Thanks for the info about dolphin account creation. Something to aspire to :)
I assume the free account creation options have been shut recently? Perhaps with the dreaded HF20. It was working fine a few months ago, I know that much. And I know that an account with no Steem is a dead end. Can't post, comment, vote, or interact in any way. This is a pay-to-play site now, as you know! Speaking of that, thanks again for being so active and generous in the community, I've been noticing your acts of kindness :P
Yes, since HF20 everything has their own RC cost. If you ever want to get an account for a friend just send me an email where a link can be sent. They would have a week to claim it.