Pure Data appears quite daunting to start with but the session gradually led to a better understanding of what and how can be done, at least at a simple level. I soon abandoned note taking and just listened and tried to absorb as much of the process as possible. What I take from the workshop is a sense of the workflow and how elements relate to one another even if I do not understand things in detail.
The glossary link is very useful because there is one thing about a lot of open-source software, that is, the manuals and instructions beyond the very basic are often impenetrable due to the jargon used and assumptions made.
http://write.flossmanuals.net/pure-data/glossary/
There are a number of tutorials on youtube which show step by step how to create a patch (a piece of functional software that can be added to others in a connected flow of actions or stands alone).
Whether I use pure data in the final show or not depends on what will be the final sound elements. I just cannot afford to spend the time learning how to use it at the expense of making the work. There are always workarounds. However, I may still use some pure data in the work, and certainly in the future.