var IE = (document.all) ? 1 : 0;
var DOM = 0; 

if (parseInt(navigator.appVersion) >=5) {DOM=1};

function txtshow(txt2show, msgarea) {
            
// Detect Browser

if (DOM) {

var viewer = document.getElementById(msgarea);

viewer.innerHTML=txt2show;

}

else if(IE) {

document.all[msgarea].innerHTML=txt2show;

}

}

function keyup(what, chars, msgarea) 
{
  var str = new String(what.value);
  var len = str.length;
  var showstr = len + " characters of " + chars + " available entered";
  if (len > chars) showstr += '<br>Some information will be lost, please revise your entry';
  txtshow(showstr, msgarea);
}