I may be a special case but for me an ideal software developer would have the following characteristics:
Knows the answers to my questions.
Knows where to find answers he doesn't know.
Knows others that can be pulled in when necessary.
Doesn't lie or pretend.
Will take time to talk out the details used for decisions.
Can see the forest AND the trees.
Will do his best at figuring out a way to make it work.
Isn't scared of something not working.
Reads RFC's and patents for fun.
And thank you for this question, it helped me crystallize some thoughts in my head.
