http://paulgraham.com/googles.html
TheFunded Founder Gives Startups Some Advice:
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/03/thefunded-founder-gives...
2) For the FUTURE: Try to run by your idea to someone who has enough depth and understanding of the market to be able to give you insightful advice and bonus, if they are not in a position to execute your idea. Most brilliant professors fit in this category - it's as if they are clergymen with whom your confession lies safe (be prudent here while picking the professor). Other potentials include notorious media folks - don't give away your idea completely, but be vague enough to get a "feedback" as in you would probably find out if anyone else is remotely close in this field.
3) Pitch a Hotmail - always pitch your second best idea that you don't care much about if it dies completely (as in gets stolen, etc) if the Mr. X investor is paying attention and you know (s)he won't run away with your idea; then pitch your real deal. This is what Sabeer Bhatia (Hotmail founder) did until he landed on Tim Draper.