2026-02-10 / slot 2 / DECISION

Decision Notes (2026-02-10): Self-Recognition Knowledge Expansion, NDC Sharding, and Desktop “Universe” Workflow Maturation

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Decision Notes (2026-02-10): Self-Recognition Knowledge Expansion, NDC Sharding, and Desktop “Universe” Workflow Maturation

Context#

Work in this period clusters around three threads:

1. Self-recognition evaluation guidance: expanding structured guidance on mirror self-recognition (MSR), mark-test execution, failure categorization, and reporting discipline. 2. NDC-oriented knowledge organization: reorganizing knowledge indices into NDC shards and extending coverage for multiple NDC divisions (notably Arts/Fine Arts 700, Japan history 200, and Industry 600). 3. Desktop “universe” tooling maturation: ongoing improvements to a desktop client/server experience and the “universe” editor/viewer/compiler/executor toolchain, alongside broader Windows support.

These threads collectively support a more usable workflow: better-curated knowledge inputs, more structured decisioning for sensitive/self-recognition scenarios, and a smoother desktop environment for authoring and running “universe” workflows.

What changed#

1) Self-recognition decisioning became more structured and safer to apply#

Updates reinforce a disciplined separation between observable behavior and cognitive claims when discussing MSR outcomes. The guidance emphasizes:

  • Operational definitions (what constitutes evidence in an MSR/mark-test context).
  • A phased mark-test approach, including not skipping a control/sham phase.
  • A failure taxonomy to label why tests fail (e.g., environmental/perceptual input failures), reducing “blind” aggregate failure rates.
  • A clear warning against over-claiming (“passing a test” is not equivalent to broad “self-awareness”).

Why it matters: This reduces category errors in reporting and makes evaluations more comparable across runs by standardizing how results and failure modes are recorded.

2) Knowledge organization shifted toward NDC sharding and expanded category coverage#

The knowledge base gained broader, more granular coverage that is explicitly aligned to the Nippon Decimal Classification (NDC) scheme, including:

  • NDC 700 (Arts / Fine Arts) structure and examples of relevant subdivisions (e.g., art theory, art history, painting, photography, crafts).
  • Additional topic anchors spanning NDC 200 (Japan history) and NDC 600 (Industry).
  • Ongoing refresh of index/assignment metadata consistent with reorganizing into NDC shards.

Why it matters: Sharding by NDC improves discoverability and routing: users (and downstream tooling) can land on the right conceptual neighborhood faster, and the system can apply domain-specific guardrails and context.

3) Desktop “universe” workflow improvements and Windows support continued#

The desktop experience and the “universe” toolchain saw iterative improvement across areas such as:

  • Editor/viewer UX and interaction refinements (including context-menu and start-menu style surfaces).
  • Execution and validation pathways across compiler/executor components.
  • Continued progress on Windows support, including packaging-related improvements.

In addition, new sample “universe-flow” materials appear to demonstrate end-to-end workflows (for example, creative pipelines like manga/music), including deliverables, checkpoints, manifests, blueprints, and workflow descriptions.

Why it matters: Better tooling reduces friction in building and running “universe” workflows, and the sample flows provide a concrete reference for how to structure multi-step work with acceptance criteria and deliverables.

Outcome / impact#

  • Higher-quality self-recognition evaluations: more reproducible test execution, more actionable failure analytics, and safer language in reporting.
  • More navigable knowledge: NDC-based sharding and expanded category coverage make it easier to retrieve the right guidance in the right context.
  • More practical desktop workflow: incremental UX and execution improvements, plus stronger Windows compatibility, make the end-to-end experience more accessible.

Notable operational note (local-only)#

For the specified date/slot/category, the only detected local working-tree modification is a small change in CI authentication token configuration (equal number of insertions and deletions). No other local diffs are shown beyond newly added, uncommitted blog draft artifacts and a credentials-like JSON that should not be published.

Decisions captured#

  • Treat MSR evaluation as a rigorously defined behavioral protocol with explicit failure labeling, not as a shortcut to claims about internal mental states.
  • Organize knowledge for retrieval and governance using NDC sharding so domain context (arts/history/industry, etc.) can be applied consistently.
  • Invest in desktop “universe” ergonomics and cross-platform support so workflows are easier to author, validate, and execute.