So.. In short the FTP file transfer service was turned off to prevent malicious take-overs of the ticalc web server(s) by hackers or other ill-intentioned people?

No, it was turned off because the software is buggy and highly unnecessary.

I for one welcome our FTP-disabling overlords.

Ohhh... Well that makes an immense ammount of sense.

Sensing sarcasm here, I would normally slap you for being an ass, but in this case I can't.

YES, it makes an immense ammount of sense. If the software is nothing but a burden on the server and a possible hazard to the data therein, GET RID OF IT.

Hmm.. I wonder how the download stats will change now that there isn't a way to download files without effecting their download count....probably won't notice it that much.

It would be easy to add download stats to FTP, either real time or via log analysis.

Or, even better, why don't we just get rid of FTP? Oh wait...

This is actually quite embarrassing for Joey and Morgan.

FTP downloads have always been counted in the download stats.

I just wanted to vote for hosted site access to be brought back up. :-) You don't expect a hosted site maintainer to crack the ticalc.org FTP, do you? If you have concerns about attackers trying to figure out hosted site passwords and getting into FTP that way, why not just use SSL?

The hosting company that I manage (see URL), which happens to host calc.org, uses NcFTPd. We have never had any security problems due to FTP.