ietf-nntp AUTHINFO GENERIC (no args) proposal

[Brian Hernacki]

Nat Ballou wrote:
> 
> One of the things put forward by the referenced Myers draft is
> a blank auth command that returns a successful response listing
> the supported authentication packages.
> 
> I know that the new NNTP draft has capabilities, but it seems
> simpler for a client that is capable of negotiating authentication
> packages to send an AUTHINFO GENERIC (no args) command to get
> the list of authentication packages independent of all of the
> other capabilities supported by the NNTP server.
> 
> A sample would be:
> 
> C: AUTHINFO GENERIC
> S: 281 List follows
> S: KERBEROS_V4
> S: GSSAPI
> S: .
> 
> Note that each package is separated by a CR/LF and the list is
> terminated with a '.' - as in Myers draft.
> 
> I would like this added to the draft.
> 
> Comments?

Is this method of authentication already in use today? i.e. Is it part
of the existing news protocol?

--brian