The new ssh client appears to act normally for all hosts (running
different OpenSSH and SSH versions) I connect to. But one machine I log on
to asks for a "Response:". I never received "Response:" prompting until I
used the NetBSD version of ssh.

SSH Version OpenSSH-1.2.3, protocol version 1.5.
Compiled with SSL.

 debug: Installing crc compensation attack detector.
 debug: Received encrypted confirmation.
 debug: Trying RSA authentication with key 'mynamehere@host'
 debug: Server refused our key.
 debug: Doing password authentication.
 mynamehere@the-host-here.edu's password:

SSH Version 1.2.27 [i686-unknown-linux], protocol version 1.5.
Standard version.  Does not use RSAREF.

 my.host: Installing crc compensation attack detector.
 my.host: Received encrypted confirmation.
 my.host: No agent.
 my.host: Trying RSA authentication with key 'mynamehere@host'
 my.host: Server refused our key.
 my.host: Doing password authentication.
 mynamehere@the-host-here.edu's password:

SSH Version NetBSD_Secure_Shell-20001003, protocol versions 1.5/2.0.

 debug: Installing crc compensation attack detector.
 debug: Received encrypted confirmation.
 debug: Trying RSA authentication with key 'myname@host'
 debug: Server refused our key.
 debug: Doing skey authentication.
 otp-md5 5 slot26517
 Response: 
 Permission denied, please try again.
 Response: 
 Permission denied, please try again.
 Response: 
 mynamehere@the-host-here.edu's password: 

So it appears that by default it is using the skey authentication.
The OpenSSH man page says the default is "no"; NetBSD's ssh has the
default of "yes".

What is the reasoning behind using skey as the default?

I was thinking that the ssh should act like the other ssh's. But maybe I
am wrong. Please share your thoughts.

   Jeremy C. Reed
   http://www.reedmedia.net/