Hackers with no equity in company: good or bad?

I trust that you're not going to complain if they quit your project for a project that does offer them equity.<p>FWIW, no one is indespensible in a startup; some are merely harder to replace than others. I'll bet that "original idea" guys are getting equity even though they cease to be indespensible.

Would it hurt to throw them a couple percent?

you will not get accepted.

I'd list such people under "suckers". YC doesn't provide enough money to pay anyone a decent salary, so anyone who isn't getting equity is being short-changed.

I think hackers are a critical component of technical teams and therefore should be rewarded with equity/options.<p>

The verdict: "bad" - but what did you expect from this site?