The best browser is the one you like best...... I think you need to try all of them and then decide which you like best. You already said you don't want to go back to IE, but that is the one I use and I think most people also use this one, I haven't found any advantage in using a different browser, for me they all have about the same speed, and I'm so familiar with IE and most of my friends use it that I made a decision a long time ago to stay with IE, until "I" found one that "I" felt was better.......good luck and do lots of testing and you'll find whats best for "you".
  Microwave

As for the security holes in IE, they'll be fixed in SP2 here in a week or two. If you like the tabbed browsing, mouse gestures, Google Toolbar support, etc., there's a cool mod for IE called Maxthon, formerly MyIE2. It's like taking IE and injecting it with about ten gallons of steroids. Every feature you could possibly want is included. I'm using "Maxthon v1.0.0178 beta Combo" right now, and it works flawlessly. Maxthon has so many features, it's really geared toward more advanced users who want serious control over their browsing experience. It takes a while to learn the in's and out's, but it's well worth it. You can download it HERE.

If you have any questions or problems and can't find the answer on your own, post it here. I understand it's very complicated at first and I'll try to answer any questions.

For those of you who might be wondering whether I'm associated with Maxthon by the way I talk about it, no, I'm not.

Hope that helps.

It was actually supposed to come out late last year. Microsoft has assured everyone that it will be out within the first couple weeks of August.

well seeing that there is going to be an IE patch release next week for security issues... I am thinking that SP2 should be out soon.. Also seeing that Windows xp 64 had been delayed to first half of 05.. this could mean that they are moving resources to the SP2 project in hopes of finishing soon.. I have talked to a few guys who have a beta copy of the new patch and they said that it is really working nice... The things that they like the most are the popup blocker and the new firewall...