revert: "fix(core): keep recovery off the person's plate (#2168)"

AGENTS.md

@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # Switchboard — the operating contract
 
-Switchboard is an agent gateway: Slack, the CLI, HTTP or MCP sends a message; a dispatcher routes it to an agent, whose provider-backed run uses tools through an executor it never touches directly. Slack is one channel, not the architecture.
+Switchboard is an agent gateway: a message arrives over a channel (Slack, the CLI, HTTP, MCP), a dispatcher routes it to an agent, the agent runs on a model provider and executes tools through an executor it never touches directly. Slack is one channel, not the architecture.
 
-Read this first. Details: [README.md](README.md), [docs](docs/README.md) at <https://openswitchboard.dev> and the [behavioral specs](docs/reference/specs/README.md).
+Every agent here reads this first. Detail is a link away: [README.md](README.md) (the front door), [docs/](docs/README.md) (the human-facing tree, at <https://openswitchboard.dev>), [docs/reference/specs/](docs/reference/specs/README.md) (the behavioral contract).
 
 ## How a change is made
 
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@ The repo's whole interface: deterministic, non-interactive, no credential unless
 | `npm run hygiene:gen` | Records the tree's remaining imprint after a scrub; refuses growth unless `-- --force`. | Part of `fix`; new imprint fails it like `hygiene:check`. |
 | `npm run vocabulary:check` | No internal word prints on a user surface; the baseline only shrinks. | Part of `check:consistency`; a hit is rewritten in the user's nouns. |
 | `npm run vocabulary:gen` | Records the remaining internal words; refuses growth unless `-- --force`. | Part of `fix`. |
-| `npm run user-message:check` | No user-facing statement delegates recovery. | Part of `check:consistency`; the baseline only shrinks. |
 | `npm run docs:changed` | Says whether the last push touched the docs or their build (a CI job output). | CI only — gates the docs deploy. |
 | `npm run deploy:targets` | Which Workers a PR's diff would deploy, as a job summary; on the release PR, a sticky comment. | CI only — the `deploy targets` job. |
 | `npm run docs:dev` | Serves the docs site locally with live reload. | Writing docs; `-- --port <n>` picks the port. |

docs/public/screenshots/manifest/costs-models.json

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
     "web/src/components/ThemeToggle.vue": "025a9a0c7ccc2983772c1888f7426ec161feb3ffaea87c914c65d15bdfd740d3",
     "web/src/components/ViewAsBanner.vue": "c31f753d698c3c9df6f7643fdff78eee122c2a5bacff2d71e2899dd841b9f474",
     "web/src/components/costs/CostChart.vue": "568a5a27631bd31ea75a91a4b56fcf7681a2e9655d4a1828c7940f52acf40f67",
-    "web/src/components/costs/CostsByDimension.vue": "fdf5adbbd8377e93a01245d282cd389e06e8f7f80d7a8511269659d48efa19c8",
+    "web/src/components/costs/CostsByDimension.vue": "acf5d3a1b1207504165e41f62201b46818c59f451c64d7d8500a5b818fc520a6",
     "web/src/lib/browser.ts": "c624264b160468cebfb6bcc4bc389f07fd8b24e1e700e1c0e318102b5a229c08",
     "web/src/lib/capabilities.ts": "0e485825f48786605345f6a7298763790b7468595d9a828b615a245ab4a6aecd",
     "web/src/lib/costs.ts": "cacac88f2afbdae2338ec2f139957f6cec6c40db20a94f250986e4d0432b4e3d",

