Can't change permissions through ftp?

[yojoe]

It's a rare behaviour and depends on security methods a webhost is using.
Disallowing 777 rights on directories is a radical approach.
From other hand, well written application, shouldn't require 777 rights on a directory to write something inside it.

aside from that, clean GS never required 777 rights, and afair there were not more than 2-3 plugins which needed higher rights.