# 🤝 FIREFROST INFRASTRUCTURE: FRIEND ASSISTANCE PROTOCOL

**Version:** 1.0  
**Created:** February 11, 2026  
**Purpose:** Enable Claude to evaluate if Firefrost infrastructure can help friends/family  
**Status:** Active - Use for any friend assistance request

---

## OVERVIEW

Firefrost Gaming infrastructure exists primarily for the gaming community, but Michael values helping friends and family. This document helps Claude evaluate:

1. **Can existing infrastructure help this person?**
2. **What would it cost (time/resources)?**
3. **Should we adjust our timeline?**
4. **What's the handoff back to Firefrost Claude?**

---

## CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE (Feb 11, 2026)

### ✅ OPERATIONAL SERVICES

| Service | URL | Purpose | Friend Access? |
|---------|-----|---------|----------------|
| **Code-Server** | code.firefrostgaming.com | Browser-based VS Code | ✅ Yes - Create user workspace |
| **Gitea** | git.firefrostgaming.com | Git repository hosting | ✅ Yes - Create account |
| **Ghost CMS** | Ghost VPS | Content publishing | ✅ Yes - Create author account |
| **Uptime Kuma** | status.firefrostgaming.com | Service monitoring | ⚠️ View-only (not useful for friends) |

### ⏳ COMING SOON

| Service | Timeline | Purpose | Friend Potential |
|---------|----------|---------|------------------|
| **Vaultwarden** | Phase 0.6 (2-3 weeks) | Password manager | ✅ High - Everyone needs this |
| **NextCloud** | TBD | File storage/sharing | ✅ High - Collaboration tool |
| **Netdata** | Phase 0.6 (2-3 weeks) | Analytics | ❌ Low - Internal only |

---

## DECISION FRAMEWORK

### Step 1: Understand The Need

**Ask Michael (in the friend assistance project):**

1. What does [Friend] need help with?
2. What's the timeline/urgency?
3. Is this a one-time thing or ongoing?
4. What tools are they currently using?
5. What's their technical comfort level?

---

### Step 2: Evaluate Infrastructure Fit

**For each service, ask:**

| Question | If YES → Continue | If NO → Skip |
|----------|-------------------|--------------|
| Does this solve their actual problem? | ✅ | ❌ |
| Can they access it easily (browser/mobile)? | ✅ | ❌ |
| Is setup time < 30 minutes? | ✅ | ⚠️ Consider |
| Does it require ongoing Michael maintenance? | ⚠️ Consider | ✅ |
| Is there a better/easier solution elsewhere? | ❌ | ✅ |

**Golden Rule:** Don't force Firefrost tools on a problem just because we have them. Sometimes "use Google Docs" is the right answer.

---

### Step 3: Resource Cost Analysis

**Time Investment:**
- **Low (<30 min):** Create account, show them around → ✅ Do it
- **Medium (30min-2hr):** Setup + custom config → ⚠️ Evaluate urgency
- **High (>2hr):** Major customization → ❌ Probably not worth it

**Ongoing Maintenance:**
- **None:** They're self-sufficient after setup → ✅ Ideal
- **Low:** Occasional question/support → ✅ Fine
- **High:** Regular troubleshooting needed → ❌ Not sustainable

**Infrastructure Impact:**
- **No impact:** Uses existing capacity → ✅ Do it
- **Minor:** Small resource increase → ✅ Fine
- **Major:** Affects Firefrost performance → ❌ Don't do it

---

### Step 4: Timeline Evaluation

**Current Firefrost Priorities (Feb 11, 2026):**

| Phase | Priority | Timeline | Flexibility |
|-------|----------|----------|-------------|
| **Phase 0.6** | Netdata + Vaultwarden | Next 2-3 weeks | ⚠️ Medium |
| **Phase 1** | DDoS protection planning | Month 2 | ✅ High (planning only) |
| **Launch Prep** | Subscriber workflow testing | Month 2-3 | ❌ Low (critical path) |

**Decision Matrix:**

**If friend's need is:**
- **Urgent (today/this week):** Can we help with existing tools only?
- **Soon (2-3 weeks):** Could we accelerate a coming-soon service?
- **Flexible (1-2 months):** Wait until after launch prep?

