diff --git a/Lib/webbrowser.py b/Lib/webbrowser.py
index 4750fe2..6c34f8b 100644
--- a/Lib/webbrowser.py
+++ b/Lib/webbrowser.py
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
+#! /usr/bin/env python
 """Interfaces for launching and remotely controlling Web browsers."""
 
 import os
 import sys
+import stat
 
-__all__ = ["Error", "open", "get", "register"]
+__all__ = ["Error", "open", "open_new", "open_new_tab", "get", "register"]
 
 class Error(Exception):
     pass
@@ -11,9 +13,13 @@
 _browsers = {}          # Dictionary of available browser controllers
 _tryorder = []          # Preference order of available browsers
 
-def register(name, klass, instance=None):
+def register(name, klass, instance=None, update_tryorder=1):
     """Register a browser connector and, optionally, connection."""
     _browsers[name.lower()] = [klass, instance]
+    if update_tryorder > 0:
+        _tryorder.append(name)
+    elif update_tryorder < 0:
+        _tryorder.insert(0, name)
 
 def get(using=None):
     """Return a browser launcher instance appropriate for the environment."""
@@ -26,27 +32,36 @@
             # User gave us a command line, don't mess with it.
             return GenericBrowser(browser)
         else:
-            # User gave us a browser name.
+            # User gave us a browser name or path.
             try:
                 command = _browsers[browser.lower()]
             except KeyError:
                 command = _synthesize(browser)
-            if command[1] is None:
-                return command[0]()
-            else:
+            if command[1] is not None:
                 return command[1]
+            elif command[0] is not None:
+                return command[0]()
     raise Error("could not locate runnable browser")
 
 # Please note: the following definition hides a builtin function.
+# It is recommended one does "import webbrowser" and uses webbrowser.open(url)
+# instead of "from webbrowser import *".
 
 def open(url, new=0, autoraise=1):
-    get().open(url, new, autoraise)
+    for name in _tryorder:
+        browser = get(name)
+        if browser.open(url, new, autoraise):
+            return True
+    return False
 
 def open_new(url):
-    get().open(url, 1)
+    return open(url, 1)
+
+def open_new_tab(url):
+    return open(url, 2)
 
 
-def _synthesize(browser):
+def _synthesize(browser, update_tryorder=1):
     """Attempt to synthesize a controller base on existing controllers.
 
     This is useful to create a controller when a user specifies a path to
@@ -58,9 +73,10 @@
     executable for the requested browser, return [None, None].
 
     """
-    if not os.path.exists(browser):
+    cmd = browser.split()[0]
+    if not _iscommand(cmd):
         return [None, None]
-    name = os.path.basename(browser)
+    name = os.path.basename(cmd)
     try:
         command = _browsers[name.lower()]
     except KeyError:
@@ -72,132 +88,199 @@
         controller = copy.copy(controller)
         controller.name = browser
         controller.basename = os.path.basename(browser)
-        register(browser, None, controller)
+        register(browser, None, controller, update_tryorder)
         return [None, controller]
     return [None, None]
 
 
+if sys.platform[:3] == "win":
+    def _isexecutable(cmd):
+        cmd = cmd.lower()
+        if os.path.isfile(cmd) and (cmd.endswith(".exe") or 
+                                    cmd.endswith(".bat")):
+            return True
+        for ext in ".exe", ".bat":
+            if os.path.isfile(cmd + ext):
+                return True
+        return False
+else:
+    def _isexecutable(cmd):
+        if os.path.isfile(cmd):
+            mode = os.stat(cmd)[stat.ST_MODE]
+            if mode & stat.S_IXUSR or mode & stat.S_IXGRP or mode & stat.S_IXOTH:
+                return True
+        return False
+
 def _iscommand(cmd):
-    """Return True if cmd can be found on the executable search path."""
+    """Return True if cmd is executable or can be found on the executable
+    search path."""
+    if _isexecutable(cmd):
+        return True
     path = os.environ.get("PATH")
     if not path:
         return False
     for d in path.split(os.pathsep):
         exe = os.path.join(d, cmd)
-        if os.path.isfile(exe):
+        if _isexecutable(exe):
             return True
     return False
 
 
-PROCESS_CREATION_DELAY = 4
+# General parent classes
+
+class BaseBrowser(object):
+    """Parent class for all browsers."""
+
+    def __init__(self, name=""):
+        self.name = name
+    
+    def open_new(self, url):
+        return self.open(url, 1)
+
+    def open_new_tab(self, url):
+        return self.open(url, 2)
 
