docs(init): validate specification — v1.23 milestone (REQ-263..275)

Established active_milestone: v1.23 (Nova Deck Cleanup & Python PPTX).
NFR milestone (docs/render/test only; no features). Tags on v1.22.x line
(v1.22.0 P0 -> v1.22.6 P6 final = milestone release). Branch:
milestone/v1.23-deck-cleanup-python-pptx.

Added REQ-263..275 to REQUIREMENTS.md covering:
- Consolidate docs: single -marp.md source of truth, delete plain .md,
  speaker notes/talking points as Marp HTML comments, keep
  talking-points.md as synced standalone aid (REQ-263,264)
- Restore clean style: theme:default + inline style block (S&P palette),
  retire nova-sp-theme.css from render (keep as reference), benefit
  callout restyle (REQ-265,266,267)
- Inline images: scripts/inline_images.py for self-contained
  redistributable HTML (REQ-268)
- Python PPTX generator: scripts/render_pptx.py structured editable
  S&P-themed PPTX via python-pptx, both PPTX outputs produced + attached
  (REQ-269,270)
- Trim word count: targeted ~20-30% trim on verbose slides, remove
  'penetrate' term (REQ-271,272)
- CI/tests/README: workflows install python-pptx, tests updated,
  README rewritten (REQ-273,274,275)

Driven by user feedback: deck looked 'out of whack'; wanted to return to
the clean style of the old the-developer-experience.html. Investigation
revealed the 'clean' reference was itself MARP output (default theme +
inline style); the standalone nova-sp-theme.css approach was fragile.

---ci---
project: acdl
phase: 0
milestone: v1.23
status: specify
---/ci---

.ciagent/CHECKPOINT.json

@@ -1,28 +1,9 @@
 {
-  "phase": 6,
+  "phase": 0,
-  "stage": "complete",
+  "stage": "specify",
-  "milestone": "v1.22",
+  "milestone": "v1.23",
-  "phase_role": "final",
+  "phase_role": "pre_execution",
   "attempts": 0,
-  "updated_at": "2026-08-11T15:30:00Z",
+  "updated_at": "2026-08-11T23:30:00Z",
-  "milestone_complete": true,
+  "project": "acdl"
-  "tag": "v1.21.6",
-  "requirements": ["REQ-254","REQ-255","REQ-256","REQ-257","REQ-258","REQ-259","REQ-260","REQ-261","REQ-262"],
-  "release": {
-    "forge": "gitea",
-    "releases_created": true,
-    "release_ids": {
-      "v1.21.0": 621,
-      "v1.21.1": 622,
-      "v1.21.2": 623,
-      "v1.21.3": 624,
-      "v1.21.4": 625,
-      "v1.21.5": 626,
-      "v1.21.6": 627
-    },
-    "milestone_release_id": 627,
-    "pptx_asset_id": 98,
-    "pptx_download_url": "https://git.cloudinit.dev/attachments/fe691962-4f4e-4321-ab5d-c2bb8c3fd6ad"
-  },
-  "notes": "v1.22 milestone complete. Tag v1.21.6 (milestone release). Merged to main + pushed to origin. All 7 Gitea releases created (ids 621-627). PPTX attached to milestone release (asset id 98). All milestone branches deleted. 9 requirements complete (REQ-254..262). 32 slide tests pass (23 original + 9 new). 94 key-file tests pass. Pipeline check exit 0. Next milestone starts fresh."
 }