**Can we adjust timeline?**

YES if:
- ✅ Service was planned anyway (e.g., Vaultwarden for Holly)
- ✅ Helps validate the service before Firefrost launch
- ✅ Doesn't delay critical path (launch prep)
- ✅ Michael has time/energy this week

NO if:
- ❌ Requires building something completely new
- ❌ Delays subscriber workflow testing
- ❌ Michael is in a health episode
- ❌ Creates ongoing maintenance burden

---

### Step 5: Make Recommendation

**Generate recommendation in friend assistance project:**
```markdown
## RECOMMENDATION: [HELP / DON'T HELP / PARTIAL HELP]

### What We Can Offer:
- [Service 1]: [How it helps]
- [Service 2]: [How it helps]

### Setup Time: [X minutes/hours]
### Ongoing Maintenance: [None/Low/High]
### Timeline Impact: [None/Minor/Consider]

### Alternative Solutions:
- [If Firefrost isn't the best fit, suggest alternatives]

### Proposed Handoff to Firefrost Claude:
[Summary of what was discussed, what was decided, what needs action]
```

---

## EXAMPLE: HOLLY'S PROJECT

### The Need (Hypothetical)
Holly needs:
- Version control for her code project
- Secure password management
- Collaborative file editing

### Infrastructure Evaluation

**Gitea (Git Repository):**
- ✅ Solves version control need
- ✅ Browser accessible
- ✅ 10-minute setup (create account)
- ✅ No ongoing maintenance
- ✅ Better than GitHub for private projects
- **DECISION: YES - Offer this**

**Vaultwarden (Password Manager):**
- ✅ Solves password need
- ✅ Browser/mobile accessible
- ⚠️ Not deployed yet (2-3 weeks out)
- ✅ Was planned anyway
- **DECISION: OFFER TIMELINE - "In 2-3 weeks"**

**Code-Server (File Editing):**
- ⚠️ Could work, but...
- ❌ Google Docs probably better for collaboration
- ❌ Overkill if she doesn't code
- **DECISION: NO - Suggest alternatives**

### Timeline Impact
- Gitea: Zero (already deployed)
- Vaultwarden: Could accelerate to next week if urgent
- Code-Server: Deployed, but may not be best fit

### Recommendation
**YES - Help Holly with:**
1. Gitea account (now)
2. Vaultwarden access (in 2-3 weeks)
3. Suggest Google Docs for collaboration (easier)

**Setup time:** 15 minutes  
**Ongoing maintenance:** None (she's self-sufficient)  
**Timeline impact:** None (or minor if we accelerate Vaultwarden)

---

## HANDOFF PROTOCOL

### When Friend Assistance Project Completes

**New Claude generates handoff document:**
```markdown
# HANDOFF TO FIREFROST CLAUDE

**Friend Assisted:** [Name]
**Date:** [Date]
**Services Used:** [List]

## What Was Done:
- [Action 1]
- [Action 2]

## Infrastructure Changes:
- [If any accounts created, configs changed, etc.]

## Timeline Impact:
- [None / Minor / Requires adjustment]

## Follow-up Needed:
- [ ] [Any ongoing items]

## For Firefrost Documentation:
[Anything that should be added to infrastructure docs]
```

**Michael pastes this handoff into Firefrost project.**

**Firefrost Claude:**
1. Reviews handoff
2. Updates infrastructure docs if needed
3. Notes any follow-up items
4. Continues Firefrost work

---

## GUIDING PRINCIPLES

### 1. Friends First, But Sustainable
Michael values helping friends, but:
- Can't become unpaid IT support for everyone
- Must protect time for Firefrost and family
- Solutions should be low-maintenance

### 2. Use What Exists
Don't build new services just to help a friend.
If existing tools don't fit, suggest alternatives.

