Flash is probably your best bet without a doubt. Smooth animation, easing, plenty of tools, etc. It is the same effort as those who use paint for placement but less effort in the long run since once you animate something you can simply pull it out of your library and boom it is done. Also don't judge a person's knowledge based off what they have to view in the public. Plenty of people are great chefs but don't have restaurants, books, or videos to prove it. Simply they know how to by first hand and when they need to do it they will.