 
-class GenericBrowser:
+class GenericBrowser(BaseBrowser):
+    """Class for all browsers started with a command
+       and without remote functionality."""
+
     def __init__(self, cmd):
         self.name, self.args = cmd.split(None, 1)
-        self.basename = os.path.basename(self.name)
 
     def open(self, url, new=0, autoraise=1):
         assert "'" not in url
         command = "%s %s" % (self.name, self.args)
-        os.system(command % url)
-
-    def open_new(self, url):
-        self.open(url)
+        rc = os.system(command % url)
+        return not rc
 
 
-class Netscape:
-    "Launcher class for Netscape browsers."
-    def __init__(self, name):
-        self.name = name
-        self.basename = os.path.basename(name)
+class UnixBrowser(BaseBrowser):
+    """Parent class for all Unix browsers with remote functionality."""
 
-    def _remote(self, action, autoraise):
-        raise_opt = ("-noraise", "-raise")[autoraise]
-        cmd = "%s %s -remote '%s' >/dev/null 2>&1" % (self.name,
-                                                      raise_opt,
-                                                      action)
+    raise_opts = None
+
+    remote_cmd = ''
+    remote_action = None
+    remote_action_newwin = None
+    remote_action_newtab = None
+    remote_background = False
+
+    def _remote(self, url, action, autoraise):
+        autoraise = int(bool(autoraise)) # always 0/1
+        raise_opt = self.raise_opts and self.raise_opts[autoraise] or ''
+        cmd = "%s %s %s '%s' >/dev/null 2>&1" % (self.name, raise_opt,
+                                                 self.remote_cmd, action)
+        if remote_background:
+            cmd += ' &'
         rc = os.system(cmd)
         if rc:
-            import time
-            os.system("%s &" % self.name)
-            time.sleep(PROCESS_CREATION_DELAY)
-            rc = os.system(cmd)
+            # bad return status, try again with simpler command
+            rc = os.system("%s %s" % (self.name, url))
         return not rc
 
     def open(self, url, new=0, autoraise=1):
-        if new:
-            self._remote("openURL(%s, new-window)"%url, autoraise)
+        assert "'" not in url
+        if new == 0:
+            action = self.remote_action
+        elif new == 1:
+            action = self.remote_action_newwin
+        elif new == 2:
+            if self.remote_action_newtab is None:
+                action = self.remote_action_newwin
+            else:
+                action = self.remote_action_newtab
         else:
-            self._remote("openURL(%s)" % url, autoraise)
-
-    def open_new(self, url):
-        self.open(url, 1)
+            raise Error("Bad 'new' parameter to open(); expected 0, 1, or 2, got %s" % new)
+        return self._remote(url, action % url, autoraise)
 
 
-class Galeon:
-    """Launcher class for Galeon browsers."""
-    def __init__(self, name):
-        self.name = name
-        self.basename = os.path.basename(name)
+class Mozilla(UnixBrowser):
+    """Launcher class for Mozilla/Netscape browsers."""
 
-    def _remote(self, action, autoraise):
-        raise_opt = ("--noraise", "")[autoraise]
-        cmd = "%s %s %s >/dev/null 2>&1" % (self.name, raise_opt, action)
-        rc = os.system(cmd)
-        if rc:
-            import time
-            os.system("%s >/dev/null 2>&1 &" % self.name)
-            time.sleep(PROCESS_CREATION_DELAY)
-            rc = os.system(cmd)
-        return not rc
+    raise_opts = ("-noraise", "-raise")
 
-    def open(self, url, new=0, autoraise=1):
-        if new:
-            self._remote("-w '%s'" % url, autoraise)
-        else:
-            self._remote("-n '%s'" % url, autoraise)
+    remote_cmd = '-remote'
+    remote_action = "openURL(%s)"
+    remote_action_newwin = "openURL(%s,new-window)"
+    remote_action_newtab = "openURL(%s,new-tab)"
 
-    def open_new(self, url):
-        self.open(url, 1)
+Netscape = Mozilla
 
 
-class Konqueror:
+class Galeon(UnixBrowser):
+    """Launcher class for Galeon/Epiphany browsers."""
+
+    raise_opts = ("-noraise", "")
+    remote_action = "-n '%s'"
+    remote_action_newwin = "-w '%s'"
+
+    remote_background = True
+
+
+class Konqueror(BaseBrowser):
     """Controller for the KDE File Manager (kfm, or Konqueror).
 
     See http://developer.kde.org/documentation/other/kfmclient.html
     for more information on the Konqueror remote-control interface.
 
