One of the most common questions we get is, "Why should I pay for Rumpus, when Mac OS X has an FTP server built in?" There are many reasons, of course. Here are the most important ones:

Web File Management

The most popular FTP clients are Web browsers. They are also, almost universally, the worst FTP clients. Web browser FTP problems range from simply displaying information poorly to flat-out not supporting basic features like file upload. Rumpus offers a unique solution to this problem through the Web File Manager, which puts an attractive HTML interface on your FTP server. In reality, Rumpus includes a built-in Web server that delivers most of the same features of FTP using a simple, customizable HTTP interface. You just won't find the Web File Manager, or anything like it, in OS X's FTP server (or any other FTP server, for that matter).

Support

When you have a problem with your server(s), how important is it that you get answers? Maxum offers free, unlimited technical support. Send an e-mail to Maxum about Rumpus, and you will get a solid answer from a qualified person, usually in a matter of hours (or less).

Secure And Simple User Administration

With Rumpus, you create and maintain user accounts in a single, easy to use window, and those users gain access to the server only through Rumpus. So not only is Rumpus user management a snap, but you can rest assured that users won't gain access to unexpected services running on your Mac.

Advanced Features

The FTP implementation in OS X is solid, but basic. Rumpus, on the other hand, is every bit as stable and reliable, but offers advanced features you just won't find in OS X. Here are a few (but there are many more).

• Upload Notices - Get an e-mail when selected users send you a file.
• RumpusStat Monitoring Widget - Check the status of your server, and recent file activity, from your own desktop Mac dashboard.
• Real-time Activity Reporting - See who is logged on, and what they are doing, at a glance.
• Logging - Rumpus maintains 4 distinct log files to let you see who is using your server, and how. And logs can be rolled automatically.
• More Security - Rumpus offers still more security features, like automatic hacker detection and blocking, alias recognition and disabling, and more.
• Web-Based User Administration - You can create users from anywhere on the 'net via a Web browser, and your users can rotate their own passwords with a simple Web interface.
• Support For Private LANs - Rumpus not only works great inside of private networks with "port forwarding" routers, but include simple instructions on how to configure Rumpus and your network.
• Full User Documentation - Look at the User's Guide and Help articles that come with Rumpus, then look at the documentation you get with OS X FTP...

MacBinary Support

Put simply, Rumpus fully supports the MacBinary protocol and OS X FTP does not. This means that Mac files transferred to your FTP server will remain Mac files if you use Rumpus (and FTP clients like Fetch, Interarchy, Transmit, etc.), but not if you use OS X FTP. Files transferred without MacBinary lose their Finder information and resource forks, an inconvenience at best, and resulting in corrupt files at worst.