The new Z location might also be a problem if you type a lot of emails about the zoo!! Another (similar) option could be the semicolon key, I guess it depends on your frequency for those keys.

I think your proposal isn't too bad, but personally I don't like the idea of moving standard punctuation keys.

A different solution for ANSI keyboards is using left shift for Z. This might seem too extreme at first, but if you consider (like I do) that the default Shift key locations are pretty terrible, then there's no real loss. One of the "Alt" keys makes for a good Shift key alternative - you can easily use your thumb for it - but for some changing modifiers is a step too far. There's always CapsLock too, but I guess you may be using that already for Extend.

I don't think that's an unpopular opinion, I think it's well recognised that the standard stagger is a design fail.

I haven't switched to ortho mainly because the standard hardware layout is hard to avoid and it's much easier to get decent quality ISO/ANSI keyboards, which, with the angle-mod applied, are good enough. There is also a problem with e.g. laptops - it would be nice if laptop keyboards were standardised so that you can have drop-in replacements of any design.

I do think it would be good if ortho keyboards become more common and easier to buy... if they became popular enough that you could buy them ready-made from mainstream sellers, then I'd consider switching.

Interesting, I knew about the Ergodox EZ but I didn't know you could get Plancks now too. Mind you, I'm slightly more drawn to the Atomic, and ideally a split version. That's the problem: there are various designs out there - some I really like too - but most of them are DIY projects, and there is a limited market for each one. And then there's the cost - because a lot of these are niche keyboards, they don't come cheap. I realise I'm caught in a catch-22 - they will never become cheap and ready available until there's a large market, and there won't be a such market until people switch!

I haven't used one either but what I suspect is, if you had an ortho board where the two halves were split, you could angle them slightly which would resolve this problem.

A valid point. So while Z doesn't come up much in text I do tend to use it quite a bit in `vim` and `tmux` which is what led me down this path.

So after some trials I've now remapped it back to stock Mod-DH layout. In typing tests I notice that I think I struggle with the whole left hand bottom row XCD with me not hitting the keys cleanly, despite me using the angle mod for about two years (I applied it to Dvorak with my own resultant Xzorak variant).

What I think may be happening is that I angle my left hand outwards for a more natural position so that the fingers can do the "curl" motion for the bottom row. That works fine and I can type well like that. However when I then have to reach across for a Z then I fall back into the "sliding" motion of the standard taught left hand fingering (which I used for 20 years before switching to the Angle-Mod).

I therefore now would like to try out the Z on LShift mapping. Unfortunately I use LShift for LCtrl so it's quite important to me. I think I've seen mentions that I might be able to set it up so that a tap is Z and holding it down continuously activates the modifier mode (LCtrl in my case but LShift otherwise). Is it possible to set this up with EPKL?

Thanks @DreymaR. Would love to try the FatZ mod some time. In the meantime I've switched it back to the default Mod-DH layout. With regards to vim, it's not so much about speed but more about comfort and for fairly common shortcuts you don't want to have to reach too far.

@ckofy I would love to get an ergonomic split keyboard but if you're not going to build them yourself then they're not cheap. I also have to factor in shipping all the way to the bottom of Africa which can easily add up to $50 as well as import taxes. Therefore it's cheaper to just play around with the layouts using software and existing keyboards.