Plone, being a python based CMS written as a project for the Zope application server, consist almost entirely of python modules and a number of configuration files. Python source code is loved by many in the community for its explicit readablity; however, for many experienced software developers, coming over to the Plone technology stack can be a haunting experience. It seems everything is hidden away as pickled object in the ZODB, and that layers of magic prevent one from understanding how it works and how to affect change. This presentation will explain to the novice: - how to track down the python source behind Plone - how to take advantage of rich open source tools like ctags and pdb - best practices for getting started with file system product development