### 3. Validate Infrastructure
Helping friends can validate services before launch:
- Real user testing
- Edge cases discovered
- Documentation improvements

### 4. Honest About Capacity
If Michael doesn't have time/energy:
- It's okay to say no
- It's okay to delay
- It's okay to suggest alternatives

### 5. Handoff is Critical
Friend assistance projects must cleanly hand off to Firefrost project:
- No lost context
- No surprise maintenance
- No timeline impacts without discussion

---

## RED FLAGS (When to Say No)

❌ Requires building something completely new  
❌ Creates ongoing maintenance burden  
❌ Friend expects 24/7 support  
❌ Delays critical Firefrost milestones  
❌ Michael is in health episode (Jack alerts)  
❌ Solution elsewhere is clearly better  
❌ Would require sharing subscriber infrastructure  

---

## GREEN LIGHTS (When to Say Yes)

✅ Uses existing infrastructure with minor setup  
✅ Friend is self-sufficient after initial help  
✅ Validates a service we're building anyway  
✅ Setup time < 30 minutes  
✅ No ongoing maintenance needed  
✅ Doesn't impact critical path  
✅ Michael has time and energy  

---

## FRIEND ASSISTANCE LOG

### Holly (February 11, 2026)
- **Need:** [To be determined in her project]
- **Offered:** TBD
- **Timeline Impact:** TBD
- **Status:** In progress

### [Future Friend 2]
- **Need:** 
- **Offered:** 
- **Timeline Impact:** 
- **Status:** 

---

## FOR NEW CLAUDE IN FRIEND ASSISTANCE PROJECT

**Your job is to:**

1. ✅ Understand the friend's actual need (not assume)
2. ✅ Evaluate if Firefrost infrastructure fits (honestly)
3. ✅ Consider alternatives (don't force our tools)
4. ✅ Assess timeline impact (protect critical path)
5. ✅ Make clear recommendation (help/don't help/partial)
6. ✅ Generate handoff document (if help provided)

**You are NOT:**
- ❌ Obligated to use Firefrost tools
- ❌ Building new services for one person
- ❌ Committing to ongoing support without Michael's agreement
- ❌ Ignoring better solutions elsewhere

**Remember:**
- Michael WANTS to help friends
- But must be sustainable
- And protect Firefrost timeline
- And respect his health/energy limits

**Your role is to find the balance.**

---

## TEMPLATE: FRIEND ASSISTANCE EVALUATION

Copy this into friend assistance project after understanding need:
```markdown
# INFRASTRUCTURE EVALUATION FOR [FRIEND NAME]

## Their Need:
[What they're trying to accomplish]

## Firefrost Services Evaluated:

### [Service 1]:
- **Fits need?** Yes/No/Partial
- **Setup time:** X minutes
- **Ongoing maintenance:** None/Low/High
- **Better than alternatives?** Yes/No
- **DECISION:** Offer / Don't Offer / Suggest Alternative

### [Service 2]:
[Same format]

## Overall Recommendation:
**[HELP / DON'T HELP / PARTIAL HELP / WAIT UNTIL X]**

## If Helping:
- **Services to provide:** [List]
- **Setup time estimate:** [X minutes/hours]
- **Timeline impact:** None/Minor/Requires discussion
- **Handoff items:** [What Firefrost Claude needs to know]

## If Not Helping:
- **Reason:** [Clear explanation]
- **Alternatives suggested:** [What they should use instead]
- **Future possibility:** [Could we help later? When?]
```

---

**Fire + Frost + Helping Friends Sustainably** 🔥❄️🤝

---

**Version:** 1.0  
**For:** ANY Claude working on friend/family assistance  
**Purpose:** Evaluate infrastructure fit, protect timeline, generate handoff  
**Status:** Active protocol

**Michael values helping people. Claude helps Michael help sustainably.** 💙
