[Zope] Getting started, product suggestions, advocacy

[srl]

Hi all---

I'm working on getting a sample install of Zope going at my office,
mostly for demo purposes. Ideally, I'd like to do a proof-of-concept for a
community portal-type site, which needs the following features:

-page personalization for users
-RDF channel importing (for headlines)
-threaded discussions
-ideally, group-based scheduling/messageboards

I have Zope installed on a Solaris box. the only database I have installed
at the moment is MS SQL Server 7.0, which I could talk to through ODBC. 

-will Zope talk to SQL Server? if not, what free databases would you
recommend?

-What data should I be using ZODB for, and what data needs to be in a
relational database?

-What products should I look into for the tasks I need to do?

-Ideas on a plan of attack that'll break me into using Zope relatively
painlessly?

Also, has anyone put together a Zope Advocacy page or FAQ that I can use
with my coworkers? We're a ColdFusion web shop, and I need heavy
ammo to convince people to learn another language. 

srl