Fix 429 (model pin) and bot ignoring encrypted admin replies

Two independent bugs:

1. 429 "long context" — agentic sessions read enough files to exceed the
   200K standard window; on the default [1m] model Synapse escalates into
   the paid 1M tier. Pin claude_model to claude-opus-4-8 (200K window)
   so Claude Code compacts context instead. Updated config.example.json
   and the maintainer.py default / comment accordingly.

2. Bot silently ignores operator replies — the DM room was created with
   is_direct:true, causing Element to auto-enable E2E encryption. This
   stdlib-only bot cannot decrypt m.room.encrypted events, so all admin
   messages were dropped without any log output. Fix:
   - register-matrix-bot.sh now creates rooms with is_direct:false and
     preset:private_chat (Synapse does not force encryption on non-DM
     rooms).
   - matrix_poll_admin() now logs a loud WARN if an encrypted event
     arrives, instead of silently skipping it.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

config.example.json

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   "agent_file": "agents/stack-support.agent.md",
   "runbook_file": "docs/stack-support-runbook.md",
   "claude_bin": "/home/paul/.local/bin/claude",
-  "claude_model": null,
+  "claude_model": "claude-opus-4-8",
   "claude_extra_args": [],
   "agent_timeout_seconds": 1800,
 

maintainer.py

@@ -53,7 +53,11 @@ DEFAULTS = {
     "agent_file": "agents/stack-support.agent.md",
     "runbook_file": "docs/stack-support-runbook.md",
     "claude_bin": "/home/paul/.local/bin/claude",
-    "claude_model": None,                 # None = claude default
+    # Pin a standard 200K-window model. Leaving this None uses the account
+    # default, which may be a 1M-context ([1m]) model; once a cycle's context
+    # crosses 200K that escalates to the 1M tier and fails on subscription
+    # plans with "Usage credits are required for long context requests" (429).
+    "claude_model": "claude-opus-4-8",
     "claude_extra_args": [],
     "agent_timeout_seconds": 1800,
     "kuma_volume": "uptime-kuma-data",
@@ -242,10 +246,18 @@ def matrix_poll_admin(cfg, state):
     if not room:
         return messages
     for ev in room.get("timeline", {}).get("events", []):
-        if ev.get("type") != "m.room.message":
-            continue
         if ev.get("sender") != admin:
             continue
+        # This bot is stdlib-only and cannot do E2E encryption. If the room is
+        # encrypted, the admin's replies arrive as undecryptable m.room.encrypted
+        # events — warn loudly rather than silently ignoring the operator. The
+        # room should be created unencrypted (see register-matrix-bot.sh).
+        if ev.get("type") == "m.room.encrypted":
+            log("WARN: received an ENCRYPTED message from the admin — this bot "
+                "cannot decrypt it. The maintenance room must be unencrypted.")
+            continue
+        if ev.get("type") != "m.room.message":
+            continue
         content = ev.get("content", {})
         if content.get("msgtype") == "m.text":
             messages.append(content.get("body", "").strip())

register-matrix-bot.sh

@@ -140,10 +140,14 @@ joined = api(hs + "/_matrix/client/v3/joined_rooms", token=bot_token)[1].get("jo
 if room_id and not room_id.startswith("FILLED_BY_") and room_id in joined:
     print(f"→ Re-using existing room {room_id}")
 else:
+    # NB: is_direct must be False. A direct (DM) room makes Element auto-enable
+    # E2E encryption, which this stdlib-only bot cannot decrypt — it would then
+    # silently never see the operator's replies. A plain private room stays
+    # unencrypted (Synapse does not force room encryption).
     code, body = api(hs + "/_matrix/client/v3/createRoom", {
         "name": "Stack Maintenance",
-        "topic": "semprini-core autonomous stack maintenance",
-        "preset": "trusted_private_chat", "is_direct": True,
+        "topic": "semprini-core autonomous stack maintenance (unencrypted — bot is stdlib-only)",
+        "preset": "private_chat", "is_direct": False,
         "invite": [admin_id]}, token=bot_token)
     room_id = body.get("room_id")
     if not room_id: