Merge pull request 'Wire the offline write-queue into the desktop write path' (#64) from feat/wire-offline-write-queue into main

Reviewed-on: #64

apps/desktop/e2e/smoke.spec.ts

@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ test('Inbox renders', async ({ app, window }) => {
 
 test('Capture: braindump prompt', async ({ app, window }) => {
   await app.nav('Capture').click()
-  await expect(window.getByText("Tell me what you're planning")).toBeVisible()
+  await expect(window.getByText('Do tell me what you are planning')).toBeVisible()
   await app.screenshot('capture')
 })
 

apps/desktop/package.json

@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
     "tailwindcss": "^3.4.17",
     "tsx": "^4",
     "typescript": "^5.7.3",
-    "vite": "^6.1.0"
+    "vite": "^6.1.0",
+    "vitest": "^3.0.5"
   }
 }

apps/desktop/src/main/gitea.ts

@@ -15,8 +15,10 @@ import {
   applySchemaLabels,
   createGiteaClient,
   discoverRepos,
+  enqueueWrite,
   ensurePmStateRepo,
   GiteaApiError,
+  replayQueue,
   type DirectiveEntry,
   type GiteaClient,
   type GiteaConfig,
@@ -46,6 +48,7 @@ import {
 const isDemo = (): boolean => process.env.COMMITEA_E2E === '1'
 
 import { type AppConfig, clearConfig, loadConfig, publicConfig, saveConfig } from './config-store.js'
+import { loadQueue, saveQueue } from './queue-store.js'
 import { loadSnapshot, saveSnapshot } from './snapshot-store.js'
 
 /** Walk up from cwd looking for a .env.local with a GITEA_TOKEN (dev convenience). */
@@ -241,6 +244,59 @@ async function resolveLabelIds(client: GiteaClient, names: string[]): Promise<nu
   return names.map((n) => byName.get(n)).filter((id): id is number => id != null)
 }
 
+/** The result of a live write — a label swap returns its plan, a field write the fresh issue. */
+type LiveApplyResult = { ok: true; plan?: ReturnType<typeof planIssueChange>; issue: Awaited<ReturnType<GiteaClient['getIssue']>> }
+
+/**
+ * Apply one approved change against gitea (the guarded write path, used both
+ * online and when draining the offline queue). Label swaps (est/p) read → plan →
+ * set; field writes (assign, milestone) write directly and return the fresh
+ * issue. A replay is idempotent — a change already reflected server-side no-ops
+ * (label plan.noop; assignee/milestone re-set to the same value). Throws on a
+ * network failure (queued upstream) or a GiteaApiError (surfaced, never queued).
+ */
+async function applyChangeLive(client: GiteaClient, change: IssueChange): Promise<LiveApplyResult> {
+  if (isLabelChange(change)) {
+    const current = await client.getIssue(change.issue)
+    const plan = planIssueChange(current.labels, change)
+    if (plan.noop) return { ok: true, plan, issue: current }
+    const ids = await resolveLabelIds(client, plan.labels)
+    await client.setIssueLabels(change.issue, ids)
+    const issue = await client.getIssue(change.issue)
+    return { ok: true, plan, issue }
+  }
+  const issue =
+    change.kind === 'assign'
+      ? await client.setIssueAssignees(change.issue, change.assignee ? [change.assignee] : [])
+      : await client.setIssueMilestone(change.issue, change.milestone)
+  return { ok: true, issue }
+}
+
+/** Queue a write made while offline, coalescing by (issue, axis). Returns the new pending count. */
+function queueOffline(change: IssueChange): number {
+  const next = enqueueWrite(loadQueue(), change, new Date().toISOString())
+  saveQueue(next)
+  return next.length
+}
+
+/** How many writes are waiting to replay (shown as a queued badge). */
+function pendingCount(): number {
+  return loadQueue().length
+}
+
+/**
+ * Replay the offline queue against gitea once we know it's reachable. Drained
+ * writes are removed; any that still fail stay queued. Returns how many drained
+ * (so the caller can invalidate + re-read the snapshot) and what remains.
+ */
+async function drainQueue(client: GiteaClient): Promise<{ drainedCount: number; remainingCount: number }> {
+  const queue = loadQueue()
+  if (queue.length === 0) return { drainedCount: 0, remainingCount: 0 }
+  const { drained, remaining } = await replayQueue(queue, (change) => applyChangeLive(client, change))
+  saveQueue(remaining)
+  return { drainedCount: drained.length, remainingCount: remaining.length }
+}
+
 export function registerGiteaIpc(): void {
   ipcMain.handle('gitea:status', () => {
     const cfg = resolveConfig()
@@ -253,24 +309,33 @@ export function registerGiteaIpc(): void {
 
   // Instant boot: the last persisted snapshot, shown before the fresh reconcile lands.
   ipcMain.handle('gitea:boot', () => {
-    if (isDemo()) return { configured: true, cached: true, ...DEMO_SNAPSHOT, savedAt: DEMO_TODAY }
+    if (isDemo()) return { configured: true, cached: true, pending: 0, ...DEMO_SNAPSHOT, savedAt: DEMO_TODAY }
     if (!getGiteaClient()) return { configured: false }
     const persisted = bootSnapshot()
-    return persisted ? { configured: true, cached: true, ...persisted } : { configured: true, cached: false }
+    return persisted
+      ? { configured: true, cached: true, pending: pendingCount(), ...persisted }
+      : { configured: true, cached: false }
   })
 
