Programming 8-Bit PIC Microcontrollers in C: With Interactive Hardware Simulation

Hello. I own several microcontroller books, including Bates books about microcontrollers (PICs), the one before this one (the assembler one). I have a good programming background in assembler for these micros, the mid range and base range (16Fs and 12Fs) so I know the architecture of several micros (including the new 16F887). Actually, if you know a little of PICs architecture you know it's very much the same on all the "product line". I've programmed in BASIC with PICBASIC PRO, and know how the code generates (32 bytes of RAM just to use the compiler) but lately I wanted to learn another programming language for the Microchip PIC. Since I use 12F, 16F and 18F series I wanted a good compiler and I was between the FED C (from Dogan Ibrahim books) and the CCS (from several forums and the fact it can run in MPLAB). I own Prata's C PRIMER PLUS and "The white book" (K & R second edition) and have read a little, so if I see a program, I think I can understand it. That been said, let's get to the book: Bates does a great job of presenting the programming basics (for, while, if, switch, etc) with the CCS compiler, as he presents the program, comments on it (explains how it works) and provides several pointers on each subject. He also proposes several exercices at the end of each chapter. After the explanation with respect to the programming fundamentals, he goes into the modules of the PIC (again, using CCS) and does a good job of explaining the program and also the inner workings of the modules. If you have 150 dollars you could get the mechatronics development board from Microchip (I own it), since one of the chapters is devoted to it. He states that you need almost no programming experience to get results from this book, and he might be right but, I think you must have some. You could like CCS or not; comming from assembler I want to know where I put every BYTE and every BIT, I can tell you that CCS it's not a very good compiler (for the beginner it might be) because of the definitions but, that does not mean that BATES did not produce a very good book. Anyone that want's to make the transition from Assamler to C (PICs) should get this book. Please forgive my english, it's very rusty.