Now for the fun part. # 00 - Manifesto.md This is the soul of the project. Not requirements. Not implementation. Questions it answers: - Why are we building this? - What problem are we trying to solve? - What do we believe? Example ```markdown # Purpose Define the philosophy of the project. ## We Believe Knowledge should belong to its creator. Markdown should outlive every AI model. Ideas deserve to be rediscovered. Software should reduce friction instead of replacing thought. AI should augment thinking, not perform it. ## We Reject Vendor lock-in. Automatic rewriting. Cloud-first design. Knowledge trapped inside proprietary databases. ``` Notice... No code. --- # 01 - Project Charter.md This is the elevator pitch. Example ```markdown # Vision Create a local-first knowledge system that helps people rediscover their own thinking. # Problem People accumulate thousands of notes. Finding the correct note is easy. Remembering the correct note exists is difficult. # Success The system quietly surfaces forgotten ideas when they become relevant. The human says: "I completely forgot I wrote that." ``` --- # 02 - Principles.md This becomes law. Example ```markdown ## Principle Markdown is the source of truth. Reason Markdown is readable without this project. Implications No proprietary storage. No hidden metadata. Everything should remain useful without AI. ``` Another one ```markdown ## Principle Never surprise the user. Reason Trust is earned. Implications Preview major edits. Never delete automatically. Always log changes. ``` --- # 03 - User Stories.md These are probably my favorite. Example ```markdown ## Story As a blogger, I want Alfred to remind me when I have already explored a similar topic, so I build upon my previous thinking instead of starting over. ``` Another ```markdown ## Story As a photographer, I want forgotten workflow notes to appear while editing, so I can benefit from past discoveries. ``` Another ```markdown ## Story As a meat cutter, I want customer questions to become searchable knowledge, so uncommon cuts are never forgotten. ``` That last one is *very* you. --- # 04 - Command Specification.md One command after another. Like a man page. Example ````markdown # brain resurface ## Purpose Surface forgotten but relevant knowledge. ## Input Current note Current project Current folder ## Output A ranked list of related notes. ## Example ```text You last explored this idea in 2023. Reason: Both notes discuss Linux startup optimization. ``` ```` --- # 05 - Alfred.md I think this is going to become legendary. Example ```markdown ## Alfred Speaks Rarely. ## Alfred Interrupts Only when confidence is high. ## Alfred Never Pretends certainty. Flatters. Rewrites history. Deletes knowledge. ## Alfred Values Curiosity. Evidence. Patterns. Continuity. ``` --- # 06 - Roadmap.md Simple. ```markdown Phase 1 Read-only Phase 2 Suggestions Phase 3 Editing Phase 4 Automation ``` --- # Decisions These are tiny. Example ```markdown # Decision 0001 Title Markdown is the source of truth. ## Status Accepted ## Context Many AI systems store proprietary data. ## Decision All information remains in Markdown. ## Consequences Positive Portable forever. Negative Requires parsing. ``` --- # Parking Lot.md This should almost read like a notebook. ```markdown - Detect when opinions evolve over time. - Surface abandoned blog posts. - Recognize recurring themes across years. - Timeline of changing beliefs. - "On this day in your thinking." - Alfred notices contradictions. - Suggest books from previous reading notes. ``` No organization. No pressure. Just seeds. --- ## One last suggestion I'd add one document that wasn't on my original list. ``` docs/ 99-North Star.md ``` One page. One sentence. No more than 200 words. It answers only this: > **If someone uses this software every day for five years, how will they be different?** Not what the software does. What it changes. I have a feeling we'll rewrite that document a dozen times over the life of this project, and that's okay. It'll become the litmus test for every feature we consider. If a new idea doesn't move us toward that North Star, it probably doesn't belong. And yes—I think you've officially reached the point where it's worth sharpening the knife. We have enough of a vision now that every document you write today will continue to pay dividends months from now.