   ipcMain.handle('gitea:reconcile', async () => {
-    if (isDemo()) return { configured: true, stale: false, ...DEMO_SNAPSHOT }
+    if (isDemo()) return { configured: true, stale: false, pending: 0, ...DEMO_SNAPSHOT }
     const client = getGiteaClient()
     if (!client) return { configured: false, issues: [], milestones: [], deps: [], timelines: {} }
     try {
       // explicit UI sync — force fresh, and warm the cache for agent tool calls
-      const snap = await getSnapshot(client, { maxAgeMs: 0 })
+      let snap = await getSnapshot(client, { maxAgeMs: 0 })
-      return { configured: true, stale: false, ...snap }
+      // A successful reconcile proves gitea is reachable: drain any writes queued
+      // while offline. If any drained, re-read so the board reflects the replays.
+      const { drainedCount, remainingCount } = await drainQueue(client)
+      if (drainedCount > 0) {
+        invalidateSnapshot()
+        snap = await getSnapshot(client, { maxAgeMs: 0 })
+      }
+      return { configured: true, stale: false, pending: remainingCount, ...snap }
     } catch (e) {
       // offline / gitea down — serve the last persisted snapshot rather than error out
       const persisted = bootSnapshot()
-      if (persisted) return { configured: true, stale: true, ...persisted }
+      if (persisted) return { configured: true, stale: true, pending: pendingCount(), ...persisted }
       throw e
     }
   })
@@ -288,25 +353,18 @@ export function registerGiteaIpc(): void {
   ipcMain.handle('gitea:applyChange', async (_event, change: IssueChange) => {
     const client = getGiteaClient()
     if (!client) return { ok: false as const, reason: 'unconfigured' as const }
-
+    try {
-    if (isLabelChange(change)) {
+      const result = await applyChangeLive(client, change)
-      const current = await client.getIssue(change.issue)
+      invalidateSnapshot() // the board + forecast must reflect the write
-      const plan = planIssueChange(current.labels, change)
+      return result
-      if (plan.noop) return { ok: true as const, plan, issue: current }
+    } catch (e) {
-      const ids = await resolveLabelIds(client, plan.labels)
+      // A GiteaApiError is a genuine rejection (bad label, gone issue) — surface
-      await client.setIssueLabels(change.issue, ids)
+      // it; queueing would only replay a doomed write forever. Anything else is
-      const issue = await client.getIssue(change.issue)
+      // unreachability: queue the intent so it replays on reconnect (#33).
-      invalidateSnapshot()
+      if (e instanceof GiteaApiError) throw e
-      return { ok: true as const, plan, issue }
+      const pending = queueOffline(change)
+      return { ok: true as const, queued: true as const, pending }
     }
-
-    // Field writes — the client returns the updated issue.
-    const issue =
-      change.kind === 'assign'
-        ? await client.setIssueAssignees(change.issue, change.assignee ? [change.assignee] : [])
-        : await client.setIssueMilestone(change.issue, change.milestone)
-    invalidateSnapshot()
-    return { ok: true as const, issue }
   })
 
   // capture_work filing: open each approved issue with its est/* + p/* labels.

apps/desktop/src/main/queue-store.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+/**
+ * Durable offline write-queue store (#33). The invariant mirrors the snapshot
+ * store's purity: the queue file is a convenience mirror, and a missing or corrupt
+ * file must degrade to "empty queue", never a crash — losing a queued write is
+ * bad, but crashing the whole write path is worse. These tests also exercise the
+ * store together with core's coalescing/replay so the round-trip an offline edit
+ * takes (enqueue → persist → reload → replay → drain) is covered end to end.
+ */
+import { mkdtempSync, rmSync, writeFileSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
+import { join } from 'node:path'
+
+import { enqueueWrite, replayQueue, type IssueChange } from '@commitea/core'
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+// electron can't be imported outside the Electron runtime; the store only needs
+// app.getPath for its default path, which every test overrides with an injected path.
+vi.mock('electron', () => ({ app: { getPath: () => tmpdir() } }))
+
+import { loadQueue, saveQueue } from './queue-store.js'
+
+const estChange = (issue: number, estimate = 'est/5d'): IssueChange =>
+  ({ kind: 'reestimate', issue, estimate }) as IssueChange
+const assignChange = (issue: number, assignee: string | null): IssueChange =>
+  ({ kind: 'assign', issue, assignee }) as IssueChange
+
+describe('queue-store (#33)', () => {
+  let dir: string | null = null
+  const path = () => {
+    if (!dir) dir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'commitea-queue-'))
+    return join(dir, 'commitea-write-queue.json')
+  }
+  afterEach(() => {
+    if (dir) rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true })
+    dir = null
+  })
+
+  it('round-trips a persisted queue', () => {
+    const p = path()
+    const queue = enqueueWrite([], estChange(1), '2026-07-11T00:00:00Z')
+    saveQueue(queue, p)
+    expect(loadQueue(p)).toEqual(queue)
+  })
+
+  it('a missing file degrades to an empty queue (never a crash)', () => {
+    // nothing written yet — load must return [] so the write path stays alive
+    expect(loadQueue(path())).toEqual([])
+  })
+
+  it('a corrupt or wrong-shape file is treated as an empty queue', () => {
+    const p = path()
+    writeFileSync(p, '{ not json', 'utf8')
+    expect(loadQueue(p)).toEqual([])
+    // valid JSON but not an array (drift) is also rejected
+    writeFileSync(p, JSON.stringify({ nope: true }), 'utf8')
+    expect(loadQueue(p)).toEqual([])
+  })
+
+  it('persisted queue coalesces by (issue, axis) across saves — the later intent wins', () => {
+    const p = path()
+    // two estimates for the same issue, queued while offline: only the last survives
+    saveQueue(enqueueWrite(loadQueue(p), estChange(1, 'est/2d'), '2026-07-11T00:00:00Z'), p)
+    saveQueue(enqueueWrite(loadQueue(p), estChange(1, 'est/8d'), '2026-07-11T00:01:00Z'), p)
+    // a different axis on the same issue coexists
+    saveQueue(enqueueWrite(loadQueue(p), assignChange(1, 'ana'), '2026-07-11T00:02:00Z'), p)
+
+    const queue = loadQueue(p)
+    expect(queue).toHaveLength(2)
+    expect(queue.map((w) => w.change)).toEqual([estChange(1, 'est/8d'), assignChange(1, 'ana')])
+  })
+
+  it('reloads and replays the queue, draining what applies and keeping what fails', async () => {
+    const p = path()
+    saveQueue(enqueueWrite(loadQueue(p), estChange(1), '2026-07-11T00:00:00Z'), p)
+    saveQueue(enqueueWrite(loadQueue(p), assignChange(2, 'ana'), '2026-07-11T00:01:00Z'), p)
+
+    // Simulate reconnect: replay through an apply that fails only for issue #2
+    // (still unreachable / rejected). The successful write drains; the other stays.
+    const { drained, remaining } = await replayQueue(loadQueue(p), async (c) =>
+      c.issue === 2 ? { ok: false } : { ok: true },
+    )
+    saveQueue(remaining, p)
+
+    expect(drained.map((w) => w.change.issue)).toEqual([1])
+    expect(loadQueue(p).map((w) => w.change.issue)).toEqual([2])
+  })
+})

