Borg Sighting

[Dave Wilton]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf
> Of Benjamin Barrett
> Sent: Saturday, June 25, 2005 12:50 PM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Borg Sighting
>
> Here's a citation for Borg in today's Seattle Times, comparing
> Microsoft to
> the Borg:
>
> Saturday, June 25, 2005

It's a fairly common usage. Here's one going back to 1997:

"Despite the cool virtual-reality gadgets available in the TechZone wing
(sponsored by Seattle computer mega-giant, Microsoft, frequently referred to
by locals as The Borg), Seattle's science center is much like Vancouver's -
scientific principles don't change with the currency." Seattle Times, 17 Aug
1997.

Other companies are also the target of such comparisons. I used to work for
a government contractor, SAIC, that was commonly called "the Borg" by our
government clients because of the companies practice of hiring
("assimilating") clients who were retiring from government service.

--Dave Wilton
  dave at wilton.net
  http://www.wilton.net