/*
detect browser name and version
currently use only to distinguish between IE and the others.
*/

function theBrowser() {

     var version;
     var browser;
     var useragent;

     useragent = navigator.userAgent;
     browser = (useragent.indexOf('Opera') > -1) ? 'Opera' : navigator.appName;
     pos = useragent.indexOf('MSIE');
     if (pos > -1) {
       version = useragent.substring(pos + 5);
       pos = version.indexOf(';');
       version = version.substring(0,pos);
     }
    pos = useragent.indexOf('Opera');
    if (pos > -1)    {
      version = useragent.substring(pos + 6);
      pos = version.indexOf(' ');
      version = version.substring(0, pos);
    }
    if (browser == "Netscape") {
      version = useragent.substring(8);
      pos = version.indexOf(' ');
      version = version.substring(0, pos);
    }
    if (browser == "Netscape" && parseInt(navigator.appVersion) >= 5) {
      pos = useragent.lastIndexOf('/');
      version = useragent.substring(pos + 1);
    }

     if (browser == "Netscape") {
          return "ns";
     } else {
          return "ie";
     }
}