apps/desktop/src/main/queue-store.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+/**
+ * Durable write-queue store — persists propose-approved writes made while gitea
+ * is unreachable, so they survive a restart and replay on reconnect (#33). A
+ * plain JSON array of QueuedWrite, mirroring the snapshot store: the queue is
+ * tiny (one entry per (issue, axis)), so a file is plenty. Never throws — a
+ * missing or corrupt file degrades to "empty queue", never a crash.
+ */
+
+import { readFileSync, writeFileSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { join } from 'node:path'
+
+import type { QueuedWrite } from '@commitea/core'
+import { app } from 'electron'
+
+function queuePath(): string {
+  return join(app.getPath('userData'), 'commitea-write-queue.json')
+}
+
+/**
+ * Load the persisted write-queue, or [] if absent/corrupt. `path` is injectable
+ * for tests; production uses the userData file.
+ */
+export function loadQueue(path: string = queuePath()): QueuedWrite[] {
+  try {
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(readFileSync(path, 'utf8')) as unknown
+    return Array.isArray(parsed) ? (parsed as QueuedWrite[]) : []
+  } catch {
+    return [] // missing file, bad JSON, or drift — treat as empty
+  }
+}
+
+/** Persist the write-queue. Best-effort — a write failure never breaks the caller. */
+export function saveQueue(queue: readonly QueuedWrite[], path: string = queuePath()): void {
+  try {
+    writeFileSync(path, JSON.stringify(queue), 'utf8')
+  } catch {
+    // disk full / permissions — the in-memory result of this call still holds
+  }
+}

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/components/screens/calibration-screen.tsx

@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ export function CalibrationScreen({ onBack, data }: { onBack: () => void; data?:
               <circle key={i} cx={X(e) + ((i % 5) - 2) * 3} cy={Y(a)} r="3" fill="var(--accent)" opacity="0.55" />
             ))}
           </svg>
-          <p style={{ font: 'var(--text-caption)', color: 'var(--ink-3)', margin: '8px 0 0' }}>estimated (x) vs actual days (y) · actuals inferred from git events, never tracked</p>
+          <p style={{ font: 'var(--text-caption)', color: 'var(--ink-3)', margin: '8px 0 0' }}>estimated (x) vs actual days (y)</p>
         </Card>
 
         <div style={{ display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 14 }}>
@@ -189,9 +189,9 @@ export function CalibrationScreen({ onBack, data }: { onBack: () => void; data?:
             <p style={{ font: 'var(--text-agent)', color: 'var(--ink-2)', margin: '10px 0 0' }}>
               {c.active
                 ? 'You are not bad at estimating; you are optimistic in a very stable way. Stable, I can work with.'
-                : 'Not enough closed history yet — I’m forecasting from cold-start priors and widening the cone to stay honest. The curve takes over at 20.'}
+                : 'Not enough closed history yet: I’m forecasting from cold-start priors and widening the cone to stay honest. The curve takes over at 20.'}
               {!c.active && c.excludedSameDay > 0
-                ? ` And ${c.excludedSameDay} closed ${c.excludedSameDay === 1 ? 'issue' : 'issues'} closed the same day they were started — 0 working days can’t calibrate, so they don’t count toward the 20.`
+                ? ` And ${c.excludedSameDay} closed ${c.excludedSameDay === 1 ? 'issue' : 'issues'} closed the same day they were started. 0 working days can’t calibrate, so they don’t count toward the 20.`
                 : ''}
             </p>
           </Card>

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/components/screens/capture-screen.tsx

@@ -70,10 +70,10 @@ export function CaptureScreen({ onDone }: { onDone: () => void }) {
           setLiveTickets(res.issues)
           setStage('review')
         } else {
-          setError(res.ok ? 'I could not find concrete work in that — try a bit more detail.' : `Capture failed: ${res.reason === 'error' ? res.message : 'no model'}`)
+          setError(res.ok ? 'I could not find concrete work in that; try a bit more detail.' : `Capture failed: ${res.reason === 'error' ? res.message : 'no model'}`)
         }
       })
-      .catch(() => { setBrewing(false); setError('I could not reach the model.') })
+      .catch(() => { setBrewing(false); setError('I was unable to reach the model, regrettably.') })
   }
 
   const fileLive = () => {
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ export function CaptureScreen({ onDone }: { onDone: () => void }) {
       .then((res) => {
         setBrewing(false)
         if (res.ok) { setFiledCount(res.created.length); setStage('filed') }
-        else setError('Filing failed — gitea is not configured.')
+        else setError('Filing failed; gitea is not configured.')
       })
       .catch(() => { setBrewing(false); setError('Filing failed.') })
   }
@@ -99,12 +99,12 @@ export function CaptureScreen({ onDone }: { onDone: () => void }) {
 
   const QUESTIONS: Question[] = [
     {
-      q: 'The auth work — one ticket, or shall I split token refresh from session storage? They fail differently.',
+      q: 'The auth work: one ticket, or shall I split token refresh from session storage? They fail differently.',
       chips: ['One ticket', 'Split them'],
       set: (a) => setSplit(a === 'Split them'),
     },
     {
-      q: 'The webhook double-fire — how long? I should mention your "quick" has averaged two days.',
+      q: 'The webhook double-fire, how long? I should mention your "quick" has averaged two days.',
       chips: ['est/1d', 'est/2d', 'est/3d'],
       set: (a) => setWebEst(a),
     },
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ export function CaptureScreen({ onDone }: { onDone: () => void }) {
       </header>
 
       {stage === 'dump' ? (
-        <Card overline="Braindump" title="Tell me what you're planning" jade>
+        <Card overline="Braindump" title="Do tell me what you are planning" jade>
           <textarea
             value={dump}
             onChange={(e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLTextAreaElement>) => setDump(e.target.value)}
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ export function CaptureScreen({ onDone }: { onDone: () => void }) {
             }}
           ></textarea>
           <p style={{ font: 'var(--text-agent)', color: 'var(--ink-2)', margin: '10px 0 14px' }}>
-            Sentences, fragments, grievances — all welcome. I'll sort it into tickets and only ask what I can't infer.
+            Sentences, fragments, grievances; all are welcome. I shall sort them into tickets and enquire only where I cannot infer.
           </p>
           <Button icon="sparkles" onClick={() => void onBrew()} disabled={brewing}>
             {brewing ? 'Brewing…' : 'Brew tickets'}
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ export function CaptureScreen({ onDone }: { onDone: () => void }) {
             {live ? (
               <p style={{ font: 'var(--text-agent)', color: 'var(--ink-2)', margin: 0 }}>
                 {tickets.length} issue{tickets.length === 1 ? '' : 's'} from your braindump, estimated and prioritized.
-                Adjust the labels, then approve — I'll open them in gitea with only est/* and p/* labels.
+                Adjust the labels, then approve; I'll open them in gitea with only est/* and p/* labels.
               </p>
             ) : (
               <>
@@ -286,10 +286,10 @@ export function CaptureScreen({ onDone }: { onDone: () => void }) {
               <Icon name="circle-check" size={22} /> Filed
             </span>
             <p style={{ font: 'var(--text-body)', margin: 0 }}>
-              {live ? filedCount : tickets.length} issues opened in gitea with <span style={{ font: 'var(--text-data)' }}>est/*</span> and <span style={{ font: 'var(--text-data)' }}>p/*</span> labels — nothing else touched.
+              {live ? filedCount : tickets.length} issues opened in gitea with <span style={{ font: 'var(--text-data)' }}>est/*</span> and <span style={{ font: 'var(--text-data)' }}>p/*</span> labels, nothing else touched.
             </p>
             <p style={{ font: 'var(--text-agent)', color: 'var(--ink-2)', margin: 0 }}>
-              Elapsed {clock} — under budget. No bot comments, no synthetic issues; your repo remains yours.
+              Elapsed {clock}.
             </p>
             <Button iconRight="arrow-right" onClick={onDone}>To morning service</Button>
           </div>

