Would it be difficult to generate the topic links to open in a new window? This setting could be stored in the user's preferences.
Personally, I browse the site by opening an "active topics" window, and opening interesting threads in new windows. Pressing the shift key while clicking a link isn't hard to do or anything, but it'd be convenient not to have to.
Sounds whiney, I know, but hey, that's the root of most feature creep anyway, right?
Take care,
Nik
http://www.bigaction.org/