diff --git a/hub.py b/hub.py
index b110ca1..f6502d0 100644
--- a/hub.py
+++ b/hub.py
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ class Hub:
         # (the ws control channel has no auth — safe to expose publicly this way).
         # Set via config "readonly": true or env GODSTRUMENT_READONLY=1.
         self.readonly = bool(cfg.get("readonly")) or \
-            os.environ.get("GODSTRUMENT_READONLY", "") not in ("", "0")
+            os.environ.get("GODSTRUMENT_READONLY", "").strip().lower() in ("1", "true", "yes", "on")
 
         self.signals: dict[str, Signal] = {}
         self._raw_lock = threading.Lock()
diff --git a/transform.py b/transform.py
index 572759e..92ada12 100644
--- a/transform.py
+++ b/transform.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class Tweak:
         if spec:
             for k, v in spec.items():
                 if k in self.p:
-                    self.p[k] = float(v) if not isinstance(v, bool) else float(v)
+                    self.p[k] = float(v)
         self._held: dict[str, float] = {}    # freeze holds, keyed by signal name
         self._lag: dict[str, float] = {}     # smoothing state, keyed by signal name
         self.orbit_lfo = 1.0                 # external planetary-orbit gain (hub-set)
diff --git a/viz/index.html b/viz/index.html
index fd97594..3291371 100644
--- a/viz/index.html
+++ b/viz/index.html
@@ -1800,7 +1800,7 @@
         pick.appendChild(lb);
       }
       const hint2 = document.createElement("span"); hint2.className = "albl";
-      const nSel = dests.get(arrSelKey);
+      const nSel = dests.get(arrSelKey) || { isNote: false };   // dests can be empty in the cold-connect window (pre-hello)
       hint2.textContent = nSel.isNote
         ? "piano roll · " + NOTE_NAMES[gScale.root] + " " + gScale.name.replace("_", " ") + " · click to place · stack 2+ in a column → plays one at random"
         : "16-step gate · lit steps let the world's signal through";
@@ -2993,7 +2993,7 @@
       unp.onclick = () => { for (const src of node.members) this._dropSource(src); this.refreshSockets(); this.persist(); m.remove(); };
       m.appendChild(unp);
       const vibe = document.createElement("div"); vibe.textContent = "💾 save as vibe"; vibe.style.cssText = "color:#9fd0ff;cursor:pointer;margin:5px 0";
-      vibe.onclick = () => { m.remove(); if (this.saveVibe) this.saveVibe(gk); else eventTicker.unshift({ text: "💾 vibes land in the next update — build a feeling, save it, hand it to a friend", tAdded: now(), src: "sys" }); };
+      vibe.onclick = () => { m.remove(); this.saveVibe(gk); };
       m.appendChild(vibe);
       document.body.appendChild(m);
       const off = (ev) => { if (!m.contains(ev.target)) { m.remove(); document.removeEventListener("mousedown", off, true); } };
@@ -6580,7 +6580,7 @@
       for (const sk of Object.keys(SKINS)) {
         const it2 = document.createElement("div"); it2.className = "it";
         it2.textContent = (SKINS[sk].key === activeSkin.key ? "✓ " : "") + SKINS[sk].label;
-        it2.onclick = () => { setSkin(sk); if (!chakraMode) { chakraMode = true; clearTrails(); } closeCtx(); };
+        it2.onclick = () => { setSkin(sk); if (!chakraMode && !zeroMode) { chakraMode = true; clearTrails(); } closeCtx(); };
         skinSub.appendChild(it2);
       }
       ctxItem(performMode ? "leave performance mode" : "performance mode",
@@ -7170,8 +7170,8 @@
     grimoire:  { label: "open the grimoire (help)", run: () => { const g = document.getElementById("grimoire"); if (g) g.classList.add("open"); } },
     play:      { label: "play / stop the synth", run: () => { if (typeof Synth !== "undefined") Synth.toggle(); } },
     chakraView:{ label: "chakra / skin view", run: () => { if (zeroMode) return; chakraMode = !chakraMode; if (!chakraMode) { layoutDirty = true; exitMind(); } else clearTrails(); } },
-    skinNext:  { label: "next skin", run: () => { setSkin(nextSkinKey()); if (!chakraMode) { chakraMode = true; clearTrails(); } } },
-    skinPrev:  { label: "previous skin", run: () => { setSkin(prevSkinKey()); if (!chakraMode) { chakraMode = true; clearTrails(); } } },
+    skinNext:  { label: "next skin", run: () => { setSkin(nextSkinKey()); if (!chakraMode && !zeroMode) { chakraMode = true; clearTrails(); } } },
+    skinPrev:  { label: "previous skin", run: () => { setSkin(prevSkinKey()); if (!chakraMode && !zeroMode) { chakraMode = true; clearTrails(); } } },
     moodCycle: { label: "cycle mood (first light / drift / storm)", run: () => cycleMood() },
     tracks:    { label: "tracks / arranger", run: () => { arr.open ? closeArranger() : openArranger(); } },
     perform:   { label: "performance mode", run: () => window.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent("keydown", { key: "p" })) },
diff --git a/viz/manual.html b/viz/manual.html
index 42f397a..39fa180 100644
--- a/viz/manual.html
+++ b/viz/manual.html
@@ -351,6 +351,25 @@
     padding: 4px 9px; user-select: text; -webkit-user-select: text; transition: background 0.15s; }
   #account .codechip:hover { background: rgba(124,255,178,0.18); }
   #account .codechip.copied { color: #fff; border-color: #7cffb2; background: rgba(124,255,178,0.3); }
+  /* admin — user management */
+  #account.wide .box { width: 520px; }
+  #account .userlist { margin-top: 6px; }
+  #account .urow { padding: 8px 0; border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(120,150,200,0.12); }
+  #account .urow .uhead { display: flex; align-items: baseline; gap: 8px; flex-wrap: wrap; }
+  #account .urow .uname { color: #eaf1ff; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 600; }
+  #account .urow .umeta { color: rgba(160,180,210,0.6); font-size: 10.5px; }
+  #account .urow .ubadge { font-size: 9.5px; letter-spacing: .5px; text-transform: uppercase; padding: 1px 6px; border-radius: 20px;
+    background: rgba(255,214,92,0.14); color: #ffd65c; border: 1px solid rgba(255,214,92,0.35); }
+  #account .urow .uact { display: flex; gap: 6px; flex-wrap: wrap; margin-top: 6px; }
+  #account .urow .ubtn { background: rgba(255,255,255,0.05); color: #b9c8e2; border: 1px solid rgba(120,150,200,0.22);
+    border-radius: 7px; padding: 4px 9px; cursor: pointer; font-size: 10.5px; }
+  #account .urow .ubtn:hover { border-color: rgba(150,180,255,0.55); color: #eaf1ff; }
+  #account .urow .ubtn.danger:hover { border-color: rgba(255,120,120,0.6); color: #ffb3b3; }
+  #account .urow .uedit { display: flex; gap: 6px; flex-wrap: wrap; margin-top: 6px; }
+  #account .urow .uedit input { flex: 1 1 130px; min-width: 0; padding: 5px 8px; border-radius: 7px; font: inherit; font-size: 11px;
+    background: rgba(8,12,24,0.7); color: #eaf1ff; border: 1px solid rgba(120,150,200,0.25); }
+  #account .urow .umsg { font-size: 10.5px; margin-top: 4px; min-height: 12px; }
+  #account .urow .umsg .tmp { font-family: monospace; color: #7cffb2; user-select: text; }
 
   /* ---- gated landing page (shown until you sign in) ---- */
   #landing {