Using the XML HTTP Request object
from: http://jibbering.com/2002/4/httprequest.2004.html

This article was originally written in April 2002, I've decided to fix and update it as the objects finally seem to be getting some popularity. The 2002 version is still available. This version September 2004.
Internet Explorer on Windows, Safari on Mac OS-X and Mozilla on all platforms provide a method for client side javascript to make HTTP requests, Opera 7.6preview 1 also now features the object. This allows you to make HEAD requests to see when a resource was last modified, or to