     """
-    def __init__(self):
-        if _iscommand("konqueror"):
-            self.name = self.basename = "konqueror"
-        else:
-            self.name = self.basename = "kfm"
 
-    def _remote(self, action):
+    def _remote(self, url, action):
+        # kfmclient is the new KDE way of opening URLs.
         cmd = "kfmclient %s >/dev/null 2>&1" % action
         rc = os.system(cmd)
+        # Fall back to other variants.
         if rc:
-            import time
-            if self.basename == "konqueror":
-                os.system(self.name + " --silent &")
-            else:
-                os.system(self.name + " -d &")
-            time.sleep(PROCESS_CREATION_DELAY)
-            rc = os.system(cmd)
+            if _iscommand("konqueror"):
+                rc = os.system(self.name + " --silent '%s' &" % url)
+            elif _iscommand("kfm"):
+                rc = os.system(self.name + " -d '%s'" % url)
         return not rc
 
-    def open(self, url, new=1, autoraise=1):
+    def open(self, url, new=0, autoraise=1):
         # XXX Currently I know no way to prevent KFM from
         # opening a new win.
         assert "'" not in url
-        self._remote("openURL '%s'" % url)
-
-    open_new = open
+        if new == 2:
+            action = "newTab '%s'" % url
+        else:
+            action = "openURL '%s'" % url
+        ok = self._remote(url, action)
+        return ok
 
 
-class Grail:
+class Opera(UnixBrowser):
+    "Launcher class for Opera browser."
+
+    raise_opts = ("", "-raise")
+
+    remote_cmd = '-remote'
+    remote_action = "openURL(%s)"
+    remote_action_newwin = "openURL(%s,new-window)"
+    remote_action_newtab = "openURL(%s,new-page)"
+
+
+class Elinks(UnixBrowser):
+    "Launcher class for Elinks browsers."
+
+    remote_cmd = '-remote'
+    remote_action = "openURL(%s)"
+    remote_action_newwin = "openURL(%s,new-window)"
+    remote_action_newtab = "openURL(%s,new-tab)"
+
+    def _remote(self, url, action, autoraise):
+        # elinks doesn't like its stdout to be redirected -
+        # it uses redirected stdout as a signal to do -dump
+        cmd = "%s %s '%s' 2>/dev/null" % (self.name,
+                                          self.remote_cmd, action)
+        rc = os.system(cmd)
+        if rc:
+            rc = os.system("%s %s" % (self.name, url))
+        return not rc
+
+
+class Grail(BaseBrowser):
     # There should be a way to maintain a connection to Grail, but the
     # Grail remote control protocol doesn't really allow that at this
     # point.  It probably neverwill!
@@ -237,93 +320,97 @@
 
     def open(self, url, new=0, autoraise=1):
         if new:
-            self._remote("LOADNEW " + url)
+            ok = self._remote("LOADNEW " + url)
         else:
-            self._remote("LOAD " + url)
+            ok = self._remote("LOAD " + url)
+        return ok
 
-    def open_new(self, url):
-        self.open(url, 1)
-
-
-class WindowsDefault:
-    def open(self, url, new=0, autoraise=1):
-        os.startfile(url)
-
-    def open_new(self, url):
-        self.open(url)
 
 #
 # Platform support for Unix
 #
 
-# This is the right test because all these Unix browsers require either
-# a console terminal of an X display to run.  Note that we cannot split
-# the TERM and DISPLAY cases, because we might be running Python from inside
-# an xterm.
-if os.environ.get("TERM") or os.environ.get("DISPLAY"):
-    _tryorder = ["links", "lynx", "w3m"]
+# These are the right tests because all these Unix browsers require either
+# a console terminal or an X display to run.
 
-    # Easy cases first -- register console browsers if we have them.
-    if os.environ.get("TERM"):
-        # The Links browser <http://artax.karlin.mff.cuni.cz/~mikulas/links/>
-        if _iscommand("links"):
-            register("links", None, GenericBrowser("links '%s'"))
-        # The Lynx browser <http://lynx.browser.org/>
-        if _iscommand("lynx"):
-            register("lynx", None, GenericBrowser("lynx '%s'"))
-        # The w3m browser <http://ei5nazha.yz.yamagata-u.ac.jp/~aito/w3m/eng/>
-        if _iscommand("w3m"):
-            register("w3m", None, GenericBrowser("w3m '%s'"))
+# Prefer X browsers if present
+if os.environ.get("DISPLAY"):
 
