CMOS/TTL chip questions (was: Cmos Latch Octal)

[Adrian Corston]

Ullrich at kapsch.net types:
[...]
>	>wanta a cmos one, anyone know of one? or do I need to do the whole 
>	>circuit using 74 series logic (please dont say I must).
>
>	You could use the 74HC573. HC stands for High Speed CMOS und so it 
>	works with CMOS levels. Don't use HCT as this stands for High Speed
>	CMOS with TTL-compatible levels.

While we're on this topic, can anyone point me to a good guide
(preferably an online web page or other inexpensive resource so I
don't have to shell out big bucks for a $book) which talks about the
following things:

* interfacing CMOS & TTL chips
* working out how much load logic chips can drive (ie. how many inputs
  to other chips, how many LEDs, how many op-amps, how many commercial
  mixer inputs, etc, can one CMOS/TTL output drive?)
* examples of simple (transistor?) circuits for converting logic levels
  to arbitrary voltages
* definitions of S-trigger and V-trigger voltage levels

Basically, I'm just learning this sort of thing, and my current project
is trying to design a simple trigger sequencer to drive an old analogue
drum machine. I have a working circuit, but I'm not sure if I'm doing
it 'by the book' (for example, the 4040 CMOS counter output bits just
connect straight into the 74138's A0-A2 inputs - do I require any
buffering etc? is it ok to strobe the 74138's /E2 input from a 555 output
which also steps the 4040?)

I have 74F/74LS and CMOS 4000 series data books, but I don't fully
understand some of the information they have in them - I guess some
examples and explanations might help explain it to me better.

Any assistance in this area (even "go get an engineering degree" :-)
is appreciated!

Thanks,

-- 
Adrian Corston
Internet Engineer
Internode Professional Access