Things that webmasters do not like, are raved about by normal everyday people, maybe knowledge is just plain dangerous.

Oh very well said!!!
We all have to be careful we dont overburden users PC's n bandwidth with countless windows. Personally, whenever I create a link to anything I think about these things:

1>Do I need the page the link is on to stay unchanged while the user sees the new page?
(This point is pure selfishness. If its a product page, I absolutely do not want the user to leave it, so all links open in a new window or images open in a popup. If its just an internal link to another product page, i always use the same window)
2>Does the user need the page the link is on to stay unchanged while they see the new page?
(invariably NO, users like the back button, it makes them feel in control, so if I can avoid taking that option away from them, then all pages use the same window unless over-ruled by option 1)
3>How many windows will the user have open already by getting to this point in the site.
(sometimes, the page the link is on has been affected by points 1 and 2, in which case, target="_SELF/TOP/ETC")
4>Is it an external link?
(if so, every single one of them gets the target="_BLANK" rel="NOFOLLOW" treatment.)