Updates

handbook/04-the-booter-runtime.md

@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ There is no arbitrary command execution, **`source`**, or control flow — it is
 - **`startBareInitd(ctx)`** — sequential start, per-service `try/catch`, `[bare-initd] name: err` on failure
 - **`registerKernelShutdownHook(fn)`** + **`runKernelShutdownHooks()`** — async-friendly teardown before disposers (REPL **`session.cleanup`** awaits hooks, then **`stopBareInitd()`**)
 - **`registerBareInitdDisposer(fn)`** + **`stopBareInitd()`** — for intervals and synchronous teardown
+- **Kernel logger** — mirrors **`console.log`/`error`** to **`~/.kernel/kernel.log`** on the personal drive; the file is **trimmed** when it grows past 512 KiB (last 256 KiB kept plus a notice line).
 
 Built-in **`kernel-logger`** wraps **`ctx.console.log` / `error`** to also append UTF-8 lines to **`$HOME/.kernel/kernel.log`** (creates **`~/.kernel/.keep`** best-effort). Failures to write logs are swallowed so logging never kills the session.
 

handbook/05-identity-vault-and-hdms.md

@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ The personal drive still persists: guest data is **not** anonymous to the drive
 - Updates **`ctx.vfs.env`** with real **`USER`**, **`HOME`** under **`/home/<pubkey-prefix>`**, **`BARE_OS_PUBLIC_KEY`**, derived **`UID`/`GID`**-like fields from a hash of the public key.
 - **`vfs.chdir`** to the new home.
 - **`onIdentityUnlocked`** (from `index.js`) activates **HDMS** with Corestore, swarm bootstrap, personal drive, mount map.
+- **`loadBarerc`** runs inside **`applyUnlockedEnv`** after a successful **`login`** or **`login --new`** (with **`createSkeletonIfMissing: true`** on first unlock), so **`~/.barerc`** exports and aliases apply immediately—custom kernels normally **do not** need to reload barerc themselves. Use **`ctx.onIdentityUnlocked`** if you want an extra banner or post-login message.
 
 **`logout`** zeroes sensitive material and returns to guest; **`logout --save`** (and **`savevault`**) snapshot selected paths into **`/.bare/vault/`** as encrypted records (see `identity-account.js` helpers for AEAD and path hashing).
 

handbook/06-kernel-and-binaries.md

@@ -9,8 +9,10 @@ The **kernel** is a single script. The **utilities** are many small scripts. Bot
 Staged from **`kernel/init.js`**. Responsibilities (typical):
 
 1. Print **`/etc/os-release`** via **`ctx.drive.get`** + **`b4a.toString`**
-2. Print a **one-line** hint (commands, login, paths)
-3. Loop forever:
+2. Print optional **`/etc/motd`** if present
+3. Run non-comment lines from **`/etc/bare-os/rc`** through **`execLine`** (boot-time shell snippets)
+4. Print a **one-line** hint (commands, login, paths)
+5. Loop forever:
    - **`line = await readLine('')`**
    - Break on **`null`** (EOF / session end)
    - Skip empty lines

handbook/09-posix-utilities-shell-and-vfs.md

@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ There is **no** **`chown`** / **`chgrp`** that changes stored ownership in a mul
 
 **Unsupported:** lone **`&`** (background) is rejected with an error. There is no job control.
 
+**Last exit status:** after each full **`execLine`** evaluation, **`vfs.env.BARE_OS_EXIT_STATUS`** is updated (decimal string). Words expand **`$?`** and **`${?}`** from that value (default **`0`** if unset), similar to POSIX **`$?`**.
+
 Beyond **`alias`**, **`unalias`**, **`cd`**, **`export`**, **`login`**, **`logout`**, **`exit`**:
 
 | Builtin        | Behavior                                                                                                                                                                                                     |