hglaser

The Joel Test stands the test of time: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000043.html

It doesn't cover every last thing, but a team following these practices is the kind of team you're looking for. Ask these questions at your interviews.

There's no substitute for getting out there and selling to your target market, even if you only have a quick prototype.

AdWords + Launchrock can be a helpful baseline filter in established markets. But it won't tell you if you'd be successful in creating a new market.

I'm personally skeptical of surveys. There doesn't seem to be much correlation between what people say they'll do and what they actually do.

Free beer.

And: https://www.google.com/search?q=ascii+art

(Look at the logo.)

It's not.