> Every split keyboard with nice keyswitches has a different layout from every other, and most of them miss one or more of F keys, symmetrical meta keys, standa

> Every split keyboard with nice keyswitches has a different layout from every other, and most of them miss one or more of F keys, symmetrical meta keys, standard navigation cluster layout, volume buttons, and so on. Those small split keyboards generally have layouts that are more coherent and well thought out than the MS Natural Ergonomic 4000. The design features of standard keyboard layouts are hard to justify: the spacebar takes up the space of 6 or 7 keys; which means the thumbs are only able to use one key when the hands are on home row, and the pinkies get used for many keys. The hands inevitably need to move/stretch in order to use most keys. The rest of a standard keyboard layout is asymmetrical, and the asymmetrical row-stagger makes no ergonomic sense. The small keyboards instead almost always have 2-3 (or more) keys for each thumb. That alone makes it much easier for the keyboard to make use of keymap layers. It's generally also common for such keyboard users to use Home Row modifier keys; where the Alt/Win/Ctrl/Shift keys are put underneath asdf (and jkl;) keys when held. -- This is much more ergonomic than having to use pinky fingers for these keys. On those small split keyboards, the navigation keys, volume keys, F-keys are all within reach without having to move the hands from home row (and without having to stretch fingers). Those small split keyboards do force a trade-off, though: the benefit of reduced hand movement / finger stretching comes at the cost of a more complex keyboard layout.