function validateForm()
{
	// clear all field highlights (if any)
	document.contact_form.contact_name.style.background = '#FFFFFF';
	document.contact_form.contact_company.style.background = '#FFFFFF';
	document.contact_form.contact_title.style.background = '#FFFFFF';
	document.contact_form.contact_phone.style.background = '#FFFFFF';
	document.contact_form.contact_email.style.background = '#FFFFFF';
	document.contact_form.message.style.background = '#FFFFFF';


	// check required fields
	if (document.contact_form.contact_name.value == "")
	{
		alert ("Please enter your name.");
		document.contact_form.contact_name.focus();
		document.contact_form.contact_name.style.background = '#FFFFAA';
		return false;
	}
	if (document.contact_form.contact_company.value == "")
	{
		alert ("Please enter your company's name.");
		document.contact_form.contact_company.focus();
		document.contact_form.contact_company.style.background = '#FFFFAA';
		return false;
	}

	// check phone number if any
	if (document.contact_form.contact_phone.value != "") {
    		var stripped = document.contact_form.contact_phone.value.replace(/[\(\)\.\-\ ]/g,'');     

   		if (isNaN(parseInt(stripped))) {
        		alert("The phone number contains illegal characters.");
        		document.contact_form.contact_phone.style.background = '#FFFFAA';
			document.contact_form.contact_phone.focus();
			return false;
    		} 
		else if (!(stripped.length == 10)) {
        		alert("Please check the phone number.");
        		document.contact_form.contact_phone.style.background = '#FFFFAA';
			document.contact_form.contact_phone.focus();
			return false;
    		} 
	}

	// check required fields continued
	if (document.contact_form.contact_email.value == "")
	{
		alert ("Please enter an email address.");
		document.contact_form.contact_email.focus();
		document.contact_form.contact_email.style.background = '#FFFFAA';
		return false;
	}

	// check email address
        apos=document.contact_form.contact_email.value.indexOf("@");
        dotpos=document.contact_form.contact_email.value.lastIndexOf(".");
        if (apos<1||dotpos-apos<2)
        {
		alert("Please check the email address.");
		document.contact_form.contact_email.style.background = '#FFFFAA';
		document.contact_form.contact_email.focus();
		return false;
	}

	// check required fields continued
	if (document.contact_form.contact_interests.value == "")
	{
		alert ("Please select your IT related interest(s).");
		document.contact_form.contact_interests.focus();
		document.contact_form.contact_interests.style.background = '#FFFFAA';
		return false;
	}

	//if (document.contact_form.message.value == "")
	//{
	//	alert ("Please enter a message.");
	//	document.contact_form.message.focus();
	//	document.contact_form.message.style.background = '#FFFFAA';
	//	return false;
	//}
  	else
	{
		return true;
	}
}