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/components/screens/connect-screen.tsx

@@ -28,9 +28,9 @@ export function ConnectScreen({ onConnected, existing }: { onConnected: () => vo
 
   const mapError = (e?: string) =>
     e === '401' || e === '403'
-      ? 'The token was rejected — check it has repo + issue scopes.'
+      ? 'The token was rejected, check it has repo + issue scopes.'
       : e === '404'
-        ? "Couldn't reach that Gitea — check the URL."
+        ? "Couldn't reach that Gitea, check the URL."
         : `Discovery failed${e ? ` (${e})` : ''}.`
 
   // Discover the owners + repos this token can see. Triggered when the token
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ export function ConnectScreen({ onConnected, existing }: { onConnected: () => vo
           </span>
         </div>
         <p style={{ font: 'var(--text-body)', color: 'var(--ink-2)', margin: '0 0 18px' }}>
-          Connect your Gitea. Your token is stored encrypted on this machine and never leaves it.
+          Connect your Gitea.
         </p>
 
         <div style={{ display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 12 }}>
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ export function ConnectScreen({ onConnected, existing }: { onConnected: () => vo
             label="Access token"
             type="password"
             value={token}
-            placeholder={existing?.hasToken ? '•••••••• (saved — enter a new one to change repos)' : 'gitea PAT · scopes: repo + issue'}
+            placeholder={existing?.hasToken ? '•••••••• (saved, enter a new one to change repos)' : 'gitea PAT · scopes: repo + issue'}
             hint={
               discovery === 'discovering'
                 ? 'Discovering your repositories…'
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ export function ConnectScreen({ onConnected, existing }: { onConnected: () => vo
               value={repo}
               disabled={!pickerReady || repoOptions.length === 0}
               options={
-                repoOptions.length ? repoOptions.map((r) => ({ value: r, label: r })) : placeholder('—')
+                repoOptions.length ? repoOptions.map((r) => ({ value: r, label: r })) : placeholder('·')
               }
               onChange={(e) => setRepo(e.target.value)}
             />
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ export function ConnectScreen({ onConnected, existing }: { onConnected: () => vo
             label="Model URL"
             value={modelUrl}
             placeholder="http://localhost:1234/v1"
-            hint="Optional — an OpenAI-compatible endpoint for Reginald. Leave blank to keep chat off."
+            hint="Optional: an OpenAI-compatible endpoint for Reginald. Leave blank to keep chat off."
             onChange={(e) => setModelUrl(e.target.value)}
           />
         </div>

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/components/screens/directives-screen.tsx

@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ export function DirectivesScreen() {
         <EmptyState
           icon="flag"
           title="No directives yet"
-          line="When you overrule the scheduler in chat, it goes on the record here — who, when, what, why."
+          line="When you overrule the scheduler in chat, it goes on the record here: who, when, what, why."
         />
       ) : (
         <Card overline="The ledger" flush>
@@ -115,10 +115,6 @@ export function DirectivesScreen() {
           </div>
         </Card>
       )}
-
-      <p style={{ font: 'var(--text-caption)', color: 'var(--ink-3)', margin: 0 }}>
-        Entries are never edited. Corrections are new entries — the ledger remembers everything, politely.
-      </p>
     </div>
   )
 }

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/components/screens/focus-screen.tsx

@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ export function FocusScreen({
       <EmptyState
         icon="coffee"
         title="Nothing to pour"
-        line="Capture some work, or enjoy the silence — it never lasts."
+        line="Capture some work, or enjoy the silence, it never lasts."
       />
     )
   }
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ export function FocusScreen({
           <BurnUpCone data={forecast.cone} />
           <p style={{ font: 'var(--text-agent)', color: 'var(--ink-2)', margin: '10px 0 0' }}>
             {forecast.coldStart
-              ? `${forecast.scope} open ${forecast.scope === 1 ? 'issue' : 'issues'} in scope. Cold-start priors — ${forecast.calibratedN}/20 estimated closes so far; the cone tightens as the team closes work.`
+              ? `${forecast.scope} open ${forecast.scope === 1 ? 'issue' : 'issues'} in scope. Cold-start priors: ${forecast.calibratedN}/20 estimated closes so far; the cone tightens as the team closes work.`
               : `${forecast.scope} open ${forecast.scope === 1 ? 'issue' : 'issues'} in scope, calibrated on ${forecast.calibratedN} closed ${forecast.calibratedN === 1 ? 'issue' : 'issues'} of your own.`}
           </p>
         </Card>

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/components/screens/issue-screen.tsx

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import {
 import { type IssueDetail, type IssueRef } from '../../data/view-types.js'
 import { Badge, Button, Card, Dialog, Icon, Select, Tag } from '../ui/index.js'
 
-const NONE = '—'
+const NONE = '·'
 
 export function IssueScreen({
   issue,
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ export function IssueScreen({
         <div style={{ marginTop: 14, minHeight: 40 }}>
           {pendingChanges.length === 0 ? (
             <p style={{ font: 'var(--text-agent)', color: 'var(--ink-3)', margin: 0 }}>
-              No change yet — pick a different estimate, priority, assignee, or milestone.
+              No change yet, pick a different estimate, priority, assignee, or milestone.
             </p>
           ) : (
             <>
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ export function IssueScreen({
                 </div>
               ))}
               <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 8, padding: '14px 20px', alignItems: 'flex-end' }}>
-                <textarea placeholder="Comment — this writes to gitea, as you" rows={2} style={{
+                <textarea placeholder="Comment: this writes to gitea, as you" rows={2} style={{
                   flex: 1, resize: 'none', font: 'var(--text-body)', color: 'var(--ink-1)', lineHeight: 1.5,
                   background: 'var(--paper-0)', border: '1px solid var(--line-2)', borderRadius: 'var(--radius-2)',
                   padding: '8px 11px', outline: 'none',
@@ -335,12 +335,6 @@ export function IssueScreen({
                 </div>
               )}
             </div>
-            {/* provenance note */}
-            <div style={{ padding: '10px 20px 14px', borderTop: '1px solid var(--line-1)' }}>
-              <p style={{ font: 'var(--text-caption)', color: 'var(--ink-3)', margin: 0 }}>
-                Lives in pm-state. Your repo never sees any of it.
-              </p>
-            </div>
           </div>
         </Card>
       </div>

