I disagree that they're a good choice. A good choice is jkl; > This is why Vim-spinoffs like Helix and Kakoune, while turning the whole keybinding system on it

I disagree that they're a good choice. A good choice is jkl; > This is why Vim-spinoffs like Helix and Kakoune, while turning the whole keybinding system on its head, are both keeping hjkl. Not for historical legacy, but because it’s actually a good choice. I had a look this morning and I couldn't find anything to back this claim up. My claim would be it's the opposite, it's what the authors are used to, it reduces friction for other people who might change, but it's objectively inferior than having the keys be the same as the home row keys themselves.