How do I get strarted with using GCC?

[Shad <shadz123@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Yo

  I need some basic pointers (no pun intended).  I have been 
writing/compiling code using Borland and Micro$oft development packages 
under Windows and DOS for a long time but haven't done much for the past 
four years or so.  I am trying to get a handle (sts) on GCC and am 
overwhelmed by the manual.  Is there a simple "howto" for just starting 
with GCC?  Is there any kind of GUI package available for programming in 
it?  Is there any package for developing GUIs for user interfaces with 
the fundamental program body?

   I believe that once I get started I can ramp up the learning curve 
pretty rapidly -- I just haven't tried to start from scratch with any 
programming package in about 25 years and am simply overwhelmed by what 
I can find.

   Thanx

Shad