To be clear: Vim is definitely usable using another layout, but I already had so much muscle memory with Vim using qwerty, I didn't want to relearn normal-mode at the same time as learning another layout, especially since `j` is moved to `y` in my layout (the hardest key to reach).

So I `nnoremap`ed them all, but I still have a couple of issues.

The first problem with remapping keys is that you have to remap each key again for every key that can come after the first key, i.e. to move `cw` to a different key, you have to remap `c`, and `w`. Now consider commands like `qa4caw`, and you can see it gets really hairy, really fast.

The second problem I have with remapping keys is that my qwerty `h` key is replaced with `y` in my layout, and remapping y adds a strange pause, and prevents the next command from working correctly. `w` has the same issue.

Emacs with evil-mode had a slightly better solution: I could my real layout in normal-mode, and have Emacs emulate another layout in insert-mode. Still, I would have to use qwerty as my real layout to get that to work, so it's only slightly more convenient.

Long story short: I used normal Emacs for a while since I didn't have strong muscle-memory, and the layout I use is pretty comfortable with default Emacs bindings. Emacs as an editor is quite nice anyway. Out of a mix of frustration and interest, I am working on a new editor with a more purposefully modular design, so I don't have to rely on workarounds. One of my main goals is to have "defaults" separated into separate modules rather than baked-in.

For those wondering, the layout I use is workman[0]

[0](http://workmanlayout.org/)