ESP8266 Community Forum

Ive got various notes on programming, pull gpio0 low etc blah blah. Before i go reinventing the wheel, is there a basic circuit schematic anywhere for FTDI programming with the arduino IDE?

Yes,

http://www.esp8266.com/wiki/doku.php?id=getting-started-with-the-esp8266

And
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/projects/breadboard-and-program-an-esp-01-circuit-with-the-arduino-ide/