The first question you might have is what is the difference between having a Linux shell account and the shell (or terminal) that you have on your MacBook or can access by installing one of the many flavors of a Linux OS. A shell account is a user account that you access on a remote server managed by somebody else. In this case, that remote server is running Ubuntu Linux. This allows users access to an Ubuntu Linux server from any internet connection over the standard SSH protocol. Our shell accounts are ideal for developers who require or simply prefer a Linux environment as opposed to their home OS. We provide access to all the major shells such as zsh, tcsh, bash, etc, as well as other standard scripting languages such as Perl, PHP, Python (3.7), and compilers such as gcc and g++. We can also install most any package for you that you might need (send an email). In general, many developers learned to code using Linux-like setups of the 90s and early 2000s. Aside from the obvious nostalgia this induces, using a Linux shell account as a development tool has plenty of benefits. Perhaps the key benefit of using a Linux shell is compatibility with a wide range of programming/scripting languages. Java, C, C++, Python, Perl, PHP and Ruby are just a few of the popular languages that can be used when programming in Linux, making it a really accessible option no matter what your background is in coding. Additionally, Linux servers are generally thought of as both more secure and more stable than their Windows counterparts. If stability and security weren't incentive enough, Linux is generally thought of as more flexible and configurable.