nsayer@uop.edu (Nick Sayer) (01/09/91)
I believe that the current implementation of nntpd with respect to the error code mentioned is incorrect. 502 implies a far more dire situation than is the case when someone tries an ARTICLE <foo@site.fobaz.com> and it turns out that the group where the article resides is in a group made unavailable in the nntp_access file. I believe that in common/nntp.h, this should be added: #define ERR_NGPERM 413 /* No permission for that group */ and in ahbs.c, the line that says "Can't give that to you." should have ERR_NGPERM rather than ERR_ACCESS. This would allow a differentiation between "Can't give that (single) article to you" and "you have no permission to do that sort of thing at all." Anyway, that's my two cents. I can generate context diffs if anyone wants them, but rather than do so, I'll wait for comments from the authors or people smarter about such things than I. -- Nick Sayer | Disclaimer: "Don't try this at home, | RIP: Mel Blanc mrapple@quack.sac.ca.us | kids. This should only be done by | 1908-1989 N6QQQ [44.2.1.17] | trained, professional idiots." | May he never 209-952-5347 (Telebit) | --Plucky Duck | be silenced.
nsayer@uop.edu (Nick Sayer) (01/09/91)
nsayer@uop.edu (Nick Sayer) writes: >#define ERR_NOPERM 413 /* No permission for that group */ On second glance, 431 seems a better choice. In general, some distinction is called for between 4xx and 5xx. 502 is used a lot, and IMHO it should be used when future invocations of the same command will fail. 4xx should be used when operations on one article fail, but there's nothing to keep you from trying again on some other article. With that in mind, the error for "you have no posting permission" should perhaps be changed to 502. I also might add that "x8x" appears to be for Authorization type messages, but that's not mentioned in nntp.h. -- Nick Sayer | Disclaimer: "Don't try this at home, | RIP: Mel Blanc mrapple@quack.sac.ca.us | kids. This should only be done by | 1908-1989 N6QQQ [44.2.1.17] | trained, professional idiots." | May he never 209-952-5347 (Telebit) | --Plucky Duck | be silenced.
nelson@sun.soe.clarkson.edu (Russ Nelson) (01/10/91)
In article <278abc3f.1d8a@uop.uop.edu> nsayer@uop.edu (Nick Sayer) writes:
In general, some distinction is called for between 4xx and 5xx.
Perhaps 4xx should mean "can't do it with these arguments", and 5xx should
mean "can't ever do it"?
--
--russ (nelson@clutx [.bitnet | .clarkson.edu]) FAX 315-268-7600
It's better to get mugged than to live a life of fear -- Freeman Dyson
I joined the League for Programming Freedom, and I hope you'll join too.