Macintosh HD and Finder.. What is the difference?

[Glenners]

They both look the exact same and do the same thing. I would call that the same thing! Except can you hide the folders on the left in finder? I remember the first time I opened the hd I had to click the button on the right to open up the left side.

 

[remain]

They might seem to have almost the same effect, but that doesn't mean they're "the same."


All folders and the Desktop are a part of the application called "the Finder."

Furthermore, the Finder by default displays all mounted drives on the Desktop.
Macintosh HD is your main drive, so it is displayed on the Desktop.
And naturally, double-clicking it will open "Macintosh HD" in a new window.


Now as for the Finder icon in the Dock...
Just like any other icon in the Dock (on the left side, that is), it is representative of an application.

Clicking on it will bring to the front all windows of that application.
So if you had a bunch of Finder windows open (i.e., a bunch of folders open),
clicking on the Finder icon in the Dock will bring them all to the front.

And if no Finder window is open, then it will open a new window, which will start by default in your Home folder.
(you can change this in Finder > Preferences...)


Phew.

 

[baggss]

They both look the exact same and do the same thing. I would call that the same thing! Except can you hide the folders on the left in finder? I remember the first time I opened the hd I had to click the button on the right to open up the left side.

No they don't. The interface for your hard drive is driven by the Finder, but you can still access your hard drive without the Finder. What you see when you open your hard drive IS the Finders interface. Don't confuse a piece of hardware with a piece of software.

Hard Drive = Hardware

Finder = Software

remian did a nice job of explaining it again.