Windows 3.0

Windows 3.0 is an operating system released by Microsoft in 1990. It is the successor to Windows 2.x. It is the first version of Windows to include patterns, as well as tiles and full-screen wallpapers. Windows 3.0 also received a major UI overhaul from the previous Windows versions, making it much more user-friendly.

Windows 3.0
Year of release	1990
Default wallpaper	N/A (desktop color: #C0C0C0)
Included image types	Wallpapers Patterns
Preceded by	Windows 2.11 (1989)
Succeeded by	Windows 3.1 (1992)

Wallpapers

Windows 3.0 was the first Windows version to introduce wallpapers. It includes a set of bitmap tiles (three in 32x32, two in 320x240) and one full-screen wallpaper (640x480). All of these are 16-color, as most computers from this period could not display anything more than 16.

List of tiles and wallpapers included

Tile/Wallpaper	Name	Resolution	Notes
	BOXES	32x32
	CHESS	640x480
	PAPER	320x240
	PARTY	320x240	Removed in Windows 3.0a
	PYRAMID	32x32
	RIBBONS	320x240	Removed in Windows 3.0a
	WEAVE	32x32

Pre-release

The portfolio graphic showing the wallpaper, three cutouts and the color palette used.

Although the ability to use wallpapers was first introduced around build 33, there were no built-in wallpapers at this point. By build 55, the set of wallpapers that would appear in the RTM release was added.

Susan Kare, who created the icons in Windows 3.0, also created a carpet wallpaper in 1989 named Tapestry, but it ultimately did not get used. This was previously shown as an example of her work in her portfolio. It is unknown if she had any involvement with the shipped wallpapers, although this wallpaper was most likely created for 3.0 as it was in development during 1989.

Patterns

Windows 3.0 also includes a set of 8x8 patterns, which are tiled across the desktop. These are not in Bitmap format and are instead rendered through binary values. They can be applied in conjunction with a wallpaper; if the wallpaper is set to be centered, the pattern will be visible on the space surrounding the wallpaper. Due to their simplistic nature, they do not use as much memory and are thus a good option on computers with low RAM.

	Name	Code
	50% Gray	170 85 170 85 170 85 170 85
	Boxes	127 65 65 65 65 65 127 0
	Critters	0 80 114 32 0 5 39 2
	Diamonds	32 80 136 80 32 0 0 0
	Paisley	2 7 7 2 32 80 80 32
	Quilt	130 68 40 17 40 68 130 1
	Scottie	64 192 200 120 120 72 0 0
	Spinner	20 12 200 121 158 19 48 40
	Thatches	248 116 34 71 143 23 34 113
	Tulip	0 0 84 124 124 56 146 124
	Waffle	0 0 0 0 128 128 128 240
	Weave	136 84 34 69 136 21 34 81

Pre-release

Patterns were first introduced in Windows 3.0 build 14. The win.ini file includes two commented-out DeskPattern options, which contain patterns in binary values. Uncommenting a line would enable the respective pattern. Users can also add custom patterns into this file if desired.

	Name	Code	Notes
	Thatches	248 116 34 71 143 23 34 113
	Gray Diamonds	0 8 20 42 85 42 20 8	Does not appear in the final release

Setup background

The setup background is a dithered blue-black gradient, with italic text reading "Windows Setup" in the top-left corner. The level of dithering depends on the amount of colors that can be displayed by the video driver.

• 
  Setup background, as it appears on a 16-color VGA display.
• 
  Setup background, as it appears on a 256-color 8514/A display.