.ciagent/PROJECT.md

@@ -1532,3 +1532,48 @@ New requirements REQ-254..REQ-262 — see `REQUIREMENTS.md` §v1.22. Summary:
   A1) + remove redundant `header:` from frontmatter.
 - **REQ-262:** Re-render HTML + PPTX + add layout/aspect-ratio/theme-
   structural tests.
+
+## v1.23 — Nova Deck Cleanup & Python PPTX
+
+> **Active milestone.** NFR (docs/render/test only; no features).
+> Branch: `milestone/v1.23-deck-cleanup-python-pptx`. Tags run on the
+> **v1.22.x** patch line: `v1.22.0` (P0) → `v1.22.1..v1.22.5` (P1–P5) →
+> `v1.22.6` (P6 final = milestone release).
+
+Driven by user feedback that the deck looked "out of whack" and the
+desire to return to the clean, well-formatted style of the old
+`the-developer-experience.html`. Investigation revealed the "clean"
+reference was itself MARP output (using Marp's built-in `default` theme
++ an inline `style:` block); the current deck's standalone
+`nova-sp-theme.css` re-derives all base spacing from scratch and had a
+zero-padding bug (fixed in v1.22, but the standalone approach is
+fragile). The milestone delivers:
+
+- **Single-document consolidation** — `*-marp.md` becomes the sole
+  source of truth; the plain `.md` is deleted; speaker notes + talking
+  points are embedded as Marp HTML comments.
+- **Clean style restoration** — revert to `theme: default` + inline
+  `style:` block (S&P palette); `nova-sp-theme.css` retained as a
+  reference, retired from render.
+- **Self-contained HTML** — base64-inline all images for
+  redistribution.
+- **Parallel python-pptx generator** — structured, editable, S&P-themed
+  PPTX alongside the MARP image-of-slide PPTX.
+- **Targeted word-count trim** + "penetrate" term removal.
+
+**Phase count:** 7 (P0 pre-execution + 5 execution + 1 final).
+
+**Hard constraints:**
+- DO NOT change the deck narrative or the 4-beat arc (Problem → Solution
+  → Proof → Roadmap + Ask) — only trim word count.
+- DO NOT re-introduce badges, version strings, or internal citations.
+- DO NOT remove MARP — it stays for HTML + PPTX; python-pptx runs in
+  parallel.
+- `nova-sp-theme.css` is retained (not deleted) as a styling reference.
+
+### Requirements
+
+New requirements REQ-263..REQ-275 — see `REQUIREMENTS.md` §v1.23.
+Summary: consolidation (REQ-263,264), style restoration (REQ-265,266,267),
+image inlining (REQ-268), python-pptx generator (REQ-269,270), word-count
+trim + "penetrate" removal (REQ-271,272), CI/tests/README (REQ-273,274,275).

