It's not a bad recommendation. Much as I can rely on free online services (Gmail, Reader), there are things that I need past those (encrypted tunneling, coding/scripting/data management interface, proxy services). Arguably, everyone should be interested in these things, but it's not everybody's cup of tea.

Problem is dedicating the whole Mini to such a thing. Doing as such would take away a decent desktop/home theater machine, and make it somewhat inaccessible behind my (relatively) meager Internet connection. If Robbie (or other interested idkfa users) want a VNC, SSH, or RDP bastion, they need only nerd-snipe me into doing so.

There's also that I think Robbie's traveling situation is temporary. He'd probably want the Mini back at some point, or at home, wherever home happens to be.

Full recommendation to follow in reply to Robbie...