Why are you still using that older version of Firefox? It is 14 security updates behind the latest versions.
3.5.19 is the latest version of Firefox 3.5 - you should at least update to that version, if not Firefox 3.6.17 or 4.0.1 for security when online.
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all.html
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-older.html

Firefox has always opened a blank page when the user opens a new Tab, unless the user installs an extension that changes that action. You can open your homepage in a new Tab by middle-clicking the Home button. Whether your homepage, a blank page, or a previous session opens when you launch Firefox, that is set by a pref in Tools > Options > Main (or General, in newer versions) = When Firefox starts.

this is ridiculous. that after how many years of development Firefox still does not have ANY tab options in its menu by default. Seriously Mozilla? Seriously? Is it too much to ask for a homepage to open on a new tab instead of always just a blank page?

And before any FireFoxFanBoy's chime in, yes I am very aware there are many, many add ons that achieve this effect. But there-in-lies the problem. You have to install a 3rd party crapware to get FireFox to work properly. This of course causes many other problems and typically in my experience leads to a much less stable browser package that does not perform the expected behavior.

For the reason of un-predictability from an I.T. standpoint, FireFox is not ready for Enterprise nor is it ready for general population use. You should not have to install ANYTHING to get basic functionality.

I will be moving 3 businesses away from FireFox and switching to IE9 for its Active Directory integration and the ability to actually deliver the expected behavior consistently for the user.

I guess it is too much to ask your users to middle-click the Homepage button to get their Homepage in a new tab.

I don't think Mozilla is even interested in "Enterprise" any longer. The new Fast Release schedule for Firefox doesn't meet the needs of the corporate community for long term support, so I guess they aren't valued any longer. Mike Kaply has written about this situation repeatedly this year.
http://mike.kaply.com/