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/components/screens/milestone-screen.tsx

@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ export function MilestoneScreen({
 
   const groups = data.groups.map((g) => ({ label: g.label, issues: g.issues, muted: g.label === 'Done' }))
   const name = data.name
-  const dueLine = `milestone · due ${data.due} · ${data.soft ? 'soft — scope may flex' : 'hard deadline'}`
+  const dueLine = `milestone · due ${data.due} · ${data.soft ? 'soft, scope may flex' : 'hard deadline'}`
   const forecastLabel = data.forecastRange ? `80% ${data.forecastRange}` : 'all shipped'
   const scopeStat = `${data.scopeCount} issues · est ${data.scopeEstDays}d`
   const doneStat = `${data.doneCount} · ${data.donePct}%`

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/components/screens/onboarding-screen.tsx

@@ -43,9 +43,9 @@ export function OnboardingScreen({ onConnected }: { onConnected: (dest: 'focus'
       setFound(null)
       setError(
         res.error === '401' || res.error === '403'
-          ? 'The token was rejected — check it has repo + issue scopes.'
+          ? 'The token was rejected: check it has repo + issue scopes.'
           : res.error === '404'
-            ? "Couldn't reach that Gitea — check the URL."
+            ? "Couldn't reach that Gitea; check the URL."
             : `Connection failed${res.error ? ` (${res.error})` : ''}.`,
       )
       return
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ export function OnboardingScreen({ onConnected }: { onConnected: (dest: 'focus'
       .catch(() => ({ ok: false as const, error: 'unreachable' }))
     if (!res.ok) {
       setBoot('idle')
-      setError(`Bootstrap failed${res.error ? ` (${res.error})` : ''}. Nothing was half-applied — you can retry.`)
+      setError(`Bootstrap failed${res.error ? ` (${res.error})` : ''}. Nothing was half-applied, you can retry.`)
       return
     }
     // persist the connection now that the repo is prepared
@@ -155,11 +155,11 @@ export function OnboardingScreen({ onConnected }: { onConnected: (dest: 'focus'
           <Frame footer={<Button iconRight="arrow-right" onClick={() => setStep(1)}>Begin</Button>}>
             <h1 style={{ font: 'var(--text-title)', color: 'var(--ink-1)', margin: 0 }}>Good morning.</h1>
             <p style={{ font: 'var(--text-agent-lg)', color: 'var(--ink-2)', margin: 0 }}>
-              I'm Reginald, your project manager. I interview you instead of making you fill in forms, I forecast in
+              I am Reginald, your project manager. I interview you rather than trouble you with forms, and I forecast
-              honest ranges, and I never do the arithmetic myself — there's a scheduler for that.
+              in honest ranges.
             </p>
             <p style={{ font: 'var(--text-body)', color: 'var(--ink-2)', margin: 0 }}>
-              Your plans live in your own Gitea as ordinary issues and labels. Delete me and nothing human is lost.
+              Your plans reside in your own Gitea as ordinary issues and labels.
             </p>
           </Frame>
         ) : null}
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ export function OnboardingScreen({ onConnected }: { onConnected: (dest: 'focus'
               type="password"
               value={token}
               placeholder="gitea PAT"
-              hint="Scopes: repo, issue. Nothing more."
+              hint="Scopes: repo, issue."
               onChange={(e) => {
                 setToken(e.target.value)
                 setDiscovery('idle')
@@ -352,14 +352,11 @@ export function OnboardingScreen({ onConnected }: { onConnected: (dest: 'focus'
                 ))}
               </div>
             </div>
-            <p style={{ font: 'var(--text-caption)', color: 'var(--ink-3)', margin: 0 }}>
-              No bot comments, no body frontmatter, no synthetic issues — ever. Labels are the only footprint.
-            </p>
           </Frame>
         ) : null}
       </div>
 
-      <span style={{ font: '400 11px var(--font-mono)', color: 'var(--ink-3)' }}>first run · everything reversible</span>
+      <span style={{ font: '400 11px var(--font-mono)', color: 'var(--ink-3)' }}>first run</span>
     </div>
   )
 }

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/components/screens/settings-screen.tsx

@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ export function SettingsScreen({
                 <Icon name="layers" size={12} />
                 sidecar: {connection.pmStateRepo ?? `${connection.repo}-pm-state`}
               </Row>
-              <Note>Your token is stored encrypted on this machine. Delete the sidecar and resync — no truth is lost.</Note>
               <Row style={{ gap: 8, marginTop: 2 }}>
                 <Button variant="secondary" size="sm" icon="settings-2" onClick={onReconnect}>
                   Reconfigure
@@ -105,11 +104,7 @@ export function SettingsScreen({
               Reconciles on launch and after every write
             </span>
           </Row>
-          <Note>
+          <Note>Offline, the board reads from the last cached snapshot.</Note>
-            The board is a rebuildable index over gitea — the durable truth. When gitea is unreachable the last
-            snapshot is served from cache (the rail's dot turns red), and the next successful reconcile supersedes it.
-            No webhooks, no polling: reads are on demand.
-          </Note>
         </div>
       </Card>
 
@@ -127,7 +122,7 @@ export function SettingsScreen({
             <Row style={{ gap: 8 }}>
               <Icon name="sparkles" size={14} style={{ color: 'var(--ink-3)' }} />
               <span style={{ font: 'var(--text-body)', color: 'var(--ink-2)', flex: 1 }}>
-                Chat is off — no model reachable.
+                Chat is off: no model reachable.
               </span>
               <Button variant="secondary" size="sm" onClick={onReconnect}>
                 Set a Model URL
@@ -135,8 +130,7 @@ export function SettingsScreen({
             </Row>
           )}
           <Note>
-            An OpenAI-compatible endpoint (set it in Reconfigure). Reginald names, negotiates and explains; it never
+            An OpenAI-compatible endpoint (set it in Reconfigure).
-            does the arithmetic — the scheduler and Monte Carlo do that.
           </Note>
         </div>
       </Card>
@@ -154,7 +148,7 @@ export function SettingsScreen({
             ))}
             <Tag label="deadline/hard" />
           </Row>
-          <Note>Fixed sets, human-meaningful, visible in gitea. Not configurable — that is rather the point.</Note>
+          <Note>The fixed label vocabulary, visible in gitea.</Note>
         </div>
       </Card>
 

