Aniamtion Application

     There are plenty of animation application in the market that is easy for unspecialists to make their own animations.
     For 3D animations, Maya, LightWave, 3D Studio Mix are good examples, and Flash is for 2D animation. The principle is no difference from the earlist idea of showing a series of pictures quickly but computer provides a much better way to carry it out. Other than drawing every pictures by hands, you can just draw key frames are set the time, position, and route than an easy animation can be done.
     Computer-Generated Image(CGI) is a technology helps a lot providing a series of function such as generating cloth and skin images, interactive simulation and visualization, and computer animation, which plays an  important role in animation application.
     For specific introduction of each application, read more in my blog later!

reference:http://tds.ic.polyu.edu.hk/vc/t3_computer_graphics/animation_application.htm
              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer-generated_imagery
There is a list of application you can use:
Macromedia Flash
Adobe Imageready
Adobe Premiere
3DX-MAX
MAYA
Lightwave