Please explain your issue here and correct me if I'm wrong. Since the post in question stated "this is NOT a trunk tracking SCANNER, but a wide band scanner" this comparison will be limited to scanners that don't do trunk tracking. Information about the ICOM R-2500 came from the ICOM web site at this link -->
IC-R2500 Communications Receiver - Features - Icom America
A "Scanner" is a wide band receiver that has various memory locations (or objects, or whatever term may be in use by that scanner company for the same function) to hold frequencies and other information about that frequency "channel" to correctly receive traffic on that channel.. Many scanners also have the ability to scan frequency ranges and stop on ones that have activity. They generally have the ability to tune to a specific frequency without having to scan to find it.
A "Receiver" is a wide band receiver that allows you to tune to a specific frequency without having to scan to find it. Many also have the ability to scan frequency ranges and stop on ones that have activity. The ICOM R-2500 has 1000 alphanumeric memory channels where the user can hold frequencies and other information about that frequency "channel" to correctly receive traffic on that channel. Per ICOM's web site "With Icom’s Dynamic Memory Scan, DMS, you have a versatile memory channel management system at your command. The 1000 memory channels can be arranged by service or personal preference in the 21 memory banks."
So both a "Scanner" and a "Receiver" (or at least the ICOM R-2500) has memory "channels" that can be scanned, can scan a frequency range, directly tune a frequency. Please explain how they are so different then, remembering that a typical non-trunking scanner is a fairly low end device and the ICOM R-2500 is a rather high end device.