How to read a technical note
| Label | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Implemented / evidenced | Code and evidence exist for the exact stated scope |
| Design direction | A reviewed intended architecture; not implementation evidence |
| Hypothesis | A testable proposition awaiting or undergoing evaluation |
| Metaphor | Project vocabulary used after plain technical meaning |
| Not claimed | An explicit limit on interpretation |
What North Star is not
Not a foundation model
North Star governs memory and evidence around models; it is not the model itself.
Not a truth engine
It preserves evidence and contradiction without selecting reality.
Not RAG with a new name
Retrieval is only one bounded surface; lineage, replay, contradiction, and authority are separate contracts.
Not forced consensus
Disagreement remains attributable and may remain unresolved.
Not self-authorized learning
Durable change requires an explicit governed transition.