[verisimilidude]

> If you use any other keyboard for any other purpose, the more removed from the standard layout you are, the more disoriented you'll be when switching between the two.

I don't find this to be true. At all. I use standard QWERTY on my Macbook. At my desk, I use an Ergodox (tented, split, columnar/matrix, thumb clusters, etc.) with a custom Dvorak-based layout. My job frequently requires I switch between desk and laptop usage. It's not a problem and not something I need to think about. My brain and hands just do what they need to do wherever I happen to be typing.

If anything, I think the opposite of your statement is true. The further away from the standard you get in your exotic preference, the easier it is to compartmentalize that layout, the easier it will be to switch as needed.

[evancordell]

> If anything, I think the opposite of your statement is true. The further away from the standard you get in your exotic preference, the easier it is to compartmentalize that layout, the easier it will be to switch as needed.

This has been my experience as well - even with very muscle-memory intensive things like vim.