>>Mimic Microsoft Office apps as much as possible. IMO, they
>>aren't the sexiest or easiest to use, but they are the most
>>familiar. People will feel more at home than something that is
>>different.

I would say that's part of what makes a "good interface." Unnecessary deviation from standards is something that usually makes for a poor interface. And, I have seen to many programs that do deviate with no perceivable benefit for the user. They usually just end up being garbage. The user needs to be able to use what you create and familiarity is a part of that.

But, I think sexy goes beyond just a "good interface", Sexy... I think is more the little touches you add to the interface. It's the little things like icons on menus, or a nice non distracting background. And it's also a pleasant layout of the controls that puts the items you need in a logical place, but also does it in a way that is visually appealing.

>>Use hi-res graphics when you can. There are a bunch of new
>>ones that ship with VS 2005. I'm not sure if they are
>>included with the Express products, which is currently at free beta.

Agree 100% and a good tip on where to find them to boot.