docs/public/screenshots/manifest/costs-users.json

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
     "web/src/components/ThemeToggle.vue": "025a9a0c7ccc2983772c1888f7426ec161feb3ffaea87c914c65d15bdfd740d3",
     "web/src/components/ViewAsBanner.vue": "c31f753d698c3c9df6f7643fdff78eee122c2a5bacff2d71e2899dd841b9f474",
     "web/src/components/costs/CostChart.vue": "568a5a27631bd31ea75a91a4b56fcf7681a2e9655d4a1828c7940f52acf40f67",
-    "web/src/components/costs/CostsByDimension.vue": "fdf5adbbd8377e93a01245d282cd389e06e8f7f80d7a8511269659d48efa19c8",
+    "web/src/components/costs/CostsByDimension.vue": "acf5d3a1b1207504165e41f62201b46818c59f451c64d7d8500a5b818fc520a6",
     "web/src/lib/browser.ts": "c624264b160468cebfb6bcc4bc389f07fd8b24e1e700e1c0e318102b5a229c08",
     "web/src/lib/capabilities.ts": "0e485825f48786605345f6a7298763790b7468595d9a828b615a245ab4a6aecd",
     "web/src/lib/costs.ts": "cacac88f2afbdae2338ec2f139957f6cec6c40db20a94f250986e4d0432b4e3d",

docs/public/screenshots/manifest/costs.json

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
     "web/src/components/ThemeToggle.vue": "025a9a0c7ccc2983772c1888f7426ec161feb3ffaea87c914c65d15bdfd740d3",
     "web/src/components/ViewAsBanner.vue": "c31f753d698c3c9df6f7643fdff78eee122c2a5bacff2d71e2899dd841b9f474",
     "web/src/components/costs/CostChart.vue": "568a5a27631bd31ea75a91a4b56fcf7681a2e9655d4a1828c7940f52acf40f67",
-    "web/src/components/costs/CostsByDimension.vue": "fdf5adbbd8377e93a01245d282cd389e06e8f7f80d7a8511269659d48efa19c8",
+    "web/src/components/costs/CostsByDimension.vue": "acf5d3a1b1207504165e41f62201b46818c59f451c64d7d8500a5b818fc520a6",
     "web/src/lib/browser.ts": "c624264b160468cebfb6bcc4bc389f07fd8b24e1e700e1c0e318102b5a229c08",
     "web/src/lib/capabilities.ts": "0e485825f48786605345f6a7298763790b7468595d9a828b615a245ab4a6aecd",
     "web/src/lib/costs.ts": "cacac88f2afbdae2338ec2f139957f6cec6c40db20a94f250986e4d0432b4e3d",

docs/public/screenshots/manifest/settings-channel.json

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
     "web/src/lib/settingsTabs.ts": "474a03ba8f369d88843f3b6d644243b71eba8d111d5803efbbee26d5a7125bb0",
     "web/src/lib/viewAs.ts": "7907b58fbf6464532a1c3f2ba880b7ea791971ea3f4ce15efaf98da8b4219187",
     "web/src/main.ts": "84ca021b55e606fcfd533c2612e66dc777af04760e2153ed1ecfe483810e0827",
-    "web/src/pages/SettingsPage.vue": "73e091116e501d538065c82594e8251f107a0e81cee4dc754cf11f1ddec12e6a",
+    "web/src/pages/SettingsPage.vue": "1263219ec5637fcc2ce2f41739efd764be16540231d7d2a4c5844b428271e86f",
     "web/src/routes.ts": "0c0ce42eec94dd818944b640ac2157294abf0826f71c3ec3bf2c8ac5253a6693",
     "web/vite.config.ts": "448df7a321d76dcd79e25bf32ce574d83cdc9260996e40457caa0be7a0e910bb"
   }

