function createRequestObject() {
  if (typeof XMLHttpRequest === 'undefined') {
    XMLHttpRequest = function() {
      try { return new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP.6.0"); }
        catch(e) {}
      try { return new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP.3.0"); }
        catch(e) {}
      try { return new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP"); }
        catch(e) {}
      try { return new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP"); }
        catch(e) {}
      throw new Error("This browser does not support XMLHttpRequest.");
    };
  }
  return new XMLHttpRequest();
}