function startPage(){
    setTimer();
}

function setTimer() {
    setTimeout("startRequest()", 15000);    
}

function startRequest() {
    var oXmlHttp = createXMLHttpRequest();
    var TopicID = document.getElementById("TopicID").value;
    //alert("xml opened");
    var ran_unrounded=Math.random()*10000000;
    var ran_number=Math.round(ran_unrounded);    
    oXmlHttp.open("get", "ajax_get_new_messages.aspx?topicid=" + TopicID + "&rand=" + ran_number, true);
    oXmlHttp.onreadystatechange = function () 
    {
        if (oXmlHttp.readyState == 4) {
            var RsltElem = document.getElementById("comments_span");
            if (oXmlHttp.responseText.length > 10)
            {
                //alert(oXmlHttp.responseText);
                var responsearray = oXmlHttp.responseText.split("|");
                if (responsearray[0] == "ok")
                {
                    // add the new messages
                    var element = document.createElement('div');
                    element.innerHTML = responsearray[1];
                    element.id = "fadethis";
                    var RsltElem = document.getElementById("comments_span");
                    //alert("adding " + responsearray[1]);
                    if (RsltElem.hasChildNodes() == true)
                    {
                        RsltElem.insertBefore(element, RsltElem.firstChild);
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        RsltElem.appendChild(element);
                    }
                    //DoFade(7, "fadethis");
                    //changeOpac(0, "fadethis");
                    //opacity("fadethis", 0, 100, 3000);
                }
            }
            setTimer();
        }
    };
    oXmlHttp.send(null);
}