PIC programming with C start up help

[Jwillis]

I haven't programmed in C since the eighties. I would like to try a little PIC programming but I'm at a loss as to which editor/compiler I could use that is simple .I understand that some standardization has occurred over the years with C but imagine that most of the dialog should still be valid .So it shouldn't be to hard to work with it again. I tried Turbo C but I don't like that format.I would like to be able to look up references as I need them to help relearn.So some sort of windowed version is preferable. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[MarkF]

I would just go with the obvious:
   Microchip's MPLAB X IDE with their XC8 8-bit compiier
Later you can add the XC16 and XC32 compiliers.

[Sudo_apt-get_install_yum]

I’m not expert but I I’ve worked a bit with MCU's

I’ve never really used PIC's that much; I’ve mostly stuck with the AVR family so I guess that I’m a real AVR fanboy

If you’re not forced to use a PIC then id suggest hopping over to the Arduino witch is very beginner friendly, since you have programmed in C before it should take long to get used to the way a MCU works. After that you’re free to use whatever family of MCU’s your heart desires!

ID suggest not to stay on the Arduino platform for too long since it makes you "lazy" and when it comes time to optimize something it will be hell, at least in my experience. But the Arduino environment is good for fast development and easy to get started with if you haven’t worked with MCU's before!

But if you’re stuck on PIC I’d suggest using Microshits MPLab!

[CJay]

If you go with PIC you have MPLABX IDE which is a free download along with the necessary C compilers to target the PIC family you choose or you could go for the MPLAB XPress cloud option and a order a nice, free Xpress demo board (it'll take a while to arrive though).

Arduino is "C-Like", the IDE has a real lack of debug/simulation facilities, if you go down the Atmel route then it's better to go with AVRStudio I believe.

[NivagSwerdna]

I haven't programmed in C since the eighties. I would like to try a little PIC programming but I'm at a loss as to which editor/compiler I could use that is simple .I understand that some standardization has occurred over the years with C but imagine that most of the dialog should still be valid .So it shouldn't be to hard to work with it again. I tried Turbo C but I don't like that format.I would like to be able to look up references as I need them to help relearn.So some sort of windowed version is preferable. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

C hasn't changed much. 
It slightly depends on which PIC you are targeting? What are you trying to achieve?
At the cheap and cheerful end there is...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/122904230806
which works well with older versions of MPLAB but needs a PicKit or ICD.
but my personal favourite are the curiosity boards http://www.microchip.com/promo/curiosity-development-boards
e,g, http://www.microchip.com/Developmenttools/ProductDetails/DM240004 for PIC24 or others for PIC32MZ etc.
The curiosity boards have PicKit on Board so you don't need an extra programmer and come with examples for MPLABX.
As you go up the grades of devices there is more to learn in terms of libraries etc and TBH the C language isn't really much of the learning curve
In the past I have used CCS but MPLAB works fine and has a free tier compiler.
PS
I thought I would never say this but.... have you considered other vendors?  STM? TI?