I'm interested in a point in the right direction. Should I be looking at the HDK to make another Farm output driver? I'd prefer to use Python if I can, but I'm perfectly comfortable with C++ if that's the only way. SOHO obviously won't work with my HD license; is this the only way to create an output driver with python. Could I make an otl from basically any python script? I'm not interested in knowing anything about the contents of a scene.
The ultimate goal is to be able to create jobs with dependencies based on how nodes are connected. But this is not something I'd attempt very soon. For now I want to explore the possibility of creating simple jobs and learn about this process.

We don't really support ROPs that aren't specifically for Mantra in Apprentice, so you're going to have a really tough time getting a DrQueue node to work. In addition to that, the nodelocked nature of Houdini Apprentice HD will make creating a render farm difficult; not only do you have to install the license on every render node individually, we don't support mantra -H or mantra -n, and you can't output ifd files from the Mantra node.

Your best bet might be to write a python shelf script, which is fully supported in Apprentice.

Right, using Apprentice I knew I wouldn't be able to do much within these regions of Houdini.

In addition to that, the nodelocked nature of Houdini Apprentice HD will make creating a render farm difficult

It's not a real farm or anything like that. I have two licenses for HD and I planned to render between 2 machines with a python/hython script. I just want to mess around with this sort of thing so that when someday I get as far as being interviewed I can express some degree of knowledge into the workabouts of behind the scenes hocus-pocus.
I had initially started to make a shelf script that would call a new job form with PyQt. But I decided to figure out how to make a native houdini interface, however in order to have native houdini UI you need to have an operator of some kind. The most logical place for this would be in the output context.
Unless I'm mistaken?

…so you're going to have a really tough time getting a DrQueue node to work

Indeed; It does not matter what sort of script I have, it will not be run.
Oh well.

We don't really support ROPs that aren't specifically for Mantra…

This would be used for Mantra rendering using houdini directly, just non-interactively.

I suppose in actuality I was looking for a way to have a houdini ui control any sort of script. Check my email, etc.. haha.

back in good old apprentice days :? I started a project on paper:

take a shared folder and a cron job
nodes watch the folder for hip files.
if there is a hipfile a nodes catches it and starts to render.
a OTL could be used to save a hip-file into chunks like frame 0 to 100, 101 to 200, …

Of course this introduced a lot of difficulties like asynchronous communication, a decision system which node is allowed to render, and so on. Not to mention the lack of knowledge if and how mantra can render from the command line.

This system could maybe used for ifd rendering as well - so it's out of sight but not out of mind.

– —

The basic option of havin a managed rendering in a network without being a SysAdmin and/or Grid-Wrangler might be another bonus for H9 in future releases.
As a Apprentice user I didn't even knew about ifds. And a common answer for “remote rendering related questions (RRRq)” is:
A. A SysAdmin did this for me.
B. Depends on the Shop you are running.
C. Depends on the SysAdmin you are running in your Shop.