I think this is a great idea! This will only increase the amount of applications YC will get, which is great for the investors but more competition for the people applying. I expect that the quality of startups next round will be even higher than usual.

I hope YC is fair in their judging. I'd hate for them to accept a non-idea applicant over a more capable team who applied with a mediocre idea, just for the sake of seeing if the non-idea experiment works out.

They're pros though, so I'm sure that whatever format they come up with will be fair for everyone who applies.