docs/public/screenshots/manifest/settings-installation.json

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
     "web/src/lib/settingsTabs.ts": "474a03ba8f369d88843f3b6d644243b71eba8d111d5803efbbee26d5a7125bb0",
     "web/src/lib/viewAs.ts": "7907b58fbf6464532a1c3f2ba880b7ea791971ea3f4ce15efaf98da8b4219187",
     "web/src/main.ts": "84ca021b55e606fcfd533c2612e66dc777af04760e2153ed1ecfe483810e0827",
-    "web/src/pages/SettingsPage.vue": "73e091116e501d538065c82594e8251f107a0e81cee4dc754cf11f1ddec12e6a",
+    "web/src/pages/SettingsPage.vue": "1263219ec5637fcc2ce2f41739efd764be16540231d7d2a4c5844b428271e86f",
     "web/src/routes.ts": "0c0ce42eec94dd818944b640ac2157294abf0826f71c3ec3bf2c8ac5253a6693",
     "web/vite.config.ts": "448df7a321d76dcd79e25bf32ce574d83cdc9260996e40457caa0be7a0e910bb"
   }

docs/public/screenshots/manifest/settings-mcps.json

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
     "web/src/lib/settingsTabs.ts": "474a03ba8f369d88843f3b6d644243b71eba8d111d5803efbbee26d5a7125bb0",
     "web/src/lib/viewAs.ts": "7907b58fbf6464532a1c3f2ba880b7ea791971ea3f4ce15efaf98da8b4219187",
     "web/src/main.ts": "84ca021b55e606fcfd533c2612e66dc777af04760e2153ed1ecfe483810e0827",
-    "web/src/pages/SettingsPage.vue": "73e091116e501d538065c82594e8251f107a0e81cee4dc754cf11f1ddec12e6a",
+    "web/src/pages/SettingsPage.vue": "1263219ec5637fcc2ce2f41739efd764be16540231d7d2a4c5844b428271e86f",
     "web/src/routes.ts": "0c0ce42eec94dd818944b640ac2157294abf0826f71c3ec3bf2c8ac5253a6693",
     "web/vite.config.ts": "448df7a321d76dcd79e25bf32ce574d83cdc9260996e40457caa0be7a0e910bb"
   }

docs/reference/cli.md

@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ One table per group, in registration order. "Surfaces" is where that command can
 | `config overrides` | Which channels carry a scope (a config.yaml block or a runtime override) and which settings each one names — never a value; `config show --channel <id>` reads one. | every surface |
 | `config channels` | The channels you may pick settings or MCP servers for, by name: the channels the bot is in that you may read, plus any that already carry a scope; `listed: false` says the bot could not list its channels and only the scoped ones are here. | every surface |
 | `config set <channel\|me\|thread\|user\|org\|repo> [--agent <string>] [--model <string>] [--models <object>] [--effort <low\|medium\|high\|xhigh\|max>] [--efforts <object>] [--verbosity <quiet\|verbose\|debug>] [--harness <object>] [--boundary <object>] [--review <object>] [--intake <object>] [--pulls <object>] [--repo <string>] [--user <string>] [--github <string>] [--channel <string>] [--thread <string>]` | Set the agent, model, effort, verbosity, harness, boundary or default repository (`--repo owner/name`) for a channel (gated), or agent settings for yourself; per-agent forms take --models.&lt;agent&gt;, --efforts.&lt;agent&gt; and --harness.&lt;agent&gt;. Set the intake gate's mode for a thread (gated like the channel), a person's GitHub binding (`config set user --user <id> --github <login>`, identity admins — never your own: it is not yours to type), or the pull-request watch (`config set org\|repo --pulls.watch on\|off` with its caps, repo taking `--repo <owner/name>`). | every surface |
-| `config clear <channel\|me\|thread\|user\|org\|repo> [--channel <string>] [--thread <string>] [--repo <string>] [--user <string>]` | Drops every runtime override of a channel (gated), of yourself (your GitHub binding stays — it is an identity admin's write), or of a thread (gated like the channel); `config clear user --user <id>` removes one person's GitHub binding (identity admins). Static config.yaml values show through again. | every surface |
+| `config clear <channel\|me\|thread\|user\|org\|repo> [--channel <string>] [--thread <string>] [--repo <string>] [--user <string>]` | Drop every runtime override of a channel (gated), of yourself (your GitHub binding stays — it is an identity admin's write), or of a thread (gated like the channel); `config clear user --user <id>` removes one person's GitHub binding (identity admins). Static config.yaml values show through again. | every surface |
 | `config instructions <channel\|me> [text…] [--channel <string>]` | Custom instructions for a channel (gated) or for yourself — advisory prompt content that never changes agent, model, or permissions. | every surface |
 
