more tips
-Disable IPv6
-disable pop-ups
-set default to deny ALL scripts, not just flash. (java can be a killer, too)
-disable third party cookies, mainly if you have a policy of "ask every time" for cookies from new domains
-consider a hosts list to shunt ad web sites to the oblivion of your loopback interface. There are some huge lists of ad servers available on line for this purpose.
In Linux especially I see a marked improvement in browser speed by disabling IPv6 system wide. I imagine it has to do with protocols having to time out because there's a bottleneck beyond which IPv6 isn't available. That would be your router in 99% of the situations I've come across.
So IPv6 is playing "marco-polo" in the pool all by itself.
