The key is in knowing where you want to go and knowing how to get there.

and do remember "the longest route from a to b is a shortcut you do not know" (source unknown).

Thus, mindlessly grabbing some code and "trying to make it work" is the road to nowhere. If you do not, as Richard states, know the specifications of your controller and your peripheral you will be lost!.

I like to phrase it this way: "If you can not code it yourself, you will be lost using downloaded code"

Yes, I sometimes use downloaded code as a reference, but NEVER as a start. If I do not know what to do and how to do it, I do not even consider looking at 'sample code'.

This tester was special and did lot more than write a character to LCD
Which ties in with what I stated above, when you can do it yourself, by all means have a peek, but not before. Implement the "lot more" one thing at a time. a suggestion for a stepwise implementation:
1) make a LCD show a message from code space
2) copy the message to data space and make the LCD show it
3) add a pushbutton that makes the message change
4) .........

Erik