Thank you for your reply. I suppose, then, that for all of it's other features (like special characters) I'll probably go with Colemak. I just found it peculiar that a layout is popular enough to survive as a paragraph on Wikipedia without being deleted, yet doesn't seem to have a website (at least not one I can find...).

@HeavenOfSevens, well the Pratt layout doesn't look too bad.  Might suit the bottom row haters out there.  I'd never heard of it.  Might be more popular if it were called the Bud, or the Astr(a)l Ho!  Sounds like something that excites/exited the heavens.

If I were you I'd have a good look about and see what's on offer.  And see if any of the layouts are backed up by any 'good science.'  A layout is more than just a heat map.  They're quite complex beasts.  You might find a layout that suits your personal style.  Perhaps you are a lefty?  An alternator?  Or a one hander?  Or even a Qwerty lover.

Then there are the practicalities associated with using a different layout.  I was going to pick Colemak, when learning to touch type.   But in the ended settled for Dvorak - as it had 'pretty good' support across multiple operating systems.  I personally needed the flexibility.  Having said that, operating systems generally suck when it comes to alternative layout support, but it's certainly getting better.  Layouts in my eyes should be much more portable, but I digress.

You'll find a lot of propenents of Colemak here (obviously.)  Take a quick glance at the FAQ and see if it stirs the Colemak  in you.  To me it's hardly the most compelling tome (it's mostly guff.)  There's not enough published about the rational behind the creation of the layout.  And I'm not saying that to troll this forum or as a champion of Dvorak.   Do look elsewhere.  Someone might persuade you to adopt another 'YAKL.'

If you already touch type Qwerty well, then there are alternative layouts that only swap a few of the keys.  That might be worth a look at.  Or perhaps you might want to try something more radical.  Being astandard though might lead you into perilous waters...

Pratt keyboard layout seems to be just a practical joke, and it will be deleted from Wikipedia shortly.

Nice done Pratt.

@HeavenOfSevens

Yes, you can stop your quest for 100% perfection of keyboard layouts, and land with 99% answers such as Colemak, Dvorak, Arensito, Workman or several Carpalx layouts.

Good luck with your switching time if you decide to go for it.

It's surely tough as hell at first, but it will gradually become better. In the fourth weeks onward you will feel that comfort feeling that Colemak offers.

Make sure you have two weeks with no serious typing work, so switching to Colemak does not affect your credibility during that time.

@dreymar, while looking at the typewriter entry on Wikipedia, I was more surprised to see the weird looking Hansen Wrting Ball, with what's described as an optimised layout!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hansen_Writing_Ball

The Writing Ball is a thing just like me: of iron
And yet easy to twist, especially on journeys.
Patience and tact one must richly possess
And fine little fingers to use us.
--Nietzsche

The Pratt entry is a bad joke that should be removed before someone gets the wrong idea and actually tries to type with it. It has to be. I can't see any reasonably intelligent human honestly suggesting that O, U, D and H should all on the same finger. Not to mention W and A both on the left pinkie. (That might not seem important, but 'was' is the eighth most frequently used word in English.)