why are so many people confused about the difference between a hydrogen generator and a fuel cell?

Answer 1

The "I hate math and science" crowd is easily confused about a great many things, as they have rejected the tools by which they could understand things. Secondly, "hydrogen generator" without qualification is an ambiguous term. It can mean "generator of hydrogen" or "hydrogen-powered generator of electricity". Fuel cells used to mean "container of fuel". It is only current usage that has entrenched the "fuel-generated electricity device" definition. (Note that fuel cells can be designed to use fuels other than hydrogen.)