docs: keep unfinished NSS and salvage work in TODO

AI.md

@@ -1,5 +1,17 @@
 # AI working notes for mars-nwe
 
+## TODO/REDESIGN/AI file policy correction after 0435
+
+`TODO.md` may keep the implementation dashboard table at the top.  It is the
+short active-work index, not a changelog.  Do not remove unfinished tracks merely
+because their design is documented elsewhere.  In particular, salvage metadata
+and the low-level NSS import/helper-extraction line are still unfinished and
+should remain visible in `TODO.md` until real implementation/test work closes
+them.  Finished or superseded work moves out of `TODO.md`; stable architecture
+prose belongs in `REDESIGN.md`; handoff rules and patch-history context belong
+in this file.
+
+
 ## Current handoff status after NSS low-level imports 0404-0423
 
 Current accepted MARS-NWE server line in this work session includes the NSS

REDESIGN.md

@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@ future endpoint work easier to audit against the Novell/Micro Focus SDK, WebSDK,
 and NDK Core Protocols PDF.
 
 
+The active-work dashboard lives in `TODO.md` and is intentionally allowed to list
+unfinished long-running tracks even when their design is described here.
+Salvage metadata and selective NSS low-level helper imports are still open until
+implementation and tests close them.
+
 ## Salvage metadata/export model
 
 The salvage backend should remain compatible with the existing Samba-style

TODO.md

@@ -2,19 +2,23 @@
 
 This file is the project backlog, not a changelog.  Keep patch chronology and
 handoff details in `AI.md`.  Keep broad architecture prose in `REDESIGN.md`.
-This file should answer: what remains to be done, why it matters, and where the
-work belongs.
+The dashboard at the top is intentionally retained as the short active-work
+index.  Remove items from this file only when the work is finished or explicitly
+superseded; unfinished long-running tracks such as salvage and low-level NSS
+imports stay visible here.  This file should answer: what remains to be done,
+why it matters, and where the work belongs.
 
 ## Implementation dashboard
 
 | Area | Priority | Status | Notes |
 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
 | DOS namespace compatibility | P0 | Active next | Legal names, wildcard semantics, case folding, reserved names and stable 8.3 aliases. |
-| Salvage metadata / backup-tool compatibility | P0 | Planned next | Keep `.recycle` payloads; make `netware.metadata` authoritative for deleted entries; deprecate `.salvage` JSON. |
+| Salvage metadata / backup-tool compatibility | P0 | Planned next / unfinished | Keep `.recycle` payloads; make `netware.metadata` authoritative for deleted entries; deprecate `.salvage` JSON. |
 | NetWare 3.x NCP endpoint completion | P1 | Active audit + implementation | `ENDPOINTS.md` is the detailed decimal/hex audit table; keep this TODO as the short implementation queue. |
 | NetWare 4.x endpoint compatibility | P2 | Partial / guarded | `ENDPOINTS.md` tracks active compatibility vs guarded 4.x selectors. |
 | Admin, queues, printing and TTS | P2 | Ongoing | Console-operator model, queue path case handling, print/TTS compatibility cleanup. |
 | Test infrastructure | P1 | Ongoing | CTest where offline, live all-smokes where server/client state is required, DOS tool smokes. |
+| NSS low-level import and helper extraction | P1 | Ongoing / unfinished | Continue direct, selective NSS helper imports where they serve namespace, salvage, streams, metadata or compression; avoid whole NSS runtime subsystems. |
 | Shared library layering | P2 | Planned cleanup | Move reusable metadata/salvage/stream/compression helpers into libnwcore/libnwfs without importing whole NSS runtime subsystems. |
 | Transport split and IPX/TCP config | P2 | Documented plan | Keep TCP/IP and IPX under `nwtransport`; make IPX kernel setup internal later, with `ipx-utils` as fallback/debug tooling. |
 | External file reconciliation | P1 | Planned next | Add libnwfs watcher/scanner support so Samba, rsync and host-created files receive `netware.metadata` and namespace records. |
@@ -182,7 +186,26 @@ Follow-up:
 - The future test environment should generate its own SYS tree and quota image,
   then start a local MARS-NWE instance from the test build.
 
-### 6. Third-party and shared-library layering
+### 6. Low-level NSS import follow-ups
+
+This track is not complete.  Keep it in the active TODO file until the remaining
+NSS-derived helpers needed by the NetWare 3.x filesystem line have been adapted,
+built and tested.
+
+- Continue the direct-import pattern for small GPL-2.0 NSS helpers whose APIs are
+  useful outside the original NSS runtime.
+- Keep imported libnwcore helpers in normal `src/core/` and `include/core/`
+  locations, with original NSS names preserved where that improves source
+  compatibility.
+- Do not import entire NSS/OES runtime subsystems just to satisfy helper
+  dependencies; replace kernel/VFS/platform hooks with small userland glue.
+- Treat remaining namespace, metadata, stream, salvage and compression helper
+  needs as active follow-up work tied to libnwfs/libnwcore boundaries.
+- Keep Unicode/codepage table generation based on the external
+  `third_party/unicodeTables` submodule and Unicode.org data, not Novell
+  `unitables/*.tab` files.
+
+### 7. Third-party and shared-library layering
 
 - Keep mars-nwe-owned `.c` and `.h` files under GPL-compatible project control.
 - Maintain clear boundaries for third-party code:
@@ -197,7 +220,7 @@ Follow-up:
     they exist.
 
 
-### 7. Transport split and IPX/TCP configuration
+### 8. Transport split and IPX/TCP configuration
 
 - Keep TCP/IP support as a code/library split under `nwtransport`, not a new
   daemon.