Advice for a first project

[AlisdairM]

After hearing so many good things about Python ( namely that it makes
the simple things simple again! ) I am hoping to find time to learn it
in the near future, other projects permitting.

Generally, I find languages/techniques best picked up if you have a
specific project in mind, and looking around I *think* I have a suitable
candidate due in the next few months anyway :¬ )

Given that I still know little about the language, I am hoping some
friendly knowledgable local could tell me if this is a realistic goal, a
good use of Python, or one of those projects that can be done in Python
but gains little benefit compared to C++/Delphi/VB/ASM/<insert generic
language here>

The basic project will be our source-code archiver/release manager.  We
have quite a few projects deployed internally, all written in C++.  I
want to create a tool to 

  archive release code to a shared server ( source and executables )
  recreate a fresh build environment from that server
  automatically update header file version constants
  incorporate simple bug-tracking database
  create Release note from the bug-track dbase

I expect most of this will be creating/pasing plain text files that
define what the system should look like, and the bug-tracking database
will also be little more than some plain-text notes initially, stored in
a related part of the server.

A real bonus would be to create build scripts to kick of the C++
compiler as well, and only distribute on a successful build.

I hope to gain a primitive source-control tool, and a working knowledge
of Python that will let me appreciate what it can really do for us.

What I need to know now is how realistic this target is, and what
resources I will need to make this fly when I get that free week to give
it a shot.  I have time to buy books, download tutorials/IDEs/libraries
now.  I don't want to lose 'learning time' chasing these up during that
week or two.

Any recommendations/advice.  What should I expect to achieve with a week
or two (tops) for the exercise?  


AlisdairM