if you are taking up on a real world project I think this can be an important motivating factor. Are there any popular open source projects written in Python (

if you are taking up on a real world project I think this can be an important motivating factor. Are there any popular open source projects written in Python (or built on Django)? For example, back in 2005 I setup a personal Wordpress install on a Dreamhost server (also coming from a finance background, with some prior HTML experience). Wordpress did most, but not everything I wanted it to do. As a result, I've become quite familiar with the LAMP stack over the years, turned that knowledge into a business and made a buck or two. A similar project in the Python world would be a great introduction, but at a cursory glance, Django seems a little too low level. If I'm wrong about Django, please correct me and I'll jump right in. P.S. On a side note, it's definitely wise to seek out a mentor... after making enough money to hire a programmer for the business, my knowledge level really took-off. Up until then, getting things coded up could often be a very long and tedious process. Good luck!