Is BORG an actual store or just a generic reference to the Big Box Home
Centers?

Jess.S

"Jesse R Strawbridge" wrote in message
. ..
Is BORG an actual store or just a generic reference to the Big Box Home
Centers?

Jess.S

I think it took life, in woodworking and home improvement, as a reference to
Home Depot -- "Big Orange Retail Giant". But it generically refers to Lowes
and others. BORG has been used to refer to any giant company including
Microsoft.

RonB wrote:
"Jesse R Strawbridge" wrote in message
. ..

Is BORG an actual store or just a generic reference to the Big Box Home
Centers?

Jess.S


I think it took life, in woodworking and home improvement, as a reference to
Home Depot -- "Big Orange Retail Giant". But it generically refers to Lowes
and others. BORG has been used to refer to any giant company including
Microsoft.


Thank you. It appeared that way from the context but I wasn't sure. I
knew about the use for Microsoft derived from ST:TNG didn't think they
were selling oak planks (yet).

Jess.S

Cute acronym but is has nothing to do with the origin of borg. It was first
used, comparing the large home centers, with the borg from Star Trek. The
borg were a race of half living being, half machine who assimilated all
they came in contact with.

"RonB" wrote in message
news:il1Pg.140946$LF4.83319@dukeread05...
I think it took life, in woodworking and home improvement, as a reference
to
Home Depot -- "Big Orange Retail Giant". But it generically refers to
Lowes
and others. BORG has been used to refer to any giant company including
Microsoft.

CW wrote:

Cute acronym but is has nothing to do with the origin of borg. It was first
used, comparing the large home centers, with the borg from Star Trek. The
borg were a race of half living being, half machine who assimilated all
they came in contact with.


You forgot " - leaving behind vacant buildings once occupied by mom
and pop hardware stores, plumbing stores, electrical and lighting
stores,
paint stores and lumber yards - all of which were staffed with folks
who knew the local area, the developers who built the houses, an
most
important - what parts were in them that'd need repair or
replacement,
or in the case of the local lumber yard guy - would get you what you
wanted/needed or provide options if he didn't have the specific wood
you wanted/needed.".

But aren't things the Borg sells MUCH cheaper than mom and pop store
prices?

Well, if you only look at the amount on the sales receipt the answer
is
Yes!. But if you account for the time you waste waiting "an
associate"
to tell - or better yet - show you were the item you're looking for
is in
this vast warehouse - things start to balance out a little. And if
you
want some advice or suggestions on what you probably need and how
to install it - well forget the BORG.

Case in point - a personal experience.

Tub/shower hot water valve leaks and there's a Drip Drip Drip sound
that keeps you awake. You shut off the water, remove the stem,
replace the gasket that shuts off the flow of water, put things
back together and turn the water back on. Problem solved. Until
a week later. Drip Drip Drip.

You repeat the "shut off the water, remove the valve" process
but examine the new gasket more closely. It looks ok. You stick
your finger into the hole and feel that the surface the gasket is
supposed to seal against feels a little rough. So you go and get a
flashlight, shine it into the hole and have a look. The brass "seat"
is pitted and has some small chunks missing.

Now it looks like the part in the wall is going to have to be
replaced.
You can either open up the tiled wall it's behind OR open up the
other
side of the wall to do the replacement
And then your going to have to either heat the valve piece to release
the sweat solder joints or cut off the copper pipes it's connected
to.

Then there's the price of the new parts - which you can get at the
local BORG for "only" a hundred bucks, give or take a ten spot. AND
the fun and games of installing new parts to existing plumbing. You
look in the Yellow Pages and call a few plumbers. The "estimates"
you're given elevate your blood pressure and kicks up your stomach
acid production level by a facto of five. Your vacation plans are
quickly
becoming merely wishful thinking.

BUT - if you had the local mom and pop plumbing store, you'd
be told that you a) didn't need to replace the entire part in the
wall b) could borrow a tool to get the replacable brass seat
in your faucet out so you could bring it back and he/she would
help you find a new one to replace it and c) wouldn't spend more
that $5 for the new part.

