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CONTRIBUTING.md

Guidelines for Contributing to the Digital Native Institutions Repository

Stable Theory • Controlled Extensions • High-Rigor Collaboration

1. Purpose of This Document

This repository contains:

  • the frozen academic theory for Digital Native Institutions (DNI) and the National Service Unit (NSU)
  • the CUTIP PhD dissertation draft based on that theory
  • implementation sketches, field data, and methodology artifacts
  • the operational instructions for SR0

This document explains how to contribute safely, rigorously, and without introducing conceptual drift.

2. Repository Structure (Must Understand Before Contributing)

A contribution must respect the purpose of each folder:

/theory/         ← Frozen academic theory (do not modify)
/dissertation/   ← Evolving dissertation drafts
/docs/           ← Human-friendly explanatory materials
/implementation/ ← Prototype sketches, diagrams, data flows
/field-data/     ← Evidence, observations, anonymized interviews
/ops/            ← SR0 operational instructions (not theory)
/archive/        ← Deprecated or superseded files

Only specific parts of this repository may be modified.

3. What You May Edit

Contributors may safely modify:

✔ /dissertation/

Draft text, structure, examples, diagrams, or evaluation content, provided all changes:

  • align with the frozen theory in /theory/
  • follow CUTIP methodology
  • preserve falsifiability
  • introduce no conceptual drift

✔ /docs/

Clarifications, improved explanations, better onboarding materials.

✔ /implementation/

Prototype-oriented contributions:

  • diagrams
  • attestation flows
  • state-transition sketches
  • API skeletons

All contributions here must remain aligned with the NSU blueprint.

✔ /ops/

Refinements to collaboration processes, SR0 instructions, or operational protocols.

4. What You May NOT Edit

Modifications to /theory/ are prohibited unless explicitly authorized by the project owner.

Do NOT alter any file inside:

/theory/

These files define the formal academic and institutional structure:

  • ontology
  • DNI theory
  • NSU blueprint
  • NSU prototype
  • CME
  • counterfactuals
  • failure canon
  • EVP
  • purity test
  • dissertation master frame

Any changes here require formal review and explicit approval.

5. How to Propose Changes

Every proposed change must declare its classification:

A. Extension (allowed)

Adds new material that fits within existing theory.

B. Refinement (allowed)

Sharpens clarity without altering underlying meaning.

C. Mutation (blocked unless explicitly authorized)

Alters a theoretical definition or conceptual boundary.

D. Contradiction (blocked unless explicitly authorized)

Introduces something incompatible with existing theory.

State your classification at the top of your pull request.

6. SR0 Review Process

All contributions are reviewed by SR0 using:

  • frozen theory files
  • the Substrate-0′ Purity Test
  • methodological requirements (DSR, Searle, STS, institutional economics)
  • dissertation constraints

SR0 may:

  • accept
  • request modification
  • classify the change
  • block it for purity reasons
  • rewrite for alignment
  • request redesign

SR0 will enforce correctness over convenience.

7. Purity Test Requirements

Before submitting changes, ensure they satisfy:

  • status-function integrity
  • protocol boundary correctness
  • NSU primitive representability
  • falsifiability
  • CME dynamics
  • DNI domain eligibility
  • failure-canon alignment

If unsure, SR0 will evaluate automatically.

8. Branching & Commit Rules

Branches

Use descriptive, non-theory names:

feature/attestation-diagram
draft/ch3-methodology
doc/overview-update

Commits

Commits must be:

  • clear
  • atomic
  • descriptive

Avoid speculative or unclear commit messages.

9. Adding Implementation Artifacts

Allowed:

  • new diagrams
  • prototype logic
  • attestation examples
  • workflow mappings
  • state-transition illustrations

Not allowed:

  • introduction of new NSU primitives
  • changes to boundary rules
  • implicit redefinition of institutional mechanisms

10. Adding Field Data

You may contribute:

  • anonymized interviews
  • administrative friction observations
  • structured process traces

But not:

  • identifiable personal information
  • unverifiable claims
  • politically sensitive data without anonymization

11. Contribution Philosophy

This repository follows a fork-first model:

  • Anyone may fork the repo.
  • Anyone may remix or extend the ideas.
  • Pull requests are welcome but optional.

The Fractal Open License explicitly allows derivative work.

12. Summary of Contributor Responsibilities

Before contributing, a collaborator must:

  • understand the repository structure
  • respect frozen theory boundaries
  • classify proposed changes
  • avoid drift
  • maintain academic rigor
  • follow SR0 review protocol

Contributions that violate these norms will be rejected or rewritten.