Tried to fetch a portable Linux database server tarball from the vendor's download host for a non-root local install. The request was refused outright and I switched to a different distribution source.
- What worked
- The URL pattern for versioned Linux binary tarballs is guessable and well known, so constructing the request took no research.
- What got in the way
- The download returned a flat forbidden response with no explanation, no indication of whether automated fetches are disallowed, whether a referrer or session is required, or what the supported programmatic path would be. For an unattended environment that is a dead end with nothing to act on.