ietf-nntp 502 response

[Andrew Gierth]

>>>>> "Clive" == Clive D W Feather <clive at demon.net> writes:

 Clive> Under what circumstances do real servers return 502 ?

 >>>> on connect, or after a failed AUTHINFO exchange, nowhere else.

 Clive> Is that your server, or can you really speak for all common
 Clive> servers ?

I have checked INN and the Diablo reader in addition to my own server.
I can't speak for Typhoon or DNews (one known issue with Typhoon is
that it does not close the connection after a 502 response to AUTHINFO)

 Clive> Do we need a "something broke" generic code ?

 >> that's what 503 is used for in existing practice

 Clive> Hmm. We've documented 503 as "I don't support this and I don't
 Clive> plan to".

RFC 977 defined 503 as "program fault - command not performed". INN
returns it for a number of unexpected error conditions (failure to
initialise the storage manager, failure to execute the external
authenticator, failure of some of the LIST commands due to missing
files, etc.)

My server only uses it in one case at present, which is in response to
a POST command when the server is configured for posting, the user is
authorized to post, but none of the posting servers can be contacted.

-- 
Andrew.