<!--
  var favRequest = false;
  try { favRequest = new XMLHttpRequest(); }
  catch (trymicrosoft) {
    try { favRequest = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP"); }
    catch (othermicrosoft) {
      try { favRequest = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP"); }
      catch (failed) { favRequest = false; }
    }
  }

  function make_ajax_request(url, elementToUpdate)
  {
    if (!favRequest) {
      return false;
    }
    favRequest.open("GET", url, true);
    favRequest.onreadystatechange = function()
    {
      if (favRequest.readyState==4)
      {
        try {
          var message = (favRequest.responseText.length < 50) ? favRequest.responseText : 'An error has occurred';
          elementToUpdate.innerHTML = message;
        }
        catch (elementToUpdate_isUndefined) {
          // alert('cannot update element.');
        }
      }
    }
    favRequest.send(null);
    return true;
  }
-->