Detector/status: ageable desk state + explainable blocked posture (not bare int alone)

[jim80net]

Summary

Cos reported a structural detector defect: state/flotilla-detector-state.json → desk_states is a bare integer per seat with no observed_at / reason / since, so labels cannot be aged. FO verified the bare-int store and corrected the integer mapping.

Verified

• Enum (internal/surface/surface.go): 3 = StateIdle, 2 = StateWorking — not blocked.
• Status column blocked is loop_posture, derived when idle + backlog BlockedN>0 + UnblockedN==0 (internal/loopposture/posture.go deriveIdle).
• Live 2026-08-06: six seats with loop_posture=blocked each still had open ## Backlog [blocked] lines (ledger-consistent). One pattern to watch: an approval-sensitive desk uses [blocked] for “awaiting next dispatch / desk clear”, which freezes blocked posture by construction.

Ask (product)

Must-have for the blocked pulse symptom

1. When status shows blocked, expose why (which backlog markers / counts) — not only the label.
2. Optional but high value: posture evidence carries observed_at + short reason so a blocked label can be aged/audited.
3. Document anti-pattern: do not leave meta “waiting for dispatch” items as open [blocked] if the seat is intentionally idle-available.

Still worth shipping (Cos field ask)

4. Enrich detector snapshot desk_states from bare int → at least {state, observed_at} (reason on transition optional). Do not hand-edit live integers as the fix.

Non-goals

• No operator spend / irreversible action.
• No FO hand-edit of production desk_states values.
• Does not replace status: idle·available conflates finished-idle with model-limit cannot-execute #986 (idle finished vs limit-block on pane axis).

Provenance

• Cos: flotilla-dispatch-d6182fd4 / productivity residual
• Finding record: a private deployment finding record retained by the operator.