<font color=red><b>Screeeeeech, Crash Boom !</b></font color> That is what the Guru's hear when they see a newbie post like this.
<b>ATTENTION ALL NOOBS! ATTENTION ALL NOOBS ! ATTENTION ALL NOOBS !</b>
From one newbie to another, ( I consider myself a newbie having 1 1/2 year at this ) Do not do
this to yourself. 1st you buy the books, and the compiler, you order some chips . . . you ever
wonder why all the books recommend the 16F84 ? It's no accident, it is because it is simple to get
working!
So do not buy the 18Fxxxxx whatever or anything but what you see supported in your books. . .
YET ! There is time Grasshopper ! Get your blinky working first! THEN, repeat, THEN get your
LCD to say " Hello World" Just like learning every other programming language !<b> It is far better
to make simple projects work, than to make a complex FAILURE.</b><br>
After all that, learn how to count with loops, learn how use each command one at a time.
Then learn about timers and interrupts, all can be done with that 16F84, sure there are better chips
and you will get to them, but you need a foundation or the house will fall.
It makes no sense to try to work with a chip with 44 SMD type pins to blink a dozen LEDS,
especially when that device causes severe brain damage trying to set up some 2 dozen registers
just to work, and considering NEWBIE, YOU very likely have never before read a Micros Data sheet
and have no idea what you are reading means, Those things are not written for Fresh Newbies
and as such you have to learn the language, yes here is where you start to learn, <b>welcome !</b>

One big thing ALL of the books I have purchased neglects, are how to set the config fuses.
Good Fortune to you, Melanie has posted a comprehensive tutorial on the matter, and by the time
you have need to know more, you will have some understanding of the DATA Sheets, and of
MPASM and of .inc files, and will be able to hunt for the answers.
http://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=543

Good Luck, Good Fortune, and Welcome
JS