function $(name) {
	return document.getElementById(name);
}

function XML() {
	var XHR = null,
	browserUtente = navigator.userAgent.toUpperCase();
	if(typeof(XMLHttpRequest) === "function" || typeof(XMLHttpRequest) === "object") {
		XHR = new XMLHttpRequest();
	} else if(window.ActiveXObject && browserUtente.indexOf("MSIE 4") < 0) {
		if(browserUtente.indexOf("MSIE 5") < 0) {
			XHR = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
		} else {
			XHR = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
		}
	}
	return XHR;
}

function ajax(url, args) {
	xmlObject = XML();
	xmlObject.open("POST", url, false);
	xmlObject.setRequestHeader("content-type", "application/x-www-form-urlencoded");
	xmlObject.send(args);
	return xmlObject.responseText;
}