What is a cool wallpaper or background (if any) for a Main Application Window?

Question

Does the opening Window enhance an application's attractiveness? Should it be a picture or bland Blue and White?

Answer 1

Use the default OS theme colors. Anything else will be attractive to certain groups of people, and ugly to others (who will complain very loudly about how ugly they find it). If you stick with the OS theme colors, then at least your application's appearance will not be something you'll be criticized over.

Answer 2

Some people like it clean and nice, while others consider stylish themes to be positive and nice to have. You gotta consider who your application is pointed towards and do what that group is interested in.

Answer 3

I would use the default OS colors. But actually if i could, i wouldn't put any color/themes at all there. I would put some information/controls in that area (assuming you talk about the background of an MDI/SDI application). Similar to what the most recent openoffice 3 version has done. For example, put "What do you want me to do? Open / Exit / Tutorial / ..." into it.