Coming up with ideas isn't all that hard (I have about 20 on a list right now). There are very few world changing ideas, even though everyone thinks their idea is. So most ideas have been done in one way or another. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't do them.

Facebook wasnt the first social network, but they did it. Basecamp wasnt the first project management tool. They took something that they thought wasnt great and made it better.

"Idea guys" as mentioned earlier often come to you with a "world changing" idea. Offer you 50% of the company and you, the tech guy assume all the time and risk. If you do partner with someone, find someone who brings a viable skill to the table and not just a pile of ideas.

As agotterer says, the problem is with people who only "have ideas". Having an idea and communicating it takes 10 minutes. If that 10 minutes is all you spend on the startup, while the technical guy spends months... it kind of sucks for the technical guy.

touche... even though ideas are very important.. ideas by THEMSELVES are useless... Having said that I am totally useless when it comes to "coming up" with ideas.. i am more a builder myself... again, thats a pretty stupid labelling...