commands in saved layout prevent a tab from opening

this is the desired layout:
http://i.imgur.com/U1EH4OQ.png

this is the appearance with no saved commands, but when the vertical split in the top pane renders all the way to the right edge, which happens randomly:
http://i.imgur.com/CzyY9T5.png

this is the appearance when I do save commands in two of the terminals in the layout, note the third tab does not load, and the "ls" command is not executed anywhere:
http://i.imgur.com/qYJDo8Q.png

this is the config file after once again removing the commands from the "3t3p" and "delta" profiles:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[global_config]
  enabled_plugins = LaunchpadCodeURLHandler, APTURLHandler, LaunchpadBugURLHandler
[keybindings]
[profiles]
  [[default]]
    scrollbar_position = hidden
    use_system_font = False
    foreground_color = "#00ff00"
    show_titlebar = False
    font = DejaVu Sans Mono 12
    scrollback_infinite = True
  [[white_on_blue]]
    scrollbar_position = hidden
    background_color = "#074cee"
    scrollback_infinite = True
    show_titlebar = False
    foreground_color = "#ffffff"
  [[ambiance]]
    scrollbar_position = hidden
    background_color = "#300a24"
    show_titlebar = False
    foreground_color = "#ffffff"
  [[black_on_green]]
    scrollbar_position = hidden
    background_color = "#65c707"
    scrollback_infinite = True
    show_titlebar = False
    foreground_color = "#000000"
  [[black_on_white]]
    scrollbar_position = hidden
    background_color = "#ffffff"
    scrollback_infinite = True
    show_titlebar = False
    foreground_color = "#000000"
[layouts]
  [[default]]
    [[[child1]]]
      type = Terminal
      parent = window0
    [[[window0]]]
      type = Window
      parent = ""
  [[3t3p]]
    [[[child0]]]
      position = 0:24
      type = Window
      order = 0
      parent = ""
      size = 1600, 876
    [[[child1]]]
      labels = vboxheadless, vps, laptop
      type = Notebook
      order = 0
      parent = child0
    [[[child2]]]
      position = 20
      type = VPaned
      order = 0
      parent = child1
    [[[child3]]]
      position = 777
      type = HPaned
      order = 0
      parent = child2
    [[[terminal5]]]
      profile = white_on_blue
      type = Terminal
      order = 1
      parent = child3
    [[[terminal4]]]
      profile = black_on_green
      type = Terminal
      order = 0
      parent = child3
      command = ""
    [[[terminal7]]]
      profile = default
      command = ""
      type = Terminal
      order = 1
      parent = child1
    [[[terminal6]]]
      profile = default
      type = Terminal
      order = 1
      parent = child2
      command = ""
    [[[terminal8]]]
      profile = default
      command = ""
      type = Terminal
      order = 2
      parent = child1
  [[delta]]
    [[[child0]]]
      position = 0:24
      type = Window
      order = 0
      parent = ""
      size = 1600, 876
    [[[child1]]]
      labels = laptop, vps, vboxheadless
      type = Notebook
      order = 0
      parent = child0
    [[[child4]]]
      position = 20
      type = VPaned
      order = 2
      parent = child1
    [[[child5]]]
      position = 777
      type = HPaned
      order = 0
      parent = child4
    [[[terminal3]]]
      profile = default
      command = ""
      type = Terminal
      order = 1
      parent = child1
    [[[terminal2]]]
      profile = default
      command = ""
      type = Terminal
      order = 0
      parent = child1
    [[[terminal7]]]
      profile = white_on_blue
      type = Terminal
      order = 1
      parent = child5
    [[[terminal6]]]
      profile = black_on_green
      type = Terminal
      order = 0
      parent = child5
    [[[terminal8]]]
      profile = default
      type = Terminal
      order = 1
      parent = child4
[plugins]

oops, the "3t3p" and "delta" layouts, not profiles

This question was expired because it remained in the 'Open' state without activity for the last 15 days.

do any Terminator developers actually follow this Launchpad "Answers" section?
is it better to just file a "bug" report or is there a better place to ask a "question"?

Short answer: Yes
Long answer: Yes, but there aren't many doing lots of work because it's a small group and we have lives outside Terminator. Certainly I have occasional spurts of activity where I'll fix some bugs and add some features, but they tend to be items that affect me in my daily work. The definition of scratching an itch.

As to your issue, I would definitely say this should be a bug. You see a wrong result. For me answers is more for "Can Terminator ... ?" or "How do I ... ?"

If you do move this to a bug report please remember to set this to Solved, Cancelled, or something else. Don't just leave it open.