or something.
Although I think a justification post with updates would be best. Like they must explain why then need it and then every week prove they are actually using it.
(2009-09-07, 04:39 AM)NetSage Wrote: [ -> ]Although I think a justification post with updates would be best. Like they must explain why then need it and then every week prove they are actually using it.
I agree, that would be the best idea. But it needs time to read these posts an to judge them...
Advertisement will probably be your only way to cover in the money you loose on offering free vps'es.
You should have rules like maximum one per person, 50gb limit etc.
you can't have the values to low either, because then nobody will be using it.
and btw, go for debian