It'll mess you up for a day or so, but once you get used to not having to reach out for that backspace, it becomes so natural.
How does split backspace not require reaching out? Regular backspace is one row up, but a bit closer - if you draw a circle from homing key "J" it becomes clearly visible. Also regular backspace is easier to hit because it's bigger and located in the corner, so you don't have to be so precise.
I'm not bashing split backspace, but I fail to see the "obvious" benefits.
I may be a bit biased as someone who uses `~ every day, all day, but I can't go back to standard ANSI anymore. It just seems inefficient.
Yeah, usage pattern might play a big role here - I use `~ maybe once per day on the average, so I don't care about it being on another layer.
I'm assuming @voxkey does the same, but personally, split backspace allows me to shift backspace DOWN one row (taking the place of "\|"). In place of what was once a 2U backspace key, I have "|\" and "Insert" (others do ~, etc..).
Completely concur with @voxkey's assessment, by the way. Using normal ANSI backspace position feels very strange (more difficult) for me now and it didn't take longer than a day or two to get used to it being one row lower.
The only downside is that you _have_ to buy cap sets in the $100+ range if you want the correct legends (1.5U backspace, in particular).
If you have a programmable board, I'd encourage you to try it out.
