Carolly, you've thought about this :) I understand your point that learning and understanding animation is more than just learning how "to drive" an animation application. It is like the difference between arithmetic and math, between cooking and gastronomy, between mowing the lawn and landscape art, between talking and orating, between ... (a bit carried away...its early morning and not all the cells are aligned). But, right now he has to learn the mechanics of animation. Are you saying that Poser is different than other animation apps; that it does too much for you? so he won't learn the basic mechanics of animation? What is different about Poser that doesn't make it a good first program to learn the basics? What disqualifies Poser as a good way to learn animation? Again, remember you are dealing with the naive because I dno't know Poser or similar apps. Or, are you saying that simply learning the mechanics of Poser (or any animation app) will not teach you the 'art' of animation. So, the problem is not Poser but the approach? Hopefully, this is what the course will teach in the fall...using Maya as a convenient vehicle. randy I am completely ignorant of Poser versus other animation apps. Sticking with just the mechanics of configuring a software program to display animation For the learning the application mechanics of animation, are you saying that Poser makes animation easier than other packages? so, he won't learn the mechnical concepts