> Just about any line of text I write daily uses symbols not reachable from the resting position

Use a better setup! No-one forces you to use bad defaults and think everything must be bad. Also, there are no such symbols even on standard setup, all of the number row keys/symbols are reachable with individual fingers, so you never miss the resting place, it's a couple of fingers moving back and forth.

> my hand has left that position the arrow keys are easier to find. (Inverted T of course, with home/end/pgdown/pgup cluster

It didn't, a couple of your fingers did. But also, why did you ignore the F6, numpad+ etc hand dance and only focus on the arrow keys?

> "you" in this case being a typical user

A typical user doesn't use vim. A real user using vim is perfectly capable of basic keyboard rebinding

> This is mental friction that remains even after you spent years internalizing the hjkl cursor moving flaw.

No, it goes away after you spend minutes oiling your system to remove friction. (Of course, it may still take years of ignorance before that...)

> change the default in every other piece of software to match vim.

Or you change the default once system-wide. See, reality is much simpler than your fantasy!

> the creator of vi didn't choose hjkl because he thought it superior

So? You're the only one here stuck on hjkl because for some reason you can't comprehend that it's just a config, not a mandatory commandment passed down by the Vim prophet.

>Use a better setup!

Even if you only use your own computer, customizing the basics is a bit of a trap in many ways.

First you need to find a different setup that is actually better, not just different. Then you need to build muscle memory for it, then you need to never use any other computer because they will not have your setup.

I think getting good at using the defaults is better than changing the defaults. Basically learn to play the guitar, even if it's hard.

I customize things too, but take care to make it additive, not transformative. Aliases, plugins, better software and such are fine, but messing with my muscle memory is just not worth it.

>Also, there are no such symbols even on standard setup

That depends on the standard. In some countries you need two hands to type an @, just to take one example. For US english the numpad is a good example though. Not so easy to find the home keys from the numpad, but your hand passes the arrow keys on the way. :)

>why did you ignore the F6, numpad+ etc hand dance and only focus on the arrow keys?

Because I'm mainly making a counterpoint to your claim that using hjkl was better than using the arrow keys.

It has admittedly grown to a more general anti-bikeshedding rant fuelled by my own bikeshedding regrets - so I better stop here. :)