-    # X browsers have more in the way of options
-    if os.environ.get("DISPLAY"):
-        _tryorder = ["galeon", "skipstone",
-                     "mozilla-firefox", "mozilla-firebird", "mozilla", "netscape",
-                     "kfm", "grail"] + _tryorder
+    # First, the Mozilla/Netscape browsers
+    for browser in ("mozilla-firefox", "firefox",
+                    "mozilla-firebird", "firebird",
+                    "mozilla", "netscape"):
+        if _iscommand(browser):
+            register(browser, None, Mozilla(browser))
 
-        # First, the Netscape series
-        for browser in ("mozilla-firefox", "mozilla-firebird",
-                        "mozilla", "netscape"):
-            if _iscommand(browser):
-                register(browser, None, Netscape(browser))
+    # The default Gnome browser
+    if _iscommand("gconftool-2"):
+        # get the web browser string from gconftool
+        gc = 'gconftool-2 -g /desktop/gnome/url-handlers/http/command'
+        out = os.popen(gc)
+        commd = out.read().strip()
+        retncode = out.close()
 
-        # Next, Mosaic -- old but still in use.
-        if _iscommand("mosaic"):
-            register("mosaic", None, GenericBrowser(
-                "mosaic '%s' >/dev/null &"))
+        # if successful, register it
+        if retncode == None and len(commd) != 0:
+            register("gnome", None, GenericBrowser(
+                commd + " '%s' >/dev/null &"))
 
-        # Gnome's Galeon
-        if _iscommand("galeon"):
-            register("galeon", None, Galeon("galeon"))
+    # Konqueror/kfm, the KDE browser.
+    if _iscommand("kfm") or _iscommand("konqueror"):
+        register("kfm", Konqueror, Konqueror())
 
-        # Skipstone, another Gtk/Mozilla based browser
-        if _iscommand("skipstone"):
-            register("skipstone", None, GenericBrowser(
-                "skipstone '%s' >/dev/null &"))
+    # Gnome's Galeon and Epiphany
+    for browser in ("galeon", "epiphany"):
+        if _iscommand(browser):
+            register(browser, None, Galeon(browser))
 
-        # Konqueror/kfm, the KDE browser.
-        if _iscommand("kfm") or _iscommand("konqueror"):
-            register("kfm", Konqueror, Konqueror())
+    # Skipstone, another Gtk/Mozilla based browser
+    if _iscommand("skipstone"):
+        register("skipstone", None, GenericBrowser("skipstone '%s' &"))
 
-        # Grail, the Python browser.
-        if _iscommand("grail"):
-            register("grail", Grail, None)
+    # Opera, quite popular
+    if _iscommand("opera"):
+        register("opera", None, Opera("opera"))
 
+    # Next, Mosaic -- old but still in use.
+    if _iscommand("mosaic"):
+        register("mosaic", None, GenericBrowser("mosaic '%s' &"))
 
-class InternetConfig:
-    def open(self, url, new=0, autoraise=1):
-        ic.launchurl(url)
+    # Grail, the Python browser. Does anybody still use it?
+    if _iscommand("grail"):
+        register("grail", Grail, None)
 
-    def open_new(self, url):
-        self.open(url)
-
+# Also try console browsers
+if os.environ.get("TERM"):
+    # The Links/elinks browsers <http://artax.karlin.mff.cuni.cz/~mikulas/links/>
+    if _iscommand("links"):
+        register("links", None, GenericBrowser("links '%s'"))
+    if _iscommand("elinks"):
+        register("elinks", None, Elinks("elinks"))
+    # The Lynx browser <http://lynx.isc.org/>, <http://lynx.browser.org/>
+    if _iscommand("lynx"):
+        register("lynx", None, GenericBrowser("lynx '%s'"))
+    # The w3m browser <http://w3m.sourceforge.net/>
+    if _iscommand("w3m"):
+        register("w3m", None, GenericBrowser("w3m '%s'"))
 
 #
 # Platform support for Windows
 #
 
 if sys.platform[:3] == "win":
-    _tryorder = ["netscape", "windows-default"]
+    class WindowsDefault(BaseBrowser):
+        def open(self, url, new=0, autoraise=1):
+            os.startfile(url)
+            return True # Oh, my...
+
+    _tryorder = []
+    _browsers = {}
+    # Prefer mozilla/netscape/opera if present
+    for browser in ("firefox", "firebird", "mozilla", "netscape", "opera"):
+        if _iscommand(browser):
+            register(browser, None, GenericBrowser(browser + ' %s'))
     register("windows-default", WindowsDefault)
 
