Since you know html already, learning BASIC would be a waste of time.
I recommend starting with C (DOS), then move on to C++ and Java.
A good DOS compiler would be Turbo C/C++ 3.0, or if you can get your hands on MS Visual C++ 97/99, start with that, since DOS is disappearing.
There are alot of free tutorials on the web that teach you the basics of c/c++. I taught myself C by downloading lots of source code and modifying/recompiling it to learn how it all works.

I disagree with SicCiv slightly.... skip DOS, you will just confuse yourself when you try GUI/OO programming (DOS is dead anyway ). Since you are familiar with JavaScript, I think you should dive head-first into JAVA and when you get pretty good with that, learn C++ (not a heavy transition from JAVA). I would recommend that you find one book that covers C++ with *plenty* of examples with *good* explainations (does such a book exist? I dunno, haven't looked at C++ books lately). You should also be aware of the differences between C and C++, it's nice to know. After you find such a book, study it, and actually WRITE SOME CODE. Manually type out the examples from the book, and when you think you understand a concept, write some code of your own. DON'T BE AFRAID TO EXPERIMENT! I can't stress that enough, people ask me all the time about dumb stuff that they could have figured out on their own. You will learn phenominally more from actually writing code than you will from reading any book. Also, I might suggest that at the same time, while you are studying JAVA and C++, you get the latest copy of "Prgramming Windows" (by Charles Petzold, Microsoft Press 1999 edition; that book is widely accepted as the definitive work on Win32 programming). Anyway, just get that book and read it a little at a time while you are studying on JAVA/C++, you don't necessarily have to understand every little detail that you read but you should try to understand the conceptual points of the book (especially in the early chapters). I'm telling you this because programming Windows is different from the way those books will teach you C++, that is the books will teach you the language itself using the "teletype" programming model and Windows uses the "Event-Driven" model. If you read this book while you are studying the languages, it will help reduce the learning curve. After you feel that you have JAVA/C/C++ down, get Andre LaMothe's new book, "Tricks of the Windows Game Prgramming Gurus". At this point, you should be able to just polish off "Programming Windows" and "Tricks..." by reading a little in both every day. As far as choosing a compiler, invest some money in the Professional or Standard edition of Visual C++ 6 or better. You can usually get the Pro edition software at computer shows for cheap (its called academically priced software). I got Visual C++ 6 Professional for $40 from the MarketPro computer show in Louisville, Kentucky last year; it also came with a free MSDN subscription. Anyway, the last pieces of advice that I can give you are:

1. WRITE SOME CODE. Type out the code in the book, when you understand it, write your own code.

2. EXPERIMENT. You can learn so much more by reapplying what you've learned in a new way or changing what you have into something you don't know so much about. You can learn quite a bit by reading MSDN regarding the compiler error messages that you get.

3. DON'T GIVE UP, EVER! learning programming can be frustrating; it will make you feel like a genius at times and other times you will feel like a moron. You may want to give up, but DON'T. You won't regret it, I swear. At some point in your studies, it will ALL FALL INTO PLACE and it WILL magically make sense one day.

I guess that gives you plenty to look foreward to, GOOD LUCK!

-Erik L. Elmore