using Amazon-EC2 or Linode for hosting a debian server with R regularly extracting information from the web
I have hacked my NAS-01g into a debian server and use it to regularly download stock quote and earthquake information from the web. I was on a trip last week and I turned off my sever at home, but when I come back, I can no long gain access to the server. Considering re-configuring the server as very time-consuming, I am thinking of migrating my existing server to cloud.

I have a few requirements here:

- server on 24/7
- use cron to hourly call R to extract data from somewhere, say yahoo finance
- (optional) backup and encrypt my gmail account
- (optional) host django server and I am learning to use it now

I am thinking of using amazon-EC2 or Linode. I have tried amazon-EC2 a bit, but the pricing scheme seems very complicated for me, and I want the server to be as cheap as possible as it is not really that mission critical work. I wonder Linode is simpler for a non-system admin like me.

Hope my question won't be considered as off-topic here.

Thanks in advance.
using Amazon-EC2 or Linode for hosting a debian server with R regularly extracting information from the web
===

I have hacked my NAS-01g into a debian server and use it to regularly download stock quote and earthquake information from the web. I was on a trip last week and I turned off my sever at home, but when I come back, I can no long gain access to the server. Considering re-configuring the server as very time-consuming, I am thinking of migrating my existing server to cloud.

I have a few requirements here:

- server on 24/7
- use cron to hourly call R to extract data from somewhere, say yahoo finance
- (optional) backup and encrypt my gmail account
- (optional) host django server and I am learning to use it now

I am thinking of using amazon-EC2 or Linode. I have tried amazon-EC2 a bit, but the pricing scheme seems very complicated for me, and I want the server to be as cheap as possible as it is not really that mission critical work. I wonder Linode is simpler for a non-system admin like me.

Hope my question won't be considered as off-topic here.

Thanks in advance.