[zenlinux]

You need to have something really compelling - a product that really excites people and/or a high liklihood of success in the near future.

I know someone who is about to start some sw development work for a local startup for equity. The company is getting ready to sell their first product, and he told me that his plan is to try working for them for eight weeks and see if they can actually sell their product. If not, he's planning to quit. He's been totally up-front about this with the founders and they're ok with that. So a creative strategy like that might work.