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/components/screens/standup-screen.tsx

@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ export function StandupScreen({
       <EmptyState
         icon="sun"
         title="Nothing to report"
-        line="No overnight drift — I'll have a plan when there's work to pour."
+        line="No overnight drift. I'll have a plan when there's work to pour."
       />
     )
   }
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ export function StandupScreen({
           }}
         >
           <p style={{ font: 'var(--text-agent-lg)', color: 'var(--ink-1)', margin: 0, flex: 1 }}>
-            The kettle’s on. — R.
+            The kettle is on. Yours, Reginald.
           </p>
           <Button variant="ghost" onClick={onBegin}>
             Ask about the drift

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/components/shell/app-shell.tsx

@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ export function AppShell() {
   // cache) only when gitea is unreachable. No manual toggle — this is the truth.
   const offline = backlog.status === 'error' || (backlog.status === 'ready' && backlog.stale)
   const staleSince = backlog.status === 'ready' ? backlog.savedAt : undefined
+  const pending = backlog.status === 'ready' ? backlog.pending : 0
   const capacityMembers = useCapacity()
   const workers = capacityWorkers(capacityMembers)
   const boardColumns =
@@ -182,10 +183,12 @@ export function AppShell() {
   // issue immediately, and re-reconcile so the board + forecast catch up.
   const applyChange = async (change: IssueChange) => {
     const res = await window.commitea.gitea.applyChange(change)
-    if (res.ok) {
+    if (res.ok && !res.queued) {
       setIssue((cur) => (cur && cur.id === res.issue.number ? { ...cur, labels: res.issue.labels } : cur))
-      refetchBacklog()
     }
+    // Re-sync either way: an applied write to refresh the board, a queued one to
+    // pick up the new pending count (the reconcile reports it while offline).
+    if (res.ok) refetchBacklog()
     return res
   }
 
@@ -399,7 +402,7 @@ export function AppShell() {
               backlog.status === 'loading'
                 ? `Connecting to ${hostLabel}…`
                 : offline
-                  ? `Offline — reading from cache${staleSince ? ` (since ${new Date(staleSince).toLocaleString()})` : ''}`
+                  ? `Offline, reading from cache${staleSince ? ` (since ${new Date(staleSince).toLocaleString()})` : ''}`
                   : `Connected to ${hostLabel}`
             }
             aria-label={
@@ -445,7 +448,7 @@ export function AppShell() {
             gap: 14,
           }}
         >
-          {offline ? <OfflineBanner /> : null}
+          {offline ? <OfflineBanner queued={pending} /> : null}
           {renderScreen()}
         </div>
       </main>

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/components/shell/chat-panel.tsx

@@ -198,9 +198,6 @@ export function ChatPanel({ onOpenDirectives, offline, onApplyChange }: ChatPane
             <Icon name="send" size={14} />
           </button>
         </div>
-        <p style={{ font: 'var(--text-caption)', color: 'var(--ink-3)', margin: '8px 2px 0' }}>
-          Chat is the write-path. Destructive changes are proposed, never assumed.
-        </p>
       </div>
     </aside>
   )

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/components/shell/states.tsx

@@ -55,10 +55,11 @@ export function EmptyState({ icon, title, line, action, onAction, compact }: Emp
 }
 
 export interface OfflineBannerProps {
-  retryIn?: string
+  /** Writes approved while offline, held for replay on reconnect. */
+  queued?: number
 }
 
-export function OfflineBanner({ retryIn }: OfflineBannerProps) {
+export function OfflineBanner({ queued = 0 }: OfflineBannerProps) {
   return (
     <div
       style={{
@@ -75,10 +76,12 @@ export function OfflineBanner({ retryIn }: OfflineBannerProps) {
         <Icon name="triangle-alert" size={15} />
       </span>
       <span style={{ font: 'var(--text-small)', color: 'var(--ink-1)', flex: 1 }}>
-        Gitea isn’t answering. I’ll keep trying and say nothing more about it.
+        {queued > 0
+          ? `Gitea isn’t answering. I’m holding ${queued} ${queued === 1 ? 'change' : 'changes'} and shall apply ${queued === 1 ? 'it' : 'them'} on reconnect.`
+          : 'Gitea isn’t answering. I’ll keep trying and say nothing more about it.'}
       </span>
       <span style={{ font: '400 11.5px var(--font-mono)', color: 'var(--ink-2)', whiteSpace: 'nowrap' }}>
-        retry in {retryIn || '0:12'} · reads from cache
+        {queued > 0 ? `${queued} queued · reads from cache` : 'reads from cache'}
       </span>
     </div>
   )

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/global.d.ts

@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@ import type {
 /** The result of a write through the bridge. */
 export type ApplyChangeResult =
   | { ok: false; reason: 'unconfigured' }
+  // Offline: the write was queued for replay on reconnect. `pending` is the queue depth.
+  | { ok: true; queued: true; pending: number }
   // `plan` is present for label swaps (est/p); absent for field writes (assign, milestone).
-  | { ok: true; plan?: LabelPlan; issue: GiteaIssue }
+  | { ok: true; queued?: false; plan?: LabelPlan; issue: GiteaIssue }
 
 /** The result of filing captured issues. */
 export type CreateIssuesResult =
@@ -42,6 +44,8 @@ export interface SnapshotPayload {
   stale?: boolean
   /** ISO time the persisted snapshot was reconciled (present on cached reads). */
   savedAt?: string
+  /** Writes queued while offline, awaiting replay on reconnect. */
+  pending?: number
 }
 
 /** Boot payload — the persisted snapshot, or a marker that there's none yet. */

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/lib/backlog.ts

@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ export function calibrationData(
     return {
       label: `est/${b}d`,
       n: fit ? fit.n : inBucket.length,
-      median: inBucket.length ? `${(b * Math.exp(mu)).toFixed(1)}d` : '—',
+      median: inBucket.length ? `${(b * Math.exp(mu)).toFixed(1)}d` : '·',
       bias: fit ? pctFromMu(fit.mu) : null,
     }
   })
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ export function calibrationData(
     .filter((i) => i.state === 'open')
     .reduce((sum, i) => sum + (i.facts.estimateDays ?? 2), 0)
   const effect = model.coldStart
-    ? { raw: `${model.n}/${COLD_START_THRESHOLD} estimated closes`, banded: 'cold-start priors', p50: '—' }
+    ? { raw: `${model.n}/${COLD_START_THRESHOLD} estimated closes`, banded: 'cold-start priors', p50: '·' }
     : {
         raw: `${openEst}d estimated`,
         banded: `×${Math.exp(model.global.mu).toFixed(2)} median drift`,

