Aminated menu bar

1. A computerized method, comprising:

displaying a first menu bar in a graphical user interface on a display, the position of the first menu bar being determined independent of the position of any window in the graphical user interface, the first menu bar displaying a set of first menus associated with a first window in the graphical user interface;

detecting a change in focus from the first window to a second window in the graphical user interface; and

responsive to detecting the change in focus, animating a change in the first menu bar from displaying the set of first menus associated with the first window to displaying a set of second menus associated with the second window, the first and second menus including at least one different menu, the animation of the first menu bar being independent of any animations applied to the first and second window as a result of the change in focus.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting a change in focus comprises detecting the user clicking on the second window.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting a change in focus comprises detecting the opening of a second application to make the second application active, the detecting occurring at a time when the first window was active and the second window was not yet open.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting a change in focus comprises detecting, at a time when the first window is active and the second window is open, a user action to close the first window to make the second window active.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the animating comprises a rotation animation which produces a visual effect of the first set of menu options and the second set of menu options being located on opposite sides of a planar strip that is rotating 180 degrees about its longitudinal axis to transition from the first set of menu options to the second set of menu options.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the animating comprises a scrolling animation which produces a visual effect of the first set of menu options scrolling off the first menu bar and becoming invisible as the second set of menu options scrolls onto the first menu bar and becomes visible.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the animating comprises displaying three-dimensional animation graphics.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein displaying the three-dimensional animation graphics comprise animation graphics utilizing gray scales.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein displaying the three-dimensional animation graphics utilize gray scales to achieve a virtual lighting effect.

10. A computerized method comprising:

displaying a first menu bar in a graphical user interface on a display, the position of the first menu bar being determined independent of the position of any window in the graphical user interface, the first menu bar displaying a set of first menus associated with a first window in the graphical user interface;

detecting a change in focus from the first window to a second window in the graphical user interface; and

responsive to detecting the change in focus, performing steps for animating a change in the first menu bar from displaying the set of first menus associated with the first window to displaying a set of second menus associated with the second window using an animation, the first and second menus including at least one different menu, the animation of the first menu bar being independent of any animations applied to the first and second window as a result of the change in focus.

11. A non-transitory machine readable medium that stores instructions which when performed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

displaying a first menu bar in a graphical user interface on a display, the position of the first menu bar being determined independent of the position of any window in the graphical user interface, the first menu bar displaying a set of first menus associated with a first window in the graphical user interface;

detecting a change in focus from the first window to a second window in the graphical user interface; and

responsive to detecting the change in focus, animating a change in the first menu bar from displaying the set of first menus associated with the first window to displaying a set of second menus associated with the second window using an animation, the first and second menus including at least one different menu, the animation of the first menu bar being independent of any animations applied to the first and second window as a result of the change in focus.

12. A system comprising:

a computer processor configured to:

display in a graphical user interface, a first menu bar positioned independent of the position of any window generated for display in the graphical user interface, the first menu bar displaying a set of first menus associated with a first window in the graphical user interface;

detect a change in focus from the first window to a second window in the graphical user interface; and

responsive to detecting the change in focus, generate an animation to change the first menu bar from displaying the set of first menus associated with the first window to displaying a set of second menus associated with the second window, the first and second menus including at least one different menu, the animation of the first menu bar being independent of any animations applied to the first and second window as a result of the change in focus.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to detect a change in focus by detecting the user clicking on the second window.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to detect a change in focus by detecting the opening of a second application to make the second application active, the detecting occurring at a time when the first window was active and the second window was not yet open.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to detect a change in focus by detecting at a time when the first window is active and the second window is open, the first window is closed to make the second window active.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to generate an animation by at least generating a rotation animation, the rotation animation producing a visual effect of the first set of menu options and the second set of menu options being located on opposite sides of a planar strip that is rotating 180 degrees about its longitudinal axis to transition from the first set of menu options to the second set of menu options.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to generate an animation by at least generating a scrolling animation, the scrolling animation producing a visual effect of the first set of menu options being scrolled off the first menu bar and becoming invisible as the second set of menu options is scrolled onto the first menu bar and becomes visible.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to generate an animation by at least generating three-dimensional animation graphics.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the three-dimensional animation graphics comprise animation graphics utilizing gray scales.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the three-dimensional animation graphics utilize gray scales to achieve a virtual lighting effect.

21. A computerized method, comprising:

generating information associated with a first application, for display in a first graphical user interface element of a graphical user interface, the first graphical user interface element positioned independently of any window in the graphical user interface, the first graphical user interface element displaying information associated with the first application;

detecting a change in an activation state of the first application;

responsive to detecting the change in activation state of the first application, changing the first graphical user interface element from displaying the information associated with the first application to displaying information associated with a second application using an animation, the information associated with the first application being different from the information associated with the second application, the animation of the first graphical user interface element being independent of any animations applied to graphical representations of the first and second applications as a result of the change in activation state.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein:

the first graphical user interface element is a menu bar; and

detecting the change in activation state of the first application comprises detecting a loss of focus.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein detecting the change in activation comprises receiving an indication that the user has clicked on a window belonging to the second application.

24. The method of claim 21 , wherein the animation comprises a rotation animation which produces a visual effect of the information associated with the first application and the information associated with the second application being located on opposite sides of a planar strip that is rotating 180 degrees about its longitudinal axis to transition from the information associated with the first application to the information associated with the second application.

25. The method of claim 21 , wherein the animation comprises a scrolling animation which produces a visual effect of the information associated with the first application scrolling off the first graphical user interface element and becoming invisible as the second set of menu options scrolls onto the first graphical user interface element and becomes visible.

26. The method of claim 21 , wherein the animation comprises three-dimensional animation graphics.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the animation graphics comprise animation graphics utilizing gray scales.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the three-dimensional animation graphics utilize gray scales to achieve a virtual lighting effect.