So which way sounds "less expensive"?

Try taking a circuit breaker that's crapped out to the BORG and
try and find a replacement. "Oh, we don't carry that kind of
breaker - that's a Square D or out of an old XYZ breaker box.
Nothing we have - or are willing to special order - will fit your
breaker box. BUT - we can sell you a brand new - custom deluxe,
super whipzam box AND breakers for "only" .... (by then you've
stopped listening).

"Well do you know of anyone else in the area who might carry,
or can special order, one of this specific breaker?" - you ask
knowing what the anwer will be.

rant mode off

charlie b

I really didn't want to type that much. You filled in nicely.

"charlie b" wrote in message
...
CW wrote:

Cute acronym but is has nothing to do with the origin of borg. It was
first
used, comparing the large home centers, with the borg from Star Trek.
The
borg were a race of half living being, half machine who assimilated all
they came in contact with.


You forgot " - leaving behind vacant buildings once occupied by mom
and pop hardware stores, plumbing stores, electrical and lighting
stores,
paint stores and lumber yards - all of which were staffed with folks
who knew the local area, the developers who built the houses, an
most
important - what parts were in them that'd need repair or
replacement,
or in the case of the local lumber yard guy - would get you what you
wanted/needed or provide options if he didn't have the specific wood
you wanted/needed.".

But aren't things the Borg sells MUCH cheaper than mom and pop store
prices?

Well, if you only look at the amount on the sales receipt the answer
is
Yes!. But if you account for the time you waste waiting "an
associate"
to tell - or better yet - show you were the item you're looking for
is in
this vast warehouse - things start to balance out a little. And if
you
want some advice or suggestions on what you probably need and how
to install it - well forget the BORG.

Case in point - a personal experience.

Tub/shower hot water valve leaks and there's a Drip Drip Drip sound
that keeps you awake. You shut off the water, remove the stem,
replace the gasket that shuts off the flow of water, put things
back together and turn the water back on. Problem solved. Until
a week later. Drip Drip Drip.

You repeat the "shut off the water, remove the valve" process
but examine the new gasket more closely. It looks ok. You stick
your finger into the hole and feel that the surface the gasket is
supposed to seal against feels a little rough. So you go and get a
flashlight, shine it into the hole and have a look. The brass "seat"
is pitted and has some small chunks missing.

Now it looks like the part in the wall is going to have to be
replaced.
You can either open up the tiled wall it's behind OR open up the
other
side of the wall to do the replacement
And then your going to have to either heat the valve piece to release
the sweat solder joints or cut off the copper pipes it's connected
to.

Then there's the price of the new parts - which you can get at the
local BORG for "only" a hundred bucks, give or take a ten spot. AND
the fun and games of installing new parts to existing plumbing. You
look in the Yellow Pages and call a few plumbers. The "estimates"
you're given elevate your blood pressure and kicks up your stomach
acid production level by a facto of five. Your vacation plans are
quickly
becoming merely wishful thinking.

BUT - if you had the local mom and pop plumbing store, you'd
be told that you a) didn't need to replace the entire part in the
wall b) could borrow a tool to get the replacable brass seat
in your faucet out so you could bring it back and he/she would
help you find a new one to replace it and c) wouldn't spend more
that $5 for the new part.

So which way sounds "less expensive"?

Try taking a circuit breaker that's crapped out to the BORG and
try and find a replacement. "Oh, we don't carry that kind of
breaker - that's a Square D or out of an old XYZ breaker box.
Nothing we have - or are willing to special order - will fit your
breaker box. BUT - we can sell you a brand new - custom deluxe,
super whipzam box AND breakers for "only" .... (by then you've
stopped listening).

