PapaG:
retrolefty:
PapaG:
This all too common sloppy practice of calling a crystal resonator just a crystal and a ceramic resonator just a resonator has lead many beginners off to a rather poor understanding of such components and how they actually work.
Nothing personal, just a pet peeve.
Lefty
How long has that sloppy practice been going on?
Not sure but, too long in my opinion.
But I will go along with your pet peeves if you go along with mine.Lefty
I'm cool with that.
I just wondered because I never heard crystals called anything else until recently. I thought "crystal resonator" was coined to distinguish crystals from "ceramic resonators" which are more recent than crystals as a frequency generating/controlling device.
Well it would different if people short cut it to crystal Vs ceramic but instead call it crystal Vs resonator when both are resonators just rubs me the wrong way. It's not unlike when a new comer might (and often do) asks if he should "use a transistor or use a mosfet to control a relay" and one then has to explain what the T in mosfet stands for. 
Lefty