[rufasterisco]

I don't see the relationship between "fun and learning" and "(beyond) impractical".

I enter most of my learning project from the assumption that I could just buy/install whatever I am building and save time/money.

Please consider seeing things from a different perspective than "your book".

Not saying this to antagonise you, but because a lot of time reading comments like this makes other posters less willing to share their impractical efforts, and would love to read more of those, not less.