upstream-fixes

# Fixing problems upstream Sometimes a dependency, tool, or service misbehaves and we work around it in our code. Workarounds include an override or version pin, a skipped install script, a wrapper script, a patch, a disabled check, or a retry. When that happens, consider whether the fix belongs upstream, and ask me before contributing it. 1. **Check that it really is upstream's problem**, not our misuse or configuration. - Reproduce it against the latest upstream release or default branch. If you can't, say why in your report and how confident you are that the problem is upstream's. - Search upstream's issues and pull requests for an existing report. 2. **Mark the workaround in our code.** Add a comment saying which upstream problem it works around and when it can be removed. Link the upstream issue once there is one. This is the "why not" comment the comment policy asks for: it stops the next reader from deleting the workaround while it is still needed, and it tells them when they can. 3. **Ask me before contributing.** In your report, say: - which project, and what the problem is; - what you'd contribute: an issue, a patch or pull request, or a docs fix; - whether it's already reported; - roughly how much work it is. Do this at the end of the task, or at a natural pause. Don't stop the current work to ask. Skip this step when the cause is on our side. When an existing upstream report already covers it, link the report in the comment from step 2, and ask only if you have a fix to offer that the report lacks. 4. **Change nothing outside the current repository without my approval.** Reading upstream's issues and code, or cloning it into a temporary directory to reproduce, is fine. What needs approval is opening issues, posting comments, opening pull requests, and forking repositories. Once approved, anything posted still falls under "Never speak to other people on my behalf": hand me the drafts unless I tell you to post that specific one. 5. **After approval, keep the upstream work separate from the current task.** - Hand it to a subagent, or to a separate session for anything long (see the `agent-dispatch` skill), so the current task isn't blocked. - Draft only the contribution I approved. If that includes a patch, test it against upstream's code. Give me the drafts to post. - If the session lacks access to the upstream repository, say so and leave the posting to me rather than working around the access limit. 6. **Remove the workaround once upstream ships the fix.** When you touch code carrying one of these comments, check whether the linked issue is resolved and released; if it is, offer to remove the workaround and bump the dependency.