THE ENFORCER

A Brutalist, command-line driven task-limiter that punishes procrastination and rewards execution.

Philosophy

Forced Focus: Maximum 3 tasks. No exceptions.
The 24-Hour Rule: Tasks are "living" entities. If they aren't killed (completed) within 24 hours, they kill your productivity (lockout).
Functional Guilt: Failure results in system degradation, social shame (logs), and mechanical lockouts.
Zero UI: No mouse, no sidebars, no buttons. Only commands.

Installation

Copy this extension folder to your VS Code extensions directory:
- Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.vscode\extensions\
- macOS/Linux: ~/.vscode/extensions/
Reload VS Code
The Enforcer is now active

Commands

Access all commands via the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P):

Command	Action
`BM: Add Task`	Register a new task (fails if locked out or slots full)
`BM: List Tasks`	Display active tasks with countdown timers
`BM: Complete Task`	Mark a task as done (increments rehabilitation)
`BM: Apologize`	Clear lockout early by typing a shame string
`BM: Show Status`	View lifetime statistics and current state

The Stakes System

Slot Demotion

Start: 3 task slots
Failure Penalty: Each expired task reduces maximum slots by 1 (minimum: 1)
Rehabilitation: Complete 2 tasks consecutively on time to restore 1 lost slot

The Lockout

When a task expires:

Input Freeze: BM: Add Task disabled for 30 minutes
Early Release: Type BM: Apologize and enter the randomly generated shame string exactly

The Shame Log

Location: .bm_shame file in your workspace root
Automatic Entry: Each failure appends a timestamped record
Social Pressure: Option to commit failures to Git

Status Bar

The Enforcer displays real-time status in the VS Code status bar (bottom-left):

BM: [███░] 3/3
BM: [██░] 2/3 !! CAPACITY REDUCED !!
BM: [█░] 1/2 !! CAPACITY REDUCED !! [LOCKED]

Click the status bar to view full task list.

Example Workflow

1. Add task: Cmd+Shift+P → "BM: Add Task" → "Refactor authentication"
   [SYSTEM: OPTIMIZED] Task registered. You have 24 hours. Don't fail.

2. Check status: Cmd+Shift+P → "BM: List Tasks"
   ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
   │  THE ENFORCER | SLOTS: [█░░] 1/3 ACTIVE      │
   ├──────────────────────────────────────────────┤
   │ 01. Refactor authentication..[ 23h 54m REMAINING] │
   └──────────────────────────────────────────────┘

3. Complete task: Cmd+Shift+P → "BM: Complete Task" → Select task
   [SYSTEM: OPTIMIZED] Task completed. Well done.

4. If you fail:
   [SYSTEM: CRITICAL FAILURE]
   
   TASKS EXPIRED:
     - Refactor authentication
   
   PENALTIES:
   - CAPACITY REDUCED: 3 → 2
   - LOCKOUT: 30 MINUTES
   - SHAME LOG UPDATED

Technical Details

State Management

All state is stored in VS Code's globalState:

tasks: Array of active tasks with timestamps
maxSlots: Current maximum task capacity (1-3)
lockoutUntil: Timestamp when lockout expires (null if not locked)
successStreak: Consecutive completions toward rehabilitation
totalSuccess: Lifetime completed tasks
totalFailures: Lifetime expired tasks

Heartbeat Check

Every 5 minutes, The Enforcer checks for expired tasks and immediately triggers penalties.

Startup Behavior

On VS Code startup, The Enforcer:

Checks for any tasks that expired while offline
Applies all accumulated penalties
Shows lockout notification if applicable

Non-Goals

❌ No "snooze" button
❌ No task editing (once committed, you do it or you fail)
❌ No cloud sync (your failures stay on your machine)
❌ No "easy mode"

License

MIT - Use at your own psychological risk.

Warning

This extension is designed to create stress and accountability through negative reinforcement. It is a productivity tool for those who respond to pressure and consequences. If you prefer positive reinforcement or have anxiety around deadlines, this is not for you.

The shame log can be committed to Git. Be aware of what you're exposing if working in shared repositories.

The Enforcer

Stranger07