In the same way irregardless is a synonym for regardless, yeah I guess so.
More like how a "bug" is a synonym for "error in a program", even though there's no actual bug stuck between vacuum tubes, not to mention there are no vacuum tubes any more, and they don't do computation like they did in the 50s any more, but I feel your pain.
Not in the industry.
Good thing the NYT article isn't a whitepaper directed at industry engineers.
I worked in the industry for three summers, and they were interchangeable there.
Additionally, they could be 'tur-bans' or 'tur-bines' as well.