 #
@@ -335,36 +422,112 @@
 except ImportError:
     pass
 else:
-    # internet-config is the only supported controller on MacOS,
-    # so don't mess with the default!
-    _tryorder = ["internet-config"]
-    register("internet-config", InternetConfig)
+    class InternetConfig(BaseBrowser):
+        def open(self, url, new=0, autoraise=1):
+            ic.launchurl(url)
+            return True # Any way to get status?
+
+    register("internet-config", InternetConfig, update_tryorder=-1)
+
+if sys.platform == 'darwin':
+    # Adapted from patch submitted to SourceForge by Steven J. Burr
+    class MacOSX(BaseBrowser):
+        """Launcher class for Aqua browsers on Mac OS X
+
+        Optionally specify a browser name on instantiation.  Note that this
+        will not work for Aqua browsers if the user has moved the application
+        package after installation.
+
+        If no browser is specified, the default browser, as specified in the
+        Internet System Preferences panel, will be used.
+        """
+        def __init__(self, name):
+            self.name = name
+
+        def open(self, url, new=0, autoraise=1):
+            assert "'" not in url
+            # new must be 0 or 1
+            new = int(bool(new))
+            if self.name == "default":
+                # User called open, open_new or get without a browser parameter
+                script = _safequote('open location "%s"', url) # opens in default browser
+            else:
+                # User called get and chose a browser
+                if self.name == "OmniWeb":
+                    toWindow = ""
+                else:
+                    # Include toWindow parameter of OpenURL command for browsers
+                    # that support it.  0 == new window; -1 == existing
+                    toWindow = "toWindow %d" % (new - 1)
+                cmd = _safequote('OpenURL "%s"', url)
+                script = '''tell application "%s"
+                                activate
+                                %s %s
+                            end tell''' % (self.name, cmd, toWindow)
+            # Open pipe to AppleScript through osascript command
+            osapipe = os.popen("osascript", "w")
+            if osapipe is None:
+                return False
+            # Write script to osascript's stdin
+            osapipe.write(script)
+            rc = osapipe.close()
+            return not rc
+
+    # Don't clear _tryorder or _browsers since OS X can use above Unix support
+    # (but we prefer using the OS X specific stuff)
+    register("MacOSX", None, MacOSX('default'), -1)
+
 
 #
 # Platform support for OS/2
 #
 
-if sys.platform[:3] == "os2" and _iscommand("netscape.exe"):
-    _tryorder = ["os2netscape"]
+if sys.platform[:3] == "os2" and _iscommand("netscape"):
+    _tryorder = []
+    _browsers = {}
     register("os2netscape", None,
-             GenericBrowser("start netscape.exe %s"))
+             GenericBrowser("start netscape %s"), -1)
+
 
 # OK, now that we know what the default preference orders for each
 # platform are, allow user to override them with the BROWSER variable.
-#
 if "BROWSER" in os.environ:
-    # It's the user's responsibility to register handlers for any unknown
-    # browser referenced by this value, before calling open().
-    _tryorder = os.environ["BROWSER"].split(os.pathsep)
+    _userchoices = os.environ["BROWSER"].split(os.pathsep)
+    _userchoices.reverse()
 
-for cmd in _tryorder:
-    if not cmd.lower() in _browsers:
-        if _iscommand(cmd.lower()):
-            register(cmd.lower(), None, GenericBrowser(
-                "%s '%%s'" % cmd.lower()))
-cmd = None # to make del work if _tryorder was empty
-del cmd
+    # Treat choices in same way as if passed into get() but do register
+    # and prepend to _tryorder
+    for cmdline in _userchoices:
+        if cmdline != '':
+            _synthesize(cmdline, -1)
+    cmdline = None # to make del work if _userchoices was empty
+    del cmdline
+    del _userchoices
 
-_tryorder = filter(lambda x: x.lower() in _browsers
-                   or x.find("%s") > -1, _tryorder)
 # what to do if _tryorder is now empty?
+
+
+def main():
+    import getopt
+    usage = """Usage: %s [-n | -t] url
+    -n: open new window
+    -t: open new tab""" % sys.argv[0]
+    try:
+        opts, args = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[1:], 'ntd')
+    except getopt.error, msg:
+        print >>sys.stderr, msg
+        print >>sys.stderr, usage
+        sys.exit(1)
+    new_win = 0
+    for o, a in opts:
+        if o == '-n': new_win = 1
+        elif o == '-t': new_win = 2
+    if len(args) <> 1:
+        print >>sys.stderr, usage
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    url = args[0]
+    open(url, new_win)
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()