I would definitely get behind this project.
Mind you, I might as well be just starting off with C++ (I don't know hardly anything, but I have experience programming, and I understand the syntax to a degree. That counts for something.), but school is just about finishing up for me, so I'll have plenty of time to learn more.
Oh, question: Will this be available to Linux users? As my main operating system, compatibility is rather important
Now for working out this SVN...