What a coincidence that Bob Walsh asks that question the same day I write a blog post on the exact same topic (http://blog.fairsoftware.net - startups for software developers inspired by open source).
Entrepreneurs, Bob is interviewing for his new book, so answer!
In our case: brainstorming with a friend, analyzing pain and finding a way around it.
I went hiking and backpacking over and over, and I kept trying to use the internet to plan trips and get maps, and it always sucked. It took hours, and the information was bogus, and the maps were expensive.
So, I founded http://www.trailbehind.com. And hopefully by next hiking season, I can use my own site to get trip reports, download GPS data, and print a map.
Entrepreneurs, Bob is interviewing for his new book, so answer!
In our case: brainstorming with a friend, analyzing pain and finding a way around it.