inside a computer or in a computer

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Shenfeng

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Hey,

1) The data is stored inside a computer.
2) The data is stored in a computer.

Which one is commoner or are they used equally?


Thanks.
 
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IHIVG

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I'd use 'in'.

EDIT: To answer the question what is more common:

"stored inside a computer" -- 86,900 Google hits.
"stored in a computer" -- 31,700,000 ones.
 
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billmcd

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Hey,

1) The data is stored inside a computer.
2) The data is stored in a computer.

Which one is commoner or are they used equally?


Thanks.
"In" is more common.
 

emsr2d2

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"In" is more common.

Of the two choices, I agree that "in" is more common. However, if I may add a further choice, which I believe is more common than the other two:

It is stored ON a computer.

That sounds more natural to me. If someone said "Where do you store your digital photographs?", I would reply "On my computer", not "In my computer".
 

billmcd

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I agree, but the original question was a choice between only "in" and "inside".
 
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