WFGY/ProblemMap/Inverse_Atlas/start-here.md

<!--
AI_NOTE_START

Document role:
This page is the shortest onboarding page for new readers entering the Inverse Atlas project.

What this page is for:
1. Help first-time readers avoid getting lost.
2. Provide the cleanest reading path for different user types.
3. Show the fastest route to experiencing the product.
4. Point readers toward the right pages without forcing them to read everything first.

How to use this page:
1. Read this page first if you are new to Inverse Atlas.
2. Choose the path that best matches your goal.
3. Start with the shortest useful route instead of reading the whole folder at once.
4. Return to this page whenever you need to re-orient yourself.

Important boundary:
This page is an onboarding guide.
It is intentionally simpler than the main README, paper, and experiments pages.
It should not be used as the only source for claim boundaries.
For current scope and honesty boundaries, see Status and Boundaries.

Recommended reading path:
1. Start Here
2. Inverse Atlas README
3. FAQ
4. Versions
5. Quick Start
6. Experiments
7. Twin Atlas

AI_NOTE_END
-->

# Start Here 🚀 Inverse Atlas

> New here? Start with the shortest useful path.

Inverse Atlas already has multiple layers:

- main explanation
- runtime artifacts
- public versions
- experiments
- paper
- figures
- Twin Atlas positioning

That is good for depth.

But for a first-time reader, too many choices can make the project feel larger and emptier at the same time.

So this page exists for one simple reason:

**help you begin in the right place**

You do not need to read everything first.

You only need to choose the path that matches your goal.

---

## Quick Links 🔎

| Section | Link |
|---|---|
| Main entry | [Inverse Atlas README](./README.md) |
| FAQ | [FAQ](./FAQ.md) |
| Versions | [Versions](./versions.md) |
| Quick Start | [Quick Start](./quickstart.md) |
| Runtime Guide | [Runtime Guide](./runtime-guide.md) |
| Experiments | [Experiments](./experiments/README.md) |
| Repro in 60 Seconds | [Repro in 60 Seconds](./experiments/repro-60-seconds.md) |
| Results and Current Findings | [Results and Current Findings](./experiments/results-and-current-findings.md) |
| Paper Notes | [Paper Notes](./paper/README.md) |
| Figure Notes | [Figure Notes](./figures/README.md) |
| WFGY 4.0 entry | [Twin Atlas](../Twin_Atlas/README.md) |

---

## If you only have 2 minutes ⏱️

Read these three pages in order:

1. [Inverse Atlas README](./README.md)
2. [FAQ](./FAQ.md)
3. [Quick Start](./quickstart.md)

That is the fastest path to understand:

- what this is
- why it exists
- how to try it

If you stop there, you will still understand the project much better than someone who opens raw txt files with no guide.

---

## If you want the fastest product feeling ⚡

Use this path:

1. [Versions](./versions.md)
2. choose **Advanced**
3. [Quick Start](./quickstart.md)
4. [Repro in 60 Seconds](./experiments/repro-60-seconds.md)
5. [Showcase Cases](./experiments/showcase-cases.md)

This is the best route if your goal is:

**I want to feel the difference quickly**

You do not need the full paper first.
You do not need the full benchmark first.
You do not need Twin Atlas first.

Start with the contrast.

---

## If you want the product logic first 🧭

Use this path:

1. [Inverse Atlas README](./README.md)
2. [FAQ](./FAQ.md)
3. [Versions](./versions.md)
4. [Runtime Guide](./runtime-guide.md)
5. [Status and Boundaries](./status-and-boundaries.md)

This is the best route if your goal is:

**I want to know what this product line actually is**

This path helps you understand:

- why Inverse Atlas exists
- what it is trying to regulate
- which version to use
- how the runtime layer is structured
- what is already true and what is not yet claimed

---

## If you want the experiments first 🧪

Use this path:

1. [Experiments](./experiments/README.md)
2. [Repro in 60 Seconds](./experiments/repro-60-seconds.md)
3. [Phase Overview](./experiments/phase-overview.md)
4. [Case Design and Rationale](./experiments/case-design-and-rationale.md)
5. [Showcase Cases](./experiments/showcase-cases.md)
6. [Results and Current Findings](./experiments/results-and-current-findings.md)

This is the best route if your goal is:

**I want to see how the current MVP is being tested**

This path is especially useful if you care about:

- reproducibility
- case logic
- legality-centered evaluation
- current findings
- expected patterns

---

## If you want the theory first 📄

Use this path:

1. [Paper Notes](./paper/README.md)
2. [Inverse Troubleshooting Atlas Paper](./paper/inverse-troubleshooting-atlas-pre-generative-governance-for-ai-legitimacy.pdf)
3. [Figure Notes](./figures/README.md)
4. [Inverse Atlas README](./README.md)
5. [FAQ](./FAQ.md)

This is the best route if your goal is:

**I want the framework logic first**

This path works well if you want to understand:

- why generation is treated as an authorized act
- what the legality chain is
- what the four governance states are
- why the forward side and inverse side are complementary

