(Honk! <- a goosine Hmm!) But I don't mind if I learn something from it.
But this...
needs addressing.IE has N-E-V-E-R been loaded or set as a default program on this or my previous 4 computers
AFAIK, when you install Windows (of any X) you do install IE and it does become your default browser until you change that. (I see you have Win 7. Has it changed for that?) Somewhere along the line Win is treating those links as IE only, in spite of those settings.
So, I will return to my previous statement: have you had a gander at the settings inside FF?
(Note, only two options left for transformations are duck and sausage.)
Am.
PS: now I see the link in my previous post does not work.