Microsoft challenges Aussie IT industry to IQ test

The test is aimed at discovering individuals with the highest IQ who will represent their workplace in the IT industry company challenge on 1 April to raise money for the Starlight Foundation's IT Fund for Kids.

Steve Vamos, Microsoft Australia managing director and IT Fund for Kids ambassador, said more than 80 companies and organisations have supported the foundation over the past five years. Some of those companies include Gartner and Citrix, while the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) is also a supporter.

"This year, it would be fantastic if employees from every technology company in Australia rallied around this great cause and put their money where their mouths are by participating in the IQ test," Vamos said.

From now until the 21 March, people can log online to the IT Fund for Kids Web site and pay AU$8.25 to participate in the IQ test. Money raised will assist Australia's seriously ill and autistic children.

On 1 April, the Starlight Foundation is also holding a fundraising quiz dinner at the Four Points Darling Harbour hotel in Sydney where companies can book tables to compete to find out which company really "has the smarts".

Microsoft Australia will be flying its 10 brightest employees who have competed in the online test to the "Know IT All" fundraising quiz dinner.

"The 'Know IT All' challenge is a great idea that taps into the competitiveness in the IT industry. It provides us all with an opportunity to get involved, have fun and put back into the lives of seriously ill children who have to face the hardest test of all--spending most of their lives in hospital," Vamos said.

The funds raised will go towards the purchase of 31 new mobile entertainment units at a price of AU$10,000 each and will be distributed Australia wide. Each entertainment console caters to a wide range of age groups with a variety of pre-loaded games and 96 movie titles and can be wheeled directly to the child's bed.