---

## If you want the bigger architecture 🌌

Use this path:

1. [Inverse Atlas README](./README.md)
2. [Dual-Layer Positioning](./dual-layer-positioning.md)
3. [Problem Map 3.0 Troubleshooting Atlas](../wfgy-ai-problem-map-troubleshooting-atlas.md)
4. [Twin Atlas](../Twin_Atlas/README.md)
5. [Bridge](../Twin_Atlas/Bridge/README.md)

This is the best route if your goal is:

**I want to know how this fits into WFGY 4.0**

This path helps you understand:

- why the forward Atlas is route-first
- why Inverse Atlas is legitimacy-first
- why Twin Atlas is the family-level architecture
- why Bridge is an internal handoff layer rather than an unrelated extra module

---

## Which version should I use first 🎛️

If you do not want to think too hard about version choice, use this rule:

### Recommended default
**Advanced**

### Easier onboarding
**Basic**

### Audit, pressure testing, and research
**Strict**

If you are unsure, do not overcomplicate it.

Start with **Advanced**.

---

## What should I try first as a real demo 🌟

The simplest strong public demo route is:

1. use [Inverse Atlas Advanced](./runtime/inverse-advanced.txt)
2. use the [Demo Harness](./runtime/inverse-demo.txt)
3. start with [Showcase Cases](./experiments/showcase-cases.md)
4. compare against a normal baseline answer
5. optionally use the [Evaluator](./runtime/inverse-eval.txt)

This gives the strongest early impression without forcing the reader to read every page first.

---

## What should I not do first ❌

Do **not** start by opening raw txt files with no guidance.

Do **not** start with the hardest theory page if your goal is fast product feeling.

Do **not** start with Twin Atlas if you still do not understand what Inverse Atlas itself is doing.

Do **not** confuse:

- current findings
- expected patterns
- future architecture

The project is much easier to understand if you enter in the right order.

---

## What if I only care about downloads 📦

If you only want the raw artifacts, go here:

- [Runtime Artifacts](./runtime/README.md)
- [Inverse Atlas Runtime](./runtime/inverse-runtime.txt)
- [Demo Harness](./runtime/inverse-demo.txt)
- [Evaluator](./runtime/inverse-eval.txt)
- [Case Pack](./runtime/inverse-cases.txt)
- [Basic](./runtime/inverse-basic.txt)
- [Advanced](./runtime/inverse-advanced.txt)
- [Strict](./runtime/inverse-strict.txt)

But this is not the recommended first path for most humans.

The recommended path is still:

- understand the idea first
- then choose a version
- then reproduce one clean contrast

---

## What if I only care about Colab 💻

Go here:

1. [Colab](./colab.md)
2. [Repro in 60 Seconds](./experiments/repro-60-seconds.md)
3. [Results and Current Findings](./experiments/results-and-current-findings.md)

Important:

Colab is mainly a reproduction tool.

You do not need to run Colab in order to understand the project.
The docs should already make the framework understandable.

---

## What if I want the safest scope summary 📏

Read:

1. [Status and Boundaries](./status-and-boundaries.md)
2. [Results and Current Findings](./experiments/results-and-current-findings.md)

These two pages are the safest places to check:

- what is already real
- what is currently observed
- what is still expected pattern
- what is not yet claimed

---

## Best first paths by user type 👥

### I am a curious first-time reader
Read:
- [README](./README.md)
- [FAQ](./FAQ.md)
- [Quick Start](./quickstart.md)

### I want to try it right now
Read:
- [Versions](./versions.md)
- [Quick Start](./quickstart.md)
- [Repro in 60 Seconds](./experiments/repro-60-seconds.md)

### I care about experiments
Read:
- [Experiments](./experiments/README.md)
- [Phase Overview](./experiments/phase-overview.md)
- [Showcase Cases](./experiments/showcase-cases.md)
- [Results and Current Findings](./experiments/results-and-current-findings.md)

### I care about architecture
Read:
- [Dual-Layer Positioning](./dual-layer-positioning.md)
- [Twin Atlas](../Twin_Atlas/README.md)
- [Bridge](../Twin_Atlas/Bridge/README.md)

### I care about theory
Read:
- [Paper Notes](./paper/README.md)
- [Figure Notes](./figures/README.md)
- [Paper PDF](./paper/inverse-troubleshooting-atlas-pre-generative-governance-for-ai-legitimacy.pdf)

---

## If you need one sentence for outside use 📝

If you want one short sentence to describe this page, use this:

> Start Here is the fastest onboarding page for Inverse Atlas, helping new readers choose the right path based on whether they want product feeling, theory, experiments, downloads, or the larger Twin Atlas architecture.

---

## Final Note 🌱

A strong project should not require new readers to guess where to begin.

That is why this page exists.

Inverse Atlas already has enough layers to be interesting.
This page makes those layers easier to enter in the right order.

Start simple.
Pick the path that matches your goal.
Then go deeper only when you need to.