What is the difference between a UNIX shell account and a SLIP/PPP account??

A UNIX shell account is a dial up account that runs off our UNIX server. This gives you a text access interface to the Internet. A SLIP/PPP account installs applications on your computer to provide a protocol giving your computer access to the Internet as a node. A SLIP/PPP account allows users to use standard Internet application software such as Netscape, Eudora, etc.

Can I get a static IP address?

Static IP addresses are available for $25 a year