.ciagent/REQUIREMENTS.md

@@ -1904,3 +1904,127 @@ assert 20 main + 1 appendix.
 | REQ-260 | P3 | complete |
 | REQ-261 | P4 | complete |
 | REQ-262 | P5 | complete |
+
+## v1.23 — Nova Deck Cleanup & Python PPTX
+
+> **NFR milestone** (docs/render/test only; no features). Tags run on the
+> **v1.22.x** line (milestone v1.23 → tags v1.22.0..v1.22.6). Final patch
+> `v1.22.6` = milestone release.
+>
+> Consolidates the deck to a single source-of-truth markdown document,
+> restores the clean S&P visual style (Marp `default` theme + inline
+> `style:` block, matching the old `the-developer-experience.html`),
+> embeds images as base64 in the HTML for redistribution, builds a
+> parallel structured python-pptx PPTX generator, and trims verbose
+> slides. `nova-sp-theme.css` is retained as a styling reference but
+> retired from the render path.
+
+### Category: Consolidate Docs
+- **REQ-263:** `nova-autonomous-cloud-delivery-marp.md` becomes the sole
+  source of truth. Speaker notes + talking points from the plain `.md`
+  are folded into the deck as Marp HTML comments (`<!-- Speaker notes:
+  ... -->`, `<!-- Talking points: ... -->`). The plain
+  `nova-autonomous-cloud-delivery.md` is deleted.
+- **REQ-264:** `nova-autonomous-cloud-delivery-talking-points.md` is kept
+  as a standalone presenter aid, synced from the deck's `<!-- Talking
+  points: -->` comments. Header note documents the mirror relationship.
+
+### Category: Restore Clean Style
+- **REQ-265:** Revert deck frontmatter `theme: nova-sp` → `theme:
+  default` and add an inline `style:` block porting the S&P visual
+  language (palette #D6002A/#1B1B1B, Akkurat Pro font, black title slide
+  with red top border, tables, blockquotes, code, aspect-ratio-aware
+  images). Keep current structure (H2 + bold-lead, no header, no badges).
+- **REQ-266:** `nova-sp-theme.css` is retained as a styling reference
+  (header comment documents its retired status). `render_slides.sh`
+  drops the `--theme "$THEME_CSS"` argument; the inline `style:` block in
+  frontmatter is the sole styling source at render time.
+- **REQ-267:** Benefit callouts on every slide are restyled: the
+  `**Benefit:**` prefix is removed; the callout becomes a styled
+  element (red top-rule + black italic text; white on title slides)
+  using a `.benefit` class in the inline style block.
+
+### Category: Inline Images
+- **REQ-268:** New `scripts/inline_images.py` (stdlib only: `base64`,
+  `re`, `mimetypes`) post-processes the rendered HTML: finds all
+  `<img src="assets/...">` relative paths, replaces each `src` with a
+  `data:image/<mime>;base64,...` URI. HTML becomes self-contained
+  (redistributable without the `assets/` folder). `render_slides.sh`
+  invokes it after the MARP HTML render, before staging.
+
+### Category: Python PPTX Generator
+- **REQ-269:** New `scripts/render_pptx.py` parses the consolidated
+  `*-marp.md` and produces a structured, editable, S&P-themed PPTX
+  (`nova-autonomous-cloud-delivery-python.pptx`) using `python-pptx`.
+  16:9 slides; title slide (black bg, red top bar, white H1); content
+  slides (red H2 title, bold lead, bullets, blockquote, embedded PNGs,
+  native PPTX tables, benefit callouts). HTML-comment speaker
+  notes/talking points are skipped. `python-pptx` added to
+  `pyproject.toml`. `render_slides.sh` invokes it as a new step.
+- **REQ-270:** Both PPTX outputs (MARP image-of-slide + python
+  structured) are produced by `render_slides.sh` and staged. CI
+  workflows install `python-pptx` and commit both. `attach_release_asset.py`
+  attaches both to the release.
+
+### Category: Trim Word Count
+- **REQ-271:** Targeted word-count trim on ~8 verbose slides (1, 5, 7,
+  8, 13, 14, 20, plus the appendix) — ~20-30% reduction on trimmed
+  slides. Tables and short slides are untouched. The spirit of each
+  slide is preserved.
+- **REQ-272:** The term "penetrate" (and derivatives) is removed from
+  all presentation files. Slide 5's "Nova never penetrates it" phrase is
+  removed with no replacement (slide 4 Anti-Goals already excludes the
+  PDLC from scope). `grep -ri penetrat docs/presentations/` returns
+  nothing.
+
+### Category: CI, Tests, README
+- **REQ-273:** CI workflows (`workflows-src/slides.yml` + synced
+  `.github`/`.gitea` copies) install `python-pptx`, run `render_slides.sh`
+  (which produces HTML + both PPTX + inlined images), and commit all
+  rendered artifacts. README documents the new pipeline.
+- **REQ-274:** `tests/test_slides_pipeline.py` is updated for the
+  consolidated doc (no plain `.md`), default theme + inline style
+  assertions (S&P visual properties, not theme filename),
+  `nova-sp-theme.css` retained-as-reference assertion, image-inlining
+  assertions (zero `src="assets/` references, ≥1 base64 per image),
+  python-pptx output existence, benefit callout class, "penetrate"
+  absence. New `tests/test_pptx_generator.py` asserts slide count, title
+  colors, table rendering, image embedding.
+- **REQ-275:** `docs/presentations/README.md` is rewritten to document
+  the single-document process (author `*-marp.md` → render HTML + both
+  PPTX → talking points mirrored), inline `style:` approach,
+  `nova-sp-theme.css` reference status, image inlining, and dual PPTX
+  output.
+
+### Out of Scope (v1.23)
+
+- **Deck narrative / 4-beat arc changes** — the Problem → Solution →
+  Proof → Roadmap + Ask structure is unchanged; only word count is
+  trimmed.
+- **Re-introduction of badges, version strings, or internal citations**
+  — v1.21 removed these; v1.23 does not re-add them.
+- **Removal of MARP** — MARP stays for HTML + PPTX; python-pptx runs in
+  parallel for comparison.
+- **Removal of orphaned `developer-experience-*` assets** — deferred to
+  a future cleanup phase (optional in v1.23 Phase 6 only if time
+  permits).
+- **Mermaid render scoping** — the mermaid render step continues to
+  render all `.mmd` files; scoping to referenced-only is deferred.
+
+### v1.23 Traceability
+
+| REQ | Phase | Status |
+|-----|-------|--------|
+| REQ-263 | P1 | pending |
+| REQ-264 | P1 | pending |
+| REQ-265 | P2 | pending |
+| REQ-266 | P2 | pending |
+| REQ-267 | P2 | pending |
+| REQ-268 | P3 | pending |
+| REQ-269 | P3 | pending |
+| REQ-270 | P3 | pending |
+| REQ-271 | P4 | pending |
+| REQ-272 | P4 | pending |
+| REQ-273 | P5 | pending |
+| REQ-274 | P5 | pending |
+| REQ-275 | P5 | pending |

