function getHTTPObject() {
  var http;
  // conditional compilation stuff to sort out IE
  /*@cc_on
    @if (@_jscript_version >= 5)
    try {
      http = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
    } catch (e) {
      try {
        http = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
      } catch (E) {
        http = false;
      }
    }
    @else
    http = false;
    @end @*/
  if (!http && typeof XMLHttpRequest != 'undefined') {
    try {
      http = new XMLHttpRequest();
    } catch (e) {
      http = false;
    }
  }
  return http;
}