Basic Ajax Review

gistfile1.js

function createRequest() {
  var request = null;
  try {
    request = new XMLHttpRequest();
  } catch (tryMS) {
    try {
      request = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.HTTPRequest");
    } catch (otherMS) {
      request = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
    }
  }
  return request;
}

var request = createRequest();
if(request !== null) {
  var url = "http://somesite.url/";
  request.open("GET", url, false);
  request.onreadystatechange = function(request) {
    if(request.status == 200 && request.readyState == 4) {
      console.log("successful response: " + request.responseText);
    }
  };
  request.send(null);
}