.ciagent/ROADMAP.md

@@ -2070,3 +2070,83 @@ release). **DONE.**
   `milestone/v1.22-deck-layout-fix` → `main`. Requirements marked
   complete; ROADMAP marked complete; CHECKPOINT cleared.
 - **Requirements:** REQ-254..262 (9 requirements, all complete).
+
+## v1.23 — Nova Deck Cleanup & Python PPTX (active)
+
+> **NFR milestone** (docs/render/test only; no features). Tags run on the
+> **v1.22.x** line (milestone v1.23 → tags v1.22.0..v1.22.6). Final patch
+> `v1.22.6` = milestone release. Branch: `milestone/v1.23-deck-cleanup-python-pptx`.
+>
+> Driven by the user's feedback that the deck looked "out of whack" and
+> the desire to return to the clean, well-formatted style of the old
+> `the-developer-experience.html` (which used Marp's built-in `default`
+> theme + an inline `style:` block). That investigation revealed:
+> (1) the "clean" reference was itself MARP output — MARP is not the
+> problem; (2) the current deck uses a standalone `nova-sp-theme.css`
+> that re-derives all base spacing from scratch and had a zero-padding
+> bug (fixed in v1.22 but the standalone approach is fragile);
+> (3) there are two markdown documents (a plain source-of-truth `.md`
+> and a manually-synthesized `-marp.md`) that should be consolidated;
+> (4) images are referenced as file paths in the HTML, so the HTML
+> breaks when redistributed without the `assets/` folder; (5) the deck
+> is verbose in places and uses the term "penetrate" which the user
+> wants removed.
+>
+> The milestone delivers: single-document consolidation, clean style
+> restoration (Marp `default` + inline `style:`), self-contained HTML
+> (base64 images), a parallel structured python-pptx PPTX generator,
+> targeted word-count trim, and "penetrate" removal. `nova-sp-theme.css`
+> is retained as a styling reference but retired from the render path.
+
+### Phase P0 — pre-execution (active)
+- SPECIFY → CLARIFY → RESEARCH → PLAN → GRILL. Establishes v1.23
+  requirements (REQ-263..275). Tag `v1.22.0`.
+
+### Phase P1 — consolidate-docs (planned, tag v1.22.1)
+- REQ-263: fold speaker notes + talking points into `*-marp.md` as Marp
+  HTML comments; delete the plain `.md`. `-marp.md` becomes the sole
+  source of truth.
+- REQ-264: keep `*-talking-points.md` as a standalone presenter aid,
+  synced from the deck's `<!-- Talking points: -->` comments.
+
+### Phase P2 — restore-clean-style (planned, tag v1.22.2)
+- REQ-265: revert frontmatter to `theme: default` + inline `style:`
+  block (S&P palette). Keep H2 + bold-lead structure, no header, no
+  badges.
+- REQ-266: retain `nova-sp-theme.css` as a styling reference; drop
+  `--theme` from `render_slides.sh`.
+- REQ-267: restyle benefit callouts — remove `**Benefit:**` prefix; use
+  `.benefit` class (red top-rule + black italic; white on title slides).
+
+### Phase P3 — inline-images + python-pptx-generator (planned, tag v1.22.3)
+- REQ-268: new `scripts/inline_images.py` — base64-embeds all images in
+  the rendered HTML for redistribution. Invoked after the MARP HTML
+  render.
+- REQ-269: new `scripts/render_pptx.py` — structured, editable, S&P-themed
+  PPTX via `python-pptx`. 16:9; native tables; embedded PNGs; benefit
+  callouts. Add `python-pptx` to `pyproject.toml`.
+- REQ-270: `render_slides.sh` produces both PPTX outputs; CI installs
+  `python-pptx`; both attached to release.
+
+### Phase P4 — trim-wordcount (planned, tag v1.22.4)
+- REQ-271: targeted ~20-30% word-count trim on verbose slides (1, 5, 7,
+  8, 13, 14, 20, appendix). Tables untouched. Spirit preserved.
+- REQ-272: remove "penetrate" (and derivatives) from all presentation
+  files. Slide 5's phrase removed with no replacement (slide 4
+  already excludes the PDLC).
+
+### Phase P5 — ci-tests-readme (planned, tag v1.22.5)
+- REQ-273: CI workflows install `python-pptx`, run `render_slides.sh`,
+  commit HTML + both PPTX + inlined images.
+- REQ-274: update `test_slides_pipeline.py` (consolidated doc, inline
+  style assertions, image inlining, python-pptx, benefit class,
+  "penetrate" absence). New `test_pptx_generator.py`.
+- REQ-275: rewrite `README.md` for the single-document + dual-PPTX +
+  image-inlining pipeline.
+
+### Phase P6 — final-review-ship (Final Phase, planned, tag v1.22.6)
+- Multi-persona code review across all phases.
+- Audit: git log matches `.ciagent/` discipline.
+- Ship: tag `v1.22.6` (final patch = milestone release). Merge
+  `milestone/v1.23-deck-cleanup-python-pptx` → `main`.
+- **Requirements:** REQ-263..275 (13 requirements).

.ciagent/config.json

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
   ],
   "active_project": "acdl",
   "active_projects": ["acdl"],
-  "active_milestone": "v1.22",
+  "active_milestone": "v1.23",
   "autonomy": {
     "level": "full",
     "escalation_hooks": ["deploy", "delete_data", "merge_to_main"],