Well i have been writing for software for years if you want to check my site www.vsisoftware.com go ahead. As far as programing a robot that would be no
Well the language is different from what you do, as I said previously I would recommend to get a book on c++ or assembly for the pic microcontroller or a book on basic for the pic which is the simplest language in my opinion although some people say c but every one is different.
Those two places are a good way to look although robot books is an opinion web site that has the books linked to amazon so it's pretty much amazon but more organized.
In the general electronic chat forum, a fellow named Nigel you can find easy on most posts, has a website with PIC tutorials.
If you like BASIC, www.bastoc.com has some tutorials as well and a free BASIC compiler for the ATMEL line of chips (a microcontroller like the PIC).
I use both, ATMEL is easier on the pocket and a friend wrote the compiler on bastoc.com, so I lean that way a bit.. I also like to use the internal OSC as well. Saved me time on the breadboard, and parts ($).
Anyway, I think Roboticinfo meant micro-controller programming. I do Unix, Windows and micro-chips and it is all VERY different. Micros are much easier to me.. But I like Unix programming second. Windows is a lot of typing and looking up API stuff..
It depends on what your scheme is. I mean, if you have a small car with a soda already loaded onto it, it can follow a line to a destination if there are no obstacles. This is quite possible. Having a mechanism to grab a soda is quite complicated. Having an understaning of exactly where it is in relation to the soda so it can grab it, or even open the fridge, is a very advanced task.