Background

What follows is an analysis of some of the window opening features of some modern tabbed browsers:

Mozilla Browsers

There are several ways links can be opened in Firefox:

regular links, which replace the current document when loaded
links that open new windows by using the "target" attribute (e.g. targeting a new blank or named window)
links that are opened by script without sizing or positioning parameters (basically the same as those opened using the "target" attribute)
links that are opened by script using paramaters (called window "features") that set the size and position of the window.
links sent from external applications e.g. via DDE on Windows.

These different types are handled in different ways by Firefox 1.0 and Deer Park Alpha 2.

There are several places links can be opened as well:

The replacing the document loaded in the most recently focused tab/window
A new tab in the most recently focused window
A new window

When a link is opened in the foreground, when it is closed the previous tab is selected

Firefox 1.0

All links that would open a new window, whether by using the "target" attribute, or by using script are opened in new windows.

Options exist for sending links opened by external applications into each of the places where links can be opened, with the default being the last tab/document in the most recently focused window.

Options exist for forcing links that would open new windows by use of the "target" attribute or script into new tabs or replacing the same document, but these were hidden in Firefox 1.0 because they were not yet well tested.

Deer Park Alpha 2

All links that would open a new window, whether by using the "target" attribute or by using script are opened in new windows, with the exception of those sent by external applications, which are opened in new tabs.

The same collection of options as those which existed in 1.0 are present, except the ones for the "target" attribute/script opening are now exposed in the user interface.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 Beta 1

All links that would open new windows open new tabs, whether from internal sources ("target" attribute, script) or external applications. When a tab opened in the foreground is closed, the previous adjacent tab is selected.

I cannot remember what the options look like at time of writing, someone should fill this out later.

Safari

Safari defaults to having tabbed browsing turned off entirely, with none of the standard shortcuts or UI appearing until after the feature is activated using the "Enable Tabbed Browsing..." option in the Tabs preferences pane.

Once this feature is enabled, all links that would open new windows, whether from internal sources ("target" attribute, script) or external applications open new windows.

There is an option to control where links from external applications are opened - windows or tabs. There are no options to control where internal links are targeted

Camino

All links that would open new windows open new windows. When a tab opened in the foreground is closed, the previous adjacent tab is selected.

Options exist to target links opened by external applications into a new tab, a new window, or reuse the most recent tab in the most recent window. There is no option to control where internal links are targeted.

Link Targeting

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