Beggining with programing microcontrollers

[boschow]

Hi all,
the situation at the company that i work is like this, we have a programmer that is programing a application for about a year and a half, since he is on contract the boss decided to start looking for another programmer and
asked me if i am in the mood to try. I accepted the challenge but the problem suddenly emerged in my mind, i have a little experience with programming PLCs, I wrote programs in SCL language that is similar to Turbo Pascal, but i have no experience with programing micro controllers, that is why i have to ask you guys for some type of advises:
1. What should i know about the micro controller before starting to program?
2. Which book to you suggest to get familiar with the programing?
3. What programing language should i choose for programing ?
4. Please write any type of advice that you think i might found useful.

Thanks a lot for your answers and for your help,
best regards,
BoSCHoW.

[Steve]

I'd suggest Flowcode as a natural starting point for beginners. You should be up and writing relatively complex programs within your first day. It currently only works with PICmicros, but that may change...

You can download a demo version from here:
http://www.matrixmultimedia.com/flowcode_v3.php

[tian]

This is my advice for all beginners, for home industry and student included
1. Learn electrical characteristic include microcontroller characteristic.
2. Check the good and easy to find microcontroller in your neighbourhood.
3. Find good compiler for some language which you master at.
4. For optimizing use assembly instead of HDL.

If you looking for a book in internet you will find alot in PIC microcontroller.

Is microcontroller digital electronic????