I've been using Colemak since 2009, and I'm way past forgetting I'm using an "alternative" layout.

Thanks to Colemak I'm a touch typist. And thanks to the Kinesis Advntage so I can type Colemak comfortably.

When I see a poor typist, I say "Your typing sucks. You could make your life easier by using the new, advanced layout Colemak, like everybody else". I think it motivates them.

It seems to me, a well placed piece of info and many people would become more aware and it would take off like wild. Funny, I would have thought it would sweep the intertoobs by now. LOL

Interesting info.

To some extent it may not be worth the switch to most people if they don't have typing related issues. It's not that qwerty doesn't work, it's that it's far from perfect, and we can get much closer to a more suitable layout that makes sense (there are many, there will not be an exact perfect solution). This is mostly only apparent when someone has a typing related issue like RSI/carpal tunnel. For me it wasn't RSI, it's just that I was never comfortable and hated to type. Colemak is more comfortable and motivated me to touch type due to the fact it is far more workable.

So rather than "convert" the existing typing base, I see it more as an option when people start to type. The biggest avenue for this is the keyboard and legends on the keyboard and the fact people need to be aware there are alternatives. And, it has to be easy. Another issues is that there seem to be many options...no one clear solution to choose.

In 2009 when I switched, I didn't spend too much time comparing. I knew qwerty and had actually tried Dvorak some years before, which was a great improvement. But keyboards are very uncomfortable for me for whatever reason...HATE staggered layouts. I only use Kinesis Advantage now. I switched to Colemak after I got a Kinesis. I don't even like using my laptop anymore because of the staggered keys. I can't really say if I would like using a matrix style keyboard (like the Typematrix), but my concerns are a matrix layout, separated (or wide layout), angled, tented, and bowl shaped...in that order. Dunno if I can do without the bowl shape.

I think it comes from people thinking "I didn't need this and was able to learn the layout fine".  It's too easy to forget that, where we succeeded, many, many others also failed because the tools weren't good enough for them.

It's at least easy enough to come up with KLA layouts for tarmak:

Stages: http://imgur.com/a/CBUaq

I confess to a lack of website knowledge (and don't really want to just plagiarize the minimak source while just replacing the pics ;).  If we could edit the wiki, I bet we could do quite a bit of good, though.

I don't think I can, and it wouldn't be very clean anyway.  Plus, tarmak's targeted at touch-typists, who undoubtedly need no further reminder of qwerty ;)

Didn't someone say that if you remote desktop in windows you face a potential layout switching nightmare?

That's one thing that feels nice about SSHing, I get to keep my layout, without having to configure the remote.

For the tricky situations,  a hardware solution could be far easier.  Not to mention that switching a switch is far more convenient than getting lost in system settings trying to activate your layout.

A hardware solution  does seem a little overboard when you'd imagine that it should be trivial and cheaper to do with software and an intuitive UI.

It's great that you have relatively decent support for your layout.  But what about other marginal and esoteric setups?

I've said it before, but I'd rather a generic solution than a specific layout have support.

And who are you to suggest that I'm not a beautiful babe, tripping on my trotters to Kraftwerk - while perusing the forums!