Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!pacbell.com!ucsd!ucbvax!ucdavis!uop!nsayer
From: nsayer@uop.edu (Nick Sayer)
Newsgroups: news.software.nntp
Subject: Re: Change error code: "502 Can't give that to you" to 413?
Message-ID: <278abc3f.1d8a@uop.uop.edu>
Date: 9 Jan 91 06:46:24 GMT
References: <278a949a.1452@uop.uop.edu>
Organization: University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA [138.9.200.1]
Lines: 17

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.