apply patch from TomH for #477 and dont require http auth on GET to the API.

app/controllers/application.rb

@@ -11,31 +11,33 @@ class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
   end
 
   def authorize(realm='Web Password', errormessage="Couldn't authenticate you") 
-    username, passwd = get_auth_data # parse from headers
-    # authenticate per-scheme
-    if username.nil?
-      @user = nil # no authentication provided - perhaps first connect (client should retry after 401)
-    elsif username == 'token' 
-      @user = User.authenticate_token(passwd) # preferred - random token for user from db, passed in basic auth
-    else
-      @user = User.authenticate(username, passwd) # basic auth
+    unless request.get?
+      username, passwd = get_auth_data # parse from headers
+      # authenticate per-scheme
+      if username.nil?
+        @user = nil # no authentication provided - perhaps first connect (client should retry after 401)
+      elsif username == 'token' 
+        @user = User.authenticate_token(passwd) # preferred - random token for user from db, passed in basic auth
+      else
+        @user = User.authenticate(username, passwd) # basic auth
+      end
+
+      # handle authenticate pass/fail
+      if @user
+        # user exists and password is correct ... horray! 
+        if @user.methods.include? 'lastlogin'         # note last login 
+          @session['lastlogin'] = user.lastlogin 
+          @user.last.login = Time.now 
+          @user.save() 
+          @session["User.id"] = @user.id 
+        end             
+      else 
+        # no auth, the user does not exist or the password was wrong
+        response.headers["Status"] = "Unauthorized" 
+        response.headers["WWW-Authenticate"] = "Basic realm=\"#{realm}\"" 
+        render_text(errormessage, 401) # :unauthorized
+      end 
     end
-    
-    # handle authenticate pass/fail
-    if @user
-      # user exists and password is correct ... horray! 
-      if @user.methods.include? 'lastlogin'         # note last login 
-        @session['lastlogin'] = user.lastlogin 
-        @user.last.login = Time.now 
-        @user.save() 
-        @session["User.id"] = @user.id 
-      end             
-    else 
-      # no auth, the user does not exist or the password was wrong
-      response.headers["Status"] = "Unauthorized" 
-      response.headers["WWW-Authenticate"] = "Basic realm=\"#{realm}\"" 
-      render_text(errormessage, 401) # :unauthorized
-    end 
   end 
 
   # Report and error to the user