If a link takes you to the same website, then fine: Leave it in one window. If it takes you elsewhere, then open it somewhere else. I'm not saying that would work for the entire web, but it would make life here much easier. Tbh I don't care about saving the web via standardisation, I'd rather things worked with a bit of common sense.
If someone wants to write me a greasemonkey script that opens links in another window here, then I'll happily change my vote and use that instead.