[NNTP] LIST EXTENSIONS (again)

[Mark Crispin]

On Tue, 9 Nov 2004, Russ Allbery wrote:
>> If there is a different command for client vs. peer authentication, then
>> there is no need for MODE READER.
> I don't understand why this would be the case.  The need or lack thereof
> of MODE READER has nothing to do with authentication.  You can make the
> client authentication command do an implicit MODE READER, but that does
> nothing for the (numerous) sites that don't use any authentication at all.

If the site does not use authentication, then the mode switch can be made 
on the first IHAVE command (to set peer mode) or the first command other 
than HEAD, STAT, LIST ACTIVE, or LIST EXTENSIONS (to set client mode).

Or we can simply define a no-credentials authentication method (ala SASL 
anonymous) that sets peer mode and declare client mode to otherwise be the 
default.

>> Actually, if you take the position that RFC 977 is anything more than
>> worthless, then MODE READER is not needed because it is not in RFC 977.
> I would take the position that RFC 977 is largely worthless, not because
> of that, but because of quite a few other omissions and inconsistencies
> with what news servers actually do.  Most of them are, like MODE READER,
> ones that only bite you in rare circumstances, although there are
> certainly a fair number of core commands missing entirely.

I agree; which proves the point that "it's not compatible with RFC 977" is 
a silly argument.

-- Mark --

http://staff.washington.edu/mrc
Science does not emerge from voting, party politics, or public debate.
Si vis pacem, para bellum.