Ask HN: Web App design resources (django newbie)

I would say that there isn't really a "Django slant" when it comes to UX and interaction design.

Good UX and interaction design is completely independent from the framework you choose to work with. It's about psychology and human behavior and completely independent of the language or framework chosen. On the other hand, your choice of Javascript framework will probably have an impact, since they determine what UI elements you have in your toolbox.

I would check out sites like A List Apart, 52 weeks of UX, Smashing Magazine, Boxes and Arrows, NetTuts, etc. to learn about UX design.

That being said, it is my understanding that Django generally requires more configuration on a lot of things than Rails does. As a learner, this means that you may be spending more time on configuring Django for your app that may be better spent learning and applying UX concepts. Most UX happens at the HTML, CSS and Javascript layers of your program.

On the other hand, I've heard more advanced devs complain that the conventions in Rails sometimes gets in the way of doing something different and that this isn't a problem with Django.

If you already know Python, by all means stick with Django, however if you are learning the language at the same time as the framework, Ruby and Rails might be a better choice because of the company you will find yourself in.

In my experience, I have also found that in general the RoR community is better with UX and UI, however I also get the impression that the Python community, at least in the US, is taking a lot more interest in excellent front-ends these days. It may be that the community in general is priding itself in UX or it may be that more startups are realizing that you can't have the Asylum run by the Inmates and are hiring full-time front-end developers from the beginning.

Here's a list of UX Tweeps to follow: http://www.luminanze.com/resources/uxtweeps.html