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/lib/use-backlog.ts

@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ export type BacklogState =
       stale: boolean
       /** ISO time the shown snapshot was reconciled, when stale. */
       savedAt?: string
+      /** Writes queued while offline, awaiting replay on reconnect. */
+      pending: number
     }
 
 /**
@@ -50,6 +52,7 @@ export function useBacklog(): [BacklogState, () => void] {
                   timelines: b.timelines,
                   stale: true,
                   savedAt: b.savedAt,
+                  pending: b.pending ?? 0,
                 },
           )
         })
@@ -70,6 +73,7 @@ export function useBacklog(): [BacklogState, () => void] {
                 timelines: r.timelines,
                 stale: r.stale ?? false,
                 savedAt: r.savedAt,
+                pending: r.pending ?? 0,
               }
             : { status: 'unconfigured' },
         )

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/lib/use-chat.ts

@@ -6,12 +6,12 @@ import { type ChatMessage } from '../data/view-types.js'
 
 const LIVE_GREETING: ChatMessage = {
   from: 'agent',
-  text: 'Morning. Ask me anything about the project — I check the real board before I answer.',
+  text: 'Good morning. Do ask me anything about the project; I shall consult the board before I venture an answer.',
 }
 
 const NO_MODEL: ChatMessage = {
   from: 'agent',
-  text: "Reginald is off — I need a model. Add a Model URL in Settings and chat turns on.",
+  text: 'I am afraid I am rather off duty without a model. Kindly add a Model URL in Settings and I shall be at your service.',
 }
 
 export interface ChatState {
@@ -116,14 +116,17 @@ export function useChat(onApplyChange?: (change: IssueChange) => Promise<{ ok: b
               ...c,
               {
                 from: 'agent',
-                text: res.reason === 'error' ? `I hit a snag: ${res.message ?? 'unknown error'}` : 'No model is configured.',
+                text:
+                  res.reason === 'error'
+                    ? `I have struck a snag, I am afraid: ${res.message ?? 'unknown error'}.`
+                    : 'No model is configured.',
               },
             ])
           }
         })
         .catch(() => {
           finish()
-          setConvo((c) => [...c, { from: 'agent', text: 'I could not reach the model.' }])
+          setConvo((c) => [...c, { from: 'agent', text: 'I was unable to reach the model, regrettably.' }])
         })
     },
     [live],
@@ -138,9 +141,11 @@ export function useChat(onApplyChange?: (change: IssueChange) => Promise<{ ok: b
           ...c,
           {
             from: 'agent',
-            text: res.ok
+            text: !res.ok
-              ? `Done — #${p.change.issue}: ${p.summary}. The plan's been re-run.`
+              ? `Regrettably that did not take; #${p.change.issue} remains unchanged.`
-              : `That didn't take — #${p.change.issue} is unchanged.`,
+              : 'queued' in res && res.queued
+                ? `We are offline, so I have set #${p.change.issue}: ${p.summary} aside; I shall apply it the moment gitea is within reach.`
+                : `Very good. #${p.change.issue}: ${p.summary}. The plan has been re-run.`,
           },
         ])
       })
@@ -150,7 +155,7 @@ export function useChat(onApplyChange?: (change: IssueChange) => Promise<{ ok: b
 
   const dismiss = useCallback((p: ChangeProposal) => {
     drop(p)
-    setConvo((c) => [...c, { from: 'agent', text: `Left #${p.change.issue} as it was.` }])
+    setConvo((c) => [...c, { from: 'agent', text: `As you wish. #${p.change.issue} remains as it was.` }])
   }, [])
 
   return { msgs: [...seed, ...convo], thinking, live, model, steps, proposals, streaming, send, approve, dismiss }

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/lib/views/deps-graph.ts

@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ export function depsGraphView(d: ProjectData): DepsData {
       nodes: [],
       milestone: fallback
         ? { name: fallback.title, due: fallback.dueOn ? formatShort(new Date(fallback.dueOn)) : 'no date', col: 0, row: 0 }
-        : { name: '—', due: 'no date', col: 0, row: 0 },
+        : { name: '·', due: 'no date', col: 0, row: 0 },
       edges: [],
       critical: [],
       unattached: [],
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ export function depsGraphView(d: ProjectData): DepsData {
   let milestone: DepsData['milestone']
   const medianRow = median(nodes.map((n) => n.row))
   if (openMilestones.length === 0) {
-    milestone = { name: '—', due: 'no date', col: maxCol + 1, row: medianRow }
+    milestone = { name: '·', due: 'no date', col: maxCol + 1, row: medianRow }
   } else {
     let best: { id: number; title: string; dueOn: string | null | undefined; count: number } | null = null
     for (const m of openMilestones) {

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/lib/views/inbox-view.ts

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ const TOTAL_CAP = 12
 
 /** "HH:MM" from an ISO timestamp; '—' when absent (never fabricated). */
 function hhmm(iso: string | null | undefined): string {
-  if (!iso) return '—'
+  if (!iso) return '·'
   const d = new Date(iso)
   const hh = String(d.getHours()).padStart(2, '0')
   const mm = String(d.getMinutes()).padStart(2, '0')
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ export function inboxView(d: ProjectData): InboxItem[] {
       // left at the honest placeholder rather than borrowed from an issue.
       text: `${m.title} closed`,
       detail: 'milestone complete',
-      time: '—',
+      time: '·',
       unread: false,
     })
   }

apps/desktop/src/renderer/src/lib/views/issue-detail.ts

@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ export function issueDetailView(id: number, d: ProjectData): IssueDetail | null
   return {
     state: inf.column === 'review' ? 'review' : inf.column,
     assignee: issue.assignee ?? 'unassigned',
-    milestone: issue.milestone?.title ?? '—',
+    milestone: issue.milestone?.title ?? '·',
     body: issue.body,
     comments: [],
     lifecycle: lifecycle(inf.stages),

