ultra-newbie: picking a first microcontroller?

I'd like to build an embedded device that takes in a thermocouple
input, and then, if the temperature is below the user-specified set
point, activates a relay (which would power an electric heater), and
then, when the thermocouple senses the temperature has reached / is
greater than the set point, de-energizes the relay.

I've got some experience with assembler (80386) and C.

I was thinking of going with the Atmel ATTINY12-8PC (only 8 pins, and
a whopping 1kb of flash RAM, just $1.55 at Jameco), but then I read on
the newsgroups that finding a programmer for this is impossible... is
this true?

I've also heard that PIC's C tools are not free... is this still true,
or has this changed?

The local junior college teaches a microcontrollers class, but alas, it
is M/W 8am-noon, right when I have work. (This is a non-work-related
hobby project, by the way.) I e-mailed the professor, and he gave me
the book they use, but it seems they will be starting with the 8088...

Any suggestions, pointers? Would I be better off just buying a
programmer, or could someone at my skill level assemble (no pun
intended) my own?

Thanks...

Michael

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