I actually prefer if a download links to SF because the files are always there. Like with Google Code and some other providers, you know what you're getting.
I work on the egonet project: http://sourceforge.net/projects/egonet/
The latest release was on June 25. Yesterday the big "download now" button was offering the May 30 release. Today it is offering the April 20 release. Yesterday I was at least able to look at the settings page to confirm that we had correctly set the June 25 release as the main download, but now I can't even find that.
I have never had a problem with any of the other providers in that regard either, so I'm not sure what you're trying to say?
Broken download links tell me: This project is abandoned, nobody even cares enough to update the links, stay away, don't waste your time.
This didn't ever happen with google code and the ilk to me, mind you, but only during those desperate "feeling lucky" google searches. Yes the sourceforge links may still work, but who wants a tarball from 2001?