Getting Started With PIC 16F84 Microcontrollers: Resources for Beginners in Electronics

How do i get help on general electronics, I am a 400 level electrical engineering student in Africa, i have a really big interest on PICs/ Micro-controllers and general electronics, any help would be helpful, especially on PIC...i started studying PIC 16F84 yesterday.. and i am having problems with some stuffs.... the data sheet makes assumption of previous knowledge on PICs and other materials i found on net do direct lifting, so I find it difficult understanding some of the terms, and acronyms used... a quick help would help keep my spirit burning.. THANKS

George,
At what point does your college teach micro's ?? I use to teach at a 2 year college and we taught micros at the 3rd semester. As a 400 level student I think they should have gotten to this point already. With that out of the way, your biggest problem with any digital device is you have to learn to think. Remember machines are DUMB. You have to tell them how to do everything. I would start out with getting the data sheets for the PIC and study all the neumonics of the commands ( machine language ). If you don't understand these you will not be able to program them. I would then begin by writing a simple program such as lighting an LED when you push a button. You will then have learned input and output commands. Start out simple and then progress to harder projects ( programs ). Some of us learned by doing, and not by strictly book work. Sometimes you just have to be self taught to get it.

okay, i got that, answer to your first question is we have not been taught and has never been mentioned by any lecturer, the little knowledge i have is actually from little materials i find on the net, i just read them.... Due to the fact that i have no previous knowledge whatsoever the datasheet of the PIC 16F84 seemed like a lot of stuff someone would just put in to intimidate a layman....

Even if we are to be taught in school, it would just be surface stuffs with no practical at all.... i would appreciate if you give me more advise on how to go about learning this stuffs... I would go back to the datasheet, but trust me that thing makes me sleep...... Thanks for your help, it was greatly appreciated...