Is there any reason to use a general Cargo Container over an Ore Container? Seems you can put anything you want in an Ore Container you can in a Cargo Container, plus it will take Ore from your drills... Am I missing something?
I haven't tried it yet. But is the ore container controller also accepted by the constructor and the destructor as an input and output source?
There is currently no reason to use a general cargo controller over either an ammunition or harvest controller. Aside from the ammunition controller exploding violently when destroyed. I'm sure in future, they will be restricted to specific inputs/outputs at some time. It's probably possible now.
In case of Container Controllers - they define who and what can access them. Ore Controler are the only ones to which Drills can shuffle the Ore. Normal Container Controllers do not work with Ammo Requests as the Ore Controllers does not. Of course you can use all of them as provisional Storage units if your main Storage is full. But as @Vermillion said, it might be in the near future that this ability gets removed.
Just keep in mind that if you are making a published blueprint some of the ore controllers are a higher level unlock (ex: CV is level 20). If your ship has mining gear it won't affect the unlock level, but throwing one on a starter vessel just because is not worth it.
I wondered the same so I experimented. Turns out the Wood/Ore container makes a great general-purpose container with the added benefit of filling itself with ore. Quite useful for CV's, SV's. or HV's that have mining or harvesting capabilities. On pure warships, you seldom need more than ammo controllers and some cargo boxes.
The CV ore controller does not have as many slots as the cargo controller. You cannot put as many different items into it. I'm playing Reforged Eden but I assume it is same as base game.