function getBrowser() {

	// convert all characters to lowercase to simplify testing
	var agt=navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase();
	
	// *** BROWSER VERSION ***
	// Note: On IE5, these return 4, so use is_ie5up to detect IE5.
	
	// get major/minor number for the browser
	var is_major = parseInt(navigator.appVersion);
	var is_minor = parseFloat(navigator.appVersion);
			  		
	// check for Netscape Nevigator browser

	var is_nav  = ((agt.indexOf('mozilla')!=-1) && (agt.indexOf('compatible') == -1));
	var is_nav2 = (is_nav && (is_major == 2));
	var is_nav3 = (is_nav && (is_major == 3));
	var is_nav4 = (is_nav && (is_major == 4));
	var is_nav4up = (is_nav && (is_major >= 4));
	var is_navonly = (is_nav && ((agt.indexOf(";nav") != -1) || (agt.indexOf("; nav") != -1)) );
	var is_nav6 = (is_nav && (is_major == 5));
	var is_nav6up = (is_nav && (is_major >= 5));
	var is_gecko = (agt.indexOf('gecko') != -1);
		
	// check for Internet Explorer brower

	var is_ie     = ((agt.indexOf("msie") != -1) && (agt.indexOf("opera") == -1));
	var is_ie3    = (is_ie && (is_major < 4));
	var is_ie4    = (is_ie && (is_major == 4) && (agt.indexOf("msie 5")==-1) );
	var is_ie4up  = (is_ie && (is_major >= 4));
	var is_ie5    = (is_ie && (is_major == 4) && (agt.indexOf("msie 5.0")!=-1) );
	var is_ie5_5  = (is_ie && (is_major == 4) && (agt.indexOf("msie 5.5") !=-1));
	var is_ie5up  = (is_ie && !is_ie3 && !is_ie4);
	var is_ie5_5up =(is_ie && !is_ie3 && !is_ie4 && !is_ie5);

	// return appropriate string
				
	if ( is_nav2 == true )  return "NN2";
	else if ( is_nav3 == true ) return "NN3";
	else if ( is_nav4 == true ) return "NN4";
	else if ( is_nav6 == true ) return "NN6";
	else if ( is_nav6up == true ) return "NN6up";
	else if ( is_ie3 == true ) return "IE3";
	else if ( is_ie4 == true ) return "IE4";
	else if ( is_ie5 == true ) return "IE5";
	else if ( is_ie5_5 == true ) return "IE5.5";
	else if ( is_ie5_5up == true ) return "IE5.5up";
	else if ( is_nav4up == true ) return "NN4up";
	else if ( is_ie4up == true ) return "IE4up";
	else if ( is_ie5up == true ) return "IE5up";
	else return "Error";

}