[carpeperdiem]

For 4.1.x, try this:

[edited] File: /skin1/modules/Product_Options/customer_options.tpl

FIND

{foreach from=$v.options item=o}
<option value="{$o.optionid}"{if $o.selected eq 'Y'} selected="selected"{/if}>{$o.option_name}{if $v.is_modifier eq 'Y' && $o.price_modifier ne 0} ({if $o.modifier_type ne '%'}{include file="currency.tpl" value=$o.price_modifier display_sign=1 plain_text_message=1}{else}{$o.price_modifier}%{/if}){/if}</option>{/foreach}

REPLACE WITH:

<option>Please Select Your {$v.classtext|default:$v.class}...{if $o.selected eq 'Y'} selected="selected"{/if}</option>
{foreach from=$v.options item=o}
<option value="{$o.optionid}">{$o.option_name}{if $v.is_modifier eq 'Y' && $o.price_modifier ne 0} ({if $o.modifier_type ne '%'}{include file="currency.tpl" value=$o.price_modifier display_sign=1 plain_text_message=1}{else}{$o.price_modifier}%{/if}){/if}</option>
{/foreach}

THEN -- in the product options javascript, use something like this:

if (document.getElementById('po17').selectedIndex == 0)
{ alert('Please select...'); return false;
}
if (document.getElementById('po18').selectedIndex == 0)
{ alert('Please select...'); return false;
}
else return true;

and of course, change the 'po' in the js to the actual product option number.