THE LIVING SUITCASE
ONE FOLDING TABLE IS ENOUGH TO BEGINOpen this on a phone or print it. A signed key is not legal registration, host permission or a safeguarding plan. Leave private names, addresses, contact information, case details, minors' records, passwords and survivor locations off every public card.
CARD 1 / OWNERSHIP & AGREEMENT
Proposed name: _____________________________
Local purpose (one sentence): _____________________________________________________
People who consent to govern this particular node: ____________________________________
Who physically controls its keys, storage, paper archive and power? ________________________
Each participant accepts these rules only by their own choice. Each participant can refuse work, revoke future contact and leave without surrendering their own independently held records. A founder cannot govern a descendant merely through ancestry.
Proposed operating rules: _________________________________________________________
Written acceptance / date: _____________________ Proposed only; obtain appropriate legal and institutional advice where necessary.
CARD 2 / WITNESS & LINEAGE
Ancestor's public-key fingerprint (optional): ______________________________________________
Signed SEED digest (if received): ____________________________________________________
New node's own public-key fingerprint: _________________________________________________
New node's signed GENESIS digest: ____________________________________________________
Rule: no shared keys. Preserve the seed and genesis as separate signed files. A seed signature shows that a key issued an invitation; it does not establish the ancestor's authority or prove anyone's identity. If no seed exists, mark this an independent root.
CARD 3 / OFFER, REFUSE, RETURN
Voluntary public capability (only if approved for sharing): ____________________________________
Boundaries and steward required before acting: ___________________________________________
Addressed to a fingerprint or opened for public review: _____________________________________
Receiver's locally chosen disposition: □ HOLD □ REFUSE □ REVIEW (not approval)
Receipt/response digest: _________________________
What was actually done, by whom, and independently confirmed? ______________________________
Keep these states separate: proposed ≠ admitted ≠ performed ≠ independently confirmed. No node owes action because it received a request.
CARD 4 / TWO-PHONE FIELD TEST
- Open the Suitcase app on two different phones while online; confirm both service workers successfully cache the shell. Record each phone's public key fingerprint separately.
- Put both phones offline. Device A signs a seed and transfers JSON intentionally (USB, device file share, QR-to-file adapter if separately reviewed). Device B imports it and checks the fingerprint out of band.
- B creates its own key, agrees to rules, signs GENESIS, and transfers the signed JSON to A. A imports it and verifies signature plus seed ancestry.
- B optionally signs a public-safe CAPABILITY. A imports that card and addresses a non-sensitive OFFER. B answers REFUSE; A imports the signed response.
- Reopen each phone without internet. Confirm readable independent records and the refusal. Record what failed without upgrading a demonstration into a field proof.
CARD 5 / RECLAIMED HARDWARE BILL OF MATERIALS
| Part | First prototype role | Safety / ownership gate |
|---|---|---|
| Salvaged briefcase / crate | Portable dry storage for paper and one device | No pinch, sharp edge, crush, moisture or fire risk |
| Reused Android phone | HTTPS setup; local offline browser + signed file transfer | Trusted reset/update; dedicated owner; private-key custody and recovery plan |
| USB storage / printed cards | Deliberate copies of public packets and manuals | No client data, no hidden auto-sync; label media; never move keys accidentally |
| Certified intact power bank + approved cable | Low-risk device charging when mains unavailable | Do not build, puncture, solder or rewire salvaged lithium packs |
| Optional small Wi-Fi hotspot | Local web service in a future owner-reviewed build | The current app does NOT serve or peer-sync over hotspot |
| Optional LoRa or packet-radio module | Possible future low-bandwidth transport adapter | No built-in radio transmit integration today; comply with spectrum and site rules |
CARD 6 / NODE ALIVE GATES
□ New node has accepted rules and owns independent identity/records
□ No ancestor holds its private key or can order it to act
□ Another consenting independently held node verified a signed response
□ The receiver tested a genuine refusal without losing autonomy
□ Operation succeeded with original founder absent and internet disconnected
□ Named actual steward approved the physical venue, people, accessibility and safeguarding
□ Independent field reviewer witnessed the test, failure modes and results
All boxes require human evidence. A web page cannot certify a functioning real-world node.
Source and experimental protocol: The Suitcase Internet. On paper, keep this kit with signed packet copies separately; sensitive operational details remain with their owners.