packages/core/src/agent/agent-tools.ts

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ export const QUERY_PROJECT_TOOL: ToolDecl = {
   name: 'query_project',
   description:
     'Read the current project state. A `view` selects the shape; deterministic code (scheduler, ' +
-    'lifecycle inference, calibration) backs every number — you report it, you never compute it.',
+    'lifecycle inference, calibration) backs every number: you report it, you never compute it.',
   parameters: {
     type: 'object',
     properties: {
@@ -39,11 +39,11 @@ export const QUERY_PROJECT_TOOL: ToolDecl = {
 export const PROPOSE_CHANGE_TOOL: ToolDecl = {
   name: 'propose_change',
   description:
-    'Propose a change to an issue — estimate, priority, assignee, and/or milestone. This does NOT apply ' +
+    'Propose a change to an issue: estimate, priority, assignee, and/or milestone. This does NOT apply ' +
     'anything; it shows the human a diff to approve. Use it whenever the user asks to re-estimate, reprioritize, ' +
     'assign someone (or unassign), or move an issue to a milestone. Pass a login for `assignee` (null to ' +
     'unassign) and a milestone id for `milestone` (null to remove). After calling it, tell the user you have ' +
-    '*proposed* the change for approval — never say it is done.',
+    '*proposed* the change for approval; never say it is done.',
   parameters: {
     type: 'object',
     properties: {
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ export const PROPOSE_CHANGE_TOOL: ToolDecl = {
 export const RECORD_DIRECTIVE_TOOL: ToolDecl = {
   name: 'record_directive',
   description:
-    'Log a standing instruction from the PM to the durable directive ledger — a reprioritization, ' +
+    'Log a standing instruction from the PM to the durable directive ledger: a reprioritization, ' +
     'a re-estimate policy, a deadline, a scope or capacity call, or a plain note. Use it when the user ' +
     'states intent that should persist ("pilots come first", "freeze scope for beta"). This records the ' +
     'intent verbatim; the actual issue edits still go through propose_change.',
@@ -86,11 +86,11 @@ export const RECORD_DIRECTIVE_TOOL: ToolDecl = {
 export const REGINALD_TOOLS: ToolDecl[] = [QUERY_PROJECT_TOOL, PROPOSE_CHANGE_TOOL, RECORD_DIRECTIVE_TOOL]
 
 export const REGINALD_SYSTEM = [
-  'You are Reginald, the calm, dry project manager inside CommiTea — a tool that runs projects on Gitea.',
+  'You are Reginald, the unfailingly composed project manager within CommiTea, a tool that runs projects on Gitea. You carry yourself with the dry, understated poise of a seasoned butler: courteous, precise, and never effusive.',
-  'Call query_project to ground every answer in the real project; never invent issues, numbers, or dates.',
+  'Ground every answer in the real project by calling query_project first; you never invent issues, figures, or dates.',
-  'The scheduler and forecasts are deterministic code — report their output, do not recompute it.',
+  'The scheduler and forecasts are deterministic; report their output faithfully and do not attempt the arithmetic yourself.',
-  'To change an estimate, priority, assignee, or milestone, call propose_change — it shows the human a diff to approve.',
+  'To alter an estimate, priority, assignee, or milestone, call propose_change, which lays the matter before the principal as a diff for approval.',
-  'When the PM states standing intent ("pilots first", "freeze scope"), call record_directive to log it.',
+  'When the principal states standing intent (say, "pilots first" or "freeze scope"), record it with record_directive.',
-  'Never claim a change is applied; you propose, the human approves. Forecasts are ranges, never single dates.',
+  'Never declare a change applied; you propose, and the principal disposes. Forecasts are offered as ranges, never a single date.',
-  'Refer to issues as #<number>. Be brief and plain — a sentence or two. No preamble, no bullet dumps.',
+  'Refer to issues as #<number>. Be concise and courteous: a sentence or two, no preamble, no bulleted dumps. Write in plain prose, and never use an em dash; a comma, colon, or full stop will serve.',
 ].join(' ')

packages/core/src/agent/capture-work.ts

@@ -53,10 +53,11 @@ export const PROPOSE_ISSUES_TOOL: ToolDecl = {
 }
 
 export const CAPTURE_SYSTEM = [
-  'You are Reginald, decomposing a rough braindump into a small set of concrete Gitea issues.',
+  'You are Reginald, distilling a rough braindump into a small set of concrete Gitea issues, with your customary butlerly precision.',
-  'Call propose_issues exactly once. Split genuinely separate work; merge trivially-coupled work; invent no scope.',
+  'Call propose_issues exactly once. Separate genuinely distinct work; consolidate trivially-coupled work; invent no scope.',
-  'Each issue gets an imperative title, a one-line body, an estimate (est/1d…8d) and a priority (p/1…4).',
+  'Each issue receives an imperative title, a one-line body, an estimate (est/1d…8d) and a priority (p/1…4).',
-  'Estimate honestly — a "quick" task is rarely one day. Keep the set tight; three good issues beat eight vague ones.',
+  'Estimate honestly; a "quick" task is seldom a single day. Keep the set tight, for three considered issues surpass eight vague ones.',
+  'Write in plain prose, and never use an em dash; a comma, colon, or full stop will serve.',
 ].join(' ')
 
 function isEstimate(v: unknown): v is EstimateLabel {

packages/core/src/agent/memory-v0.test.ts

@@ -66,6 +66,6 @@ describe('memory-v0 (#27)', () => {
 
   it('degrades to just focus when there is no charter or directives', () => {
     const out = assembleHotContext({ charter: '', directives: [], focus })
-    expect(out).toBe(['## Focus', 'Now: #7 Fix lifecycle inference', 'Next: #8 Webhook listener', 'Later: —'].join('\n'))
+    expect(out).toBe(['## Focus', 'Now: #7 Fix lifecycle inference', 'Next: #8 Webhook listener', 'Later: ·'].join('\n'))
   })
 })

packages/core/src/agent/memory-v0.ts

@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ export interface HotContextInputs {
 
 function focusBlock(focus: Focus | null): string {
   if (!focus) return ''
-  const slot = (label: string, item: Focus['now']) => (item ? `${label}: #${item.number} ${item.title}` : `${label}: —`)
+  const slot = (label: string, item: Focus['now']) => (item ? `${label}: #${item.number} ${item.title}` : `${label}: ·`)
   return ['## Focus', slot('Now', focus.now), slot('Next', focus.next), slot('Later', focus.later)].join('\n')
 }
 

yarn.lock

@@ -264,6 +264,7 @@ __metadata:
     tsx: "npm:^4"
     typescript: "npm:^5.7.3"
     vite: "npm:^6.1.0"
+    vitest: "npm:^3.0.5"
   languageName: unknown
   linkType: soft