"Well do you know of anyone else in the area who might carry,
or can special order, one of this specific breaker?" - you ask
knowing what the anwer will be.

rant mode off

charlie b

"charlie b" wrote in message

"Well do you know of anyone else in the area who might carry,
or can special order, one of this specific breaker?" - you ask
knowing what the anwer will be.

Agreed. Got them to order me a padded elongated toilet seat. Cost of toilet
seat $27.00. Cost of special ordering. $25.00. Didn't matter that they place
orders regularly from this place. The extra paperwork costs money.

In article ,
Jesse R Strawbridge wrote:
Is BORG an actual store or just a generic reference to the Big Box Home
Centers?

Jess.S

Originally was proposed as an acronym, Big Orange Retail Giant...
Orange implying home Depot, now often used generically for any of the
large home centers, primarily HD and Lowes.

BTW, there are no stupid questions... BUT there sure are a lot of
stupid answers!


--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland

"CW" wrote in message
ink.net...
.....Star Trek. The borg were a race of half living being, half machine
who assimilated all
they came in contact with.

Yeah. Kinda like Home Depot, Lowes, Microsoft, etc.

RonB

"RonB" wrote in
news:Fr3Pg.140948$LF4.63761@dukeread05:


"CW" wrote in message
ink.net...
.....Star Trek. The borg were a race of half living being, half
machine who assimilated all
they came in contact with.

Yeah. Kinda like Home Depot, Lowes, Microsoft, etc.

RonB



and JP Morgan Chase

Puckdropper
--
Wise is the man who attempts to answer his question before asking it.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

charlie b wrote in
:


But aren't things the Borg sells MUCH cheaper than mom and pop
store prices?


I was 6" short on 12 ga wire a few months ago. I went down to the local
hardware store (I think I drove there but most the time I ride my bike
the 8 blocks.) and picked up the wire I needed. $.12 a foot.

The BORG is 14 miles away, and probably doesn't sell wire by the foot
just in expensive spools. Cost of gas: ~$2.50. Who knows about the
wire?

Puckdropper
--
Wise is the man who attempts to answer his question before asking it.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

Jesse R Strawbridge wrote:
Is BORG an actual store or just a generic reference to the Big Box Home
Centers?


It's a generic reference. It refers to the Star Trek series of stories about
the Borg, a communal organism that floated through space and assimilated
everything in its path. "Resistance is futile."

Now it refers to Lowes, Home Depot, etc... any big home improvement chain store.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com

"charlie b" wrote in message
...

Snip


But aren't things the Borg sells MUCH cheaper than mom and pop store
prices?

Well, if you only look at the amount on the sales receipt the answer
is
Yes!.

Have you actually looked at the amount of the sales receipt compared to the
hardware receipt?
In Houston, the Borgs are almost a dime a dozen. I can buy almost anything
they sell cheaper at the local hardware store. I noticed that about 3 years
ago.

You migh want to do some price checking.

"RonB" wrote in message
news:Fr3Pg.140948$LF4.63761@dukeread05...

"CW" wrote in message
ink.net...
.....Star Trek. The borg were a race of half living being, half machine
who assimilated all
they came in contact with.

Yeah. Kinda like Home Depot, Lowes, Microsoft, etc.


Or most any company with a "toll free" number. When was the last time you
dialed a toll free number and a human answered the phone. :~)

"Jesse R Strawbridge" wrote in message
. ..
Is BORG an actual store or just a generic reference to the Big Box Home
Centers?

Jess.S

The term is even in the dictionary,

Borg
A type of cyborg in Star Trek that devours everything in its path. Companies
that dominate their field are called Borgs, and Borging is the verb. See
cyborg.

Leon wrote:
"Jesse R Strawbridge" wrote in message
. ..

Is BORG an actual store or just a generic reference to the Big Box Home
Centers?

Jess.S


The term is even in the dictionary,

Borg
A type of cyborg in Star Trek that devours everything in its path. Companies
that dominate their field are called Borgs, and Borging is the verb. See
cyborg.


