Comparing Maya to Poser is like comparing MS Paint to Photoshop. Poser lets the artist use premade models, or import models made in other programs to create 3d scenes and artwork as well as simple animations. The artist has some control over textures, lights, etc. Programs like Maya, Lightwave and 3DSMax let the artist create a model from scratch, export it to countless formats, texture it, create complex scenes including water, fire and environmental effects, and create animations of a more professional calibre. I'm not bashing Poser, I love this program. But its like a stepping stone. Its an amazing start for anyone interested in 3d design, but it can be very limited. Soon youll find yourself branching off into a more powerful program, but returning to poser sometimes because of its simplicity and straightforwardness.