I use IE with XP Pro (Service Pack 2) and get pop-up blocking controls right
out of the browser preferences.
If someone wants to get me to replace my browser now, they'll have to build
a feature in to it that would allow global cookies and bookmarks that work
identically across several browsers at home or at work.
Building separate bookmarks and form-fill across multiple browsers is no fun and that's
the primary reason I stay with 'Ol Reliable IE for now.
It's faster than any stabile Mozilla product when loading uncached or cached pages.
The full build of Mozilla, no matter if I used it with Mac OS9 or Ten or XP Windows
would after a few months start to quit on me while browsing after a long session and I would have
to trash & replace it.
I still have the age-old problem of viewing Real Media content and occassionally
experiencing "unexpected quits" from any browser or platform if I juggle too
many balls with simultaneous Java applets and Real and XML all running during
the same session but have learned to expect that.
I have used Opera and it became unstabile after a few weeks of use after I
put necessary plug-ins into it because it didn't come with them.
The Opera website is so typical of "free" browsers that instead try to hook
users up to a donation or feedback like Real Media that leads users into
a maze from "free" links that go on to request $30 bucks and stuff so
I stay away as much as possible.
Safari served me well, as it comes bundled with OSX and is "compatible"
just like IE is with Windows.
The EU's effort to remove IE from Europe versions of Windows misses the point when
the original gripe was about compatibility of other browsers with Windows, not IE's integral presence with Windows.