 ### `runs`
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ One table per group, in registration order. "Surfaces" is where that command can
 | Command | What it does | Surfaces |
 |---|---|---|
 | `friction report [--since-ms <integer>] [--limit <integer>] [--min-runs <integer>]` | Ranked recurring friction patterns across recent runs — read-only, GitHub never consulted. | every surface |
-| `friction propose [--dry-run] [--top <integer>] [--min-runs <integer>] [--repo <string>]` | Clusters recent friction, deduplicates against open issues, and files the top proposals as labeled issues. | every surface |
+| `friction propose [--dry-run] [--top <integer>] [--min-runs <integer>] [--repo <string>]` | Run the self-improvement step: cluster recent friction, dedupe against open issues, file the top proposals as labeled issues. | every surface |
 | `friction analyze [source] [--slow-ms <number>] [--in-progress]` | Read-only friction diagnosis of a saved run-event stream (JSONL or an SSE capture) — the former frictionCli. | CLI only |
 
 ### `repo`
@@ -99,8 +99,8 @@ One table per group, in registration order. "Surfaces" is where that command can
 | `repo offboard <slug> [--dry-run]` | Tear down a resident repo: registry record, schedules, container, R2 snapshots (admin-gated; --dry-run plans only). | every surface |
 | `repo reconfigure <slug> [--ref <string>] [--test <string>] [--build <string>] [--install <string>]` | Change a resident's default branch and/or command table (admin-gated; takes effect on the next refresh/attach). | every surface |
 | `repo rebuild <slug> [--dry-run]` | Discard a resident's snapshot and reprovision it from scratch (admin-gated; --dry-run plans only). | every surface |
-| `repo test <slug> [ref]` | Executes the repo's onboarded test command with zero model turns (needs coding-agent access; the ref must be a plausible branch). | every surface |
-| `repo build <slug> [ref]` | Executes the repo's onboarded build command with zero model turns (needs coding-agent access; the ref must be a plausible branch). | every surface |
+| `repo test <slug> [ref]` | Run the repo's onboarded test command with zero model turns (needs coding-agent access; the ref must be a plausible branch). | every surface |
+| `repo build <slug> [ref]` | Run the repo's onboarded build command with zero model turns (needs coding-agent access; the ref must be a plausible branch). | every surface |
 
 ### `memory`
 
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ One table per group, in registration order. "Surfaces" is where that command can
 | `mcp connect <name> [--scope <me\|channel\|org>] [--channel <string>]` | A fresh one-time link to sign in to an OAuth server or enter (or replace) a bearer server's token — only you can complete it; it expires in 10 minutes. | every surface |
 | `mcp show <name> [--scope <me\|channel\|org>] [--channel <string>]` | One MCP server's entry plus a live probe of the tools it offers (names, read-only flags); never a credential. | every surface |
 | `mcp remove <name> [--scope <me\|channel\|org>] [--channel <string>]` | Remove an MCP server you added and its stored credential (yours freely; channel ones need channel-config rights, org-wide ones admin rights). | every surface |
-| `mcp promote <name> --from <string> [--agents <string>]` | Promote a person's MCP server into the org tier (admins): the same name, URL and auth, added by you; a bearer/oauth server gets a fresh org connect link for you to complete — the person's credential is never copied. | every surface |
+| `mcp promote <name> --from <string> [--agents <string>]` | Re-issue a person's MCP server in the org tier (admins): the same name, URL and auth, added by you; a bearer/oauth server gets a fresh org connect link for you to complete — the person's credential is never copied. | every surface |
 
 ### `schedule`