Agreed. Matrix layout is inherently superior period.
When I use the word "Matrix layout", I think of an "ortho-linear" layout with 90° between rows and columns. There is a great example of such a keyboard series: the TypeMatrix.
I don't think that these layouts are good at all, because they don't take into account that different fingers have different lengths.
I would classify the ErgoDox as having a "Columnar layout", or "Column-oriented" layout as opposed to the "Row-oriented" QWERTY and Symmetric Stagger.
I think, though, that
the ErgoDox is not columnar enough. The column offsets should be larger to better fit the human hand. There have been plenty of other keyboards with columnar layout that have been better at this.
Actually, if you change your keycaps to be circular instead of square, you don't see that much difference between columnar and symmetric stagger for the middle, ring and pinky columns. It is mostly the index finger columns that are different.
Please tell me I'm not the only one to notice that human finger doesn't move in zigzag.
The Japanese-layout model of HHKB is not zigzag.
