[jakobegger]

It sounds like you've already made up your mind -- now it's time to take action. Stop "alluding" to things. Don't expect people to read your thoughts.

Tell your cofounder that you'd prefer to work on the idea on your own, and if he agrees, ask him to sign an agreement.

If he's your friend, and if he doesn't care much about the project anyway, that shouldn't be an issue.

If your friend doesn't want to agree to that, one thing you could offer is a mutual agreement to license all existing ideas and code to eachother, allowing each one of you to pursue the project on their own with new partners.

[naivedeveloper]

Thanks for your reply. I haven't made up my mind. I'd much prefer to pursue this with someone else rather than on my own. But I can't make him be motivated. Aside from asking him what he's gotten done, what can I do? If anyone has suggestions here I'd be very grateful.

All of your other advise is excellent. I think this is exactly what I should do, if it comes to that.

[cookiecaper]

I suggest you work to understand his frame of mind and act accordingly. If he wants to make valuable contributions that you believe are needed but just needs his life to be reshuffled to make it happen, you should consider how you can help accommodate those changes.

If he truly is not interested anymore, guide your conversations in that direction without stating your intention to exclude him overtly. You want him to talk until he comes to his own realization that he shouldn't be involved anymore. That's the only way this will occur without his feeling that he was violently pushed out. You have to make this easy, and you have to make it feel like he made the choice, or at least made his own bed, not that you're cutting him off unfairly.