The first big win is to create a dedicated Close-window button. This close-window functionality is useful in any application, not just surfing. The next speedup is to create a dedicated Command-Click button. Command-Click opens a link in a new window (some of you may prefer an open window behind version). The next speedup is to create a dedicated "Back" button.
With those three dedicated buttons (open links in new window, close windows and back to the previous link), it is now possible to just click for 90% of www navigation, all without keystrokes or mouse movement. Like any other change, it takes a little getting used to.
[Editor's note: If you have a programmable mouse of some sort, it really is worth the trouble to set up the extra buttons to have different functions in your major programs. I use the side buttons on my Intellimouse for forward and backward, a click on the scroll button executes a command-click, and if I press and hold the scroll button and then roll it up and down, it switches tabs. I have a completely different set of commands assigned to Word, Excel, Mail, etc. Once you've used a multi-button mouse, it's hard to go back to just one button!]

