No subject

in timers on these chips.  I'm very familiar with using Intel 8254 
programable interval timers in PC based, QuickBASIC and C programmed, EFI 
control systems.  But, that is the extent of my timer knowlwdge.  

QUESTION: Are the built-in timers on those microcontrollers anywhere as 
easy to use as the separate 8254's?  Please speak in laymans terms as I am 
a lowly ME with just enough EE to crawl.  How many bits long are they and 
can they each use a seperate clock source?

I thank you in advance for your prompt reply.

Later,
Matt