function makeRequest(url,textplace,pic,src,h,w)
 {

        var http_request = false;
		
		if (window.XMLHttpRequest) 
		{ 
			// Mozilla, Safari,...
            http_request = new XMLHttpRequest();
            if (http_request.overrideMimeType)
			{
                http_request.overrideMimeType('text/xml');            
            }
        }
		else if (window.ActiveXObject)
		{ 
			// IE
            try
			{
                http_request = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
            }
			catch (e)
			{
                try
				{
                    http_request = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
                }
				catch (e)
				{
				
				}
            }
        }

        if (!http_request)
		{
            alert('Giving up :( Cannot create an XMLHTTP instance');
            return false;
        }
        
		http_request.onreadystatechange = function() { download(http_request,textplace,pic,src,h,w); };
        http_request.open('GET', url, true);
        http_request.send(null);

    }

    function download(http_request,textplace,pic,src,h,w) 
	{
        textplace.childNodes.item(0).data="Loading image...";
		
		if (http_request.readyState == 4)
		{
            if (http_request.status == 200)
			{			
				pic.style.pixelHeight=h;
				pic.style.pixelWidth=w;
				pic.src=src;
            }
			else
			{
                alert('There was a problem with the request.');
            }
        }		
    }