The string target="_new" is not required. I use it because I think it's polite to provide a new window for the target page so the user doesn't have to arrow back to the page they came from. It is most appreciated by users who keep many windows open at the same time, none of which completely fills the screen. Users who only run one program at once and fill their screen with it's window may not realize a new window has been created.

      - Mark