I googled it before I asked and didn't find a definition, except in
reference to Microsoft. Of course, I could have missed it in the 20+
pages of matches. To add to the confusion there is a company named
"Borg" hyphen something which is the parent company one or more lumber
yard chains.

As a fan of ST:TNG, I knew what Borg was in that reference. Not the
first time fictional terms (esp. science fiction) have entered common
usage. SWMBO comes to mind.

Jess.S

Puckdropper wrote:
charlie b wrote in
:

But aren't things the Borg sells MUCH cheaper than mom and pop
store prices?


I was 6" short on 12 ga wire a few months ago. I went down to the local
hardware store (I think I drove there but most the time I ride my bike
the 8 blocks.) and picked up the wire I needed. $.12 a foot.

The BORG is 14 miles away, and probably doesn't sell wire by the foot
just in expensive spools. Cost of gas: ~$2.50. Who knows about the
wire?

Puckdropper
Home Depot, depending on the wire, sells wire by the foot.
the main Reason I shop at borgs as much as I do id I get gift cards
and there NOT always cheaper there are somethings you just don't by at
the borg like hardwood (or anything other then denominational lumber, or
plywood) there nice an s4s but they want so much more for it that it's
not worth it I have a building supply chain here called Franklin that's
nice, there hours suck 9-5 M-F 10-3 Saturday, no charge to special
order, you do have to buy the whole board and it's random width, random
length, but there prices are competitive and you can pick out what you
want.

Jesse R Strawbridge wrote:
Is BORG an actual store or just a generic reference to the Big Box Home
Centers?

Jess.S
As others have said, it refers to most any big box store. You can add
modifiers to make it clear which borg you are referring to:

blue borg - Lowes
orange borg - HD
wall borg - Wall-Mart
etc.

mahalo,
jo4hn

"jo4hn" wrote in message
...
Jesse R Strawbridge wrote:
Is BORG an actual store or just a generic reference to the Big Box Home
Centers?

Jess.S
As others have said, it refers to most any big box store. You can add
modifiers to make it clear which borg you are referring to:

blue borg - Lowes
orange borg - HD
wall borg - Wall-Mart
etc.

mahalo,
jo4hn

I find the term offensive, for obvious reasons....

Why, are you a cyborg?

"Locutus" wrote in message
...


I find the term offensive, for obvious reasons....

In ST:TNG, "Locutus" was the identity given to Capt. Picard after he was
assimilated by the Borg.

todd

"CW" wrote in message
ink.net...
Why, are you a cyborg?

"Locutus" wrote in message
...


I find the term offensive, for obvious reasons....

"CW" wrote in message
ink.net...
Why, are you a cyborg?


Actually....

charlie b wrote:
CW wrote:

But aren't things the Borg sells MUCH cheaper than mom and pop store
prices?

Well, if you only look at the amount on the sales receipt the answer
is
Yes!. But if you account for the time you waste waiting "an
associate"


What about all the time wasted because their stupid ordering system?
I've gone to Borgs and found them "out of stock" of basic things like a
siding removal tool, 1/4 inch dowels, and 3/4 inch black pipe (they
were out of galvanized too). Don't bother to ask them when it's back in
stock, they will shrug their shoulders because they don't do it.
Some legitimately try to help. The computer always says there's some in
stock, and they will drag you around the store for an hour to try to
find it, but 90% of the time it's not there.

And then there's the fun of waiting 45 minutes while they locate
someone that knows how to run the pipe threading machine. Oh, and Mom
and Pop used to cut and thread your pipe for free if you bought it from
them, but they're out of business now.

Or try ordering tile from the Borg. Made that mistake. 4 boxes were
broken. The salesperson's first attempt was "Well, you did order extra,
didn't you?" Yes, dumbass, I did, but I didn't order extra so that you
could break them and have me eat the cost.
So they reordered the 4 boxes (after a long wait). When they arrived, I
didn't expect the color to match exactly, but apparently the
replacements were made at a different site because the sizes were
slightly different. Didn't find it out until my layout started getting
screwed up (too many were cemented down by then). The errors just
gradually started creeping in. When I get more energy and time, I'm
going to rip it out and redo it. I'm not asking for sympathy here,
because I was stupid to order from them in the first place. Just trying
to help someone else avoid the same mistake.

Puckdropper wrote:
The BORG is 14 miles away, and probably doesn't sell wire by the foot
just in expensive spools. Cost of gas: ~$2.50. Who knows about the
wire?


They sell it by the foot, they just won't know what 12 guage is, and
you'll have to wait an hour for someone to cut it for you and tag it.

Jesse R Strawbridge wrote:
Leon wrote:
"Jesse R Strawbridge" wrote in message
. ..

Is BORG an actual store or just a generic reference to the Big Box Home
Centers?

Jess.S


The term is even in the dictionary,

Borg
A type of cyborg in Star Trek that devours everything in its path. Companies
that dominate their field are called Borgs, and Borging is the verb. See
cyborg.


I googled it before I asked and didn't find a definition, except in
reference to Microsoft. Of course, I could have missed it in the 20+
pages of matches. To add to the confusion there is a company named
"Borg" hyphen something which is the parent company one or more lumber
yard chains.

As a fan of ST:TNG, I knew what Borg was in that reference. Not the
first time fictional terms (esp. science fiction) have entered common
usage. SWMBO comes to mind.

Jess.S

SWMBO is a reference from fiction, but that sure wasn't science
fiction....

wrote:
Jesse R Strawbridge wrote:

Leon wrote:

"Jesse R Strawbridge" wrote in message
om...


Is BORG an actual store or just a generic reference to the Big Box Home
Centers?

Jess.S


The term is even in the dictionary,

Borg
A type of cyborg in Star Trek that devours everything in its path. Companies
that dominate their field are called Borgs, and Borging is the verb. See
cyborg.



I googled it before I asked and didn't find a definition, except in
reference to Microsoft. Of course, I could have missed it in the 20+
pages of matches. To add to the confusion there is a company named
"Borg" hyphen something which is the parent company one or more lumber
yard chains.

As a fan of ST:TNG, I knew what Borg was in that reference. Not the
first time fictional terms (esp. science fiction) have entered common
usage. SWMBO comes to mind.

Jess.S


SWMBO is a reference from fiction, but that sure wasn't science
fiction....

SHE by H. Rider Haggard which was more fantasy/adventure I guess.

Jess.S

wrote:
Jesse R Strawbridge wrote:

Leon wrote:

"Jesse R Strawbridge" wrote in message
om...


Is BORG an actual store or just a generic reference to the Big Box Home
Centers?

Jess.S


The term is even in the dictionary,

Borg
A type of cyborg in Star Trek that devours everything in its path. Companies
that dominate their field are called Borgs, and Borging is the verb. See
cyborg.



I googled it before I asked and didn't find a definition, except in
reference to Microsoft. Of course, I could have missed it in the 20+
pages of matches. To add to the confusion there is a company named
"Borg" hyphen something which is the parent company one or more lumber
yard chains.

As a fan of ST:TNG, I knew what Borg was in that reference. Not the
first time fictional terms (esp. science fiction) have entered common
usage. SWMBO comes to mind.

Jess.S


SWMBO is a reference from fiction, but that sure wasn't science
fiction....

A example term from Science Fiction would be 'Waldo', an arm to remotely
manipulate things from the Heinlein story of the same name.

Jess.S

"Leon" writes:


Have you actually looked at the amount of the sales receipt compared to the
hardware receipt?
In Houston, the Borgs are almost a dime a dozen. I can buy almost anything
they sell cheaper at the local hardware store. I noticed that about 3 years
ago.

You must have some damn good local hardware stores. I was at the hardware
store for a bolt or screw and decided to check on the price of a drill bit
I needed. I decided at two or three times the price of the BORG I could
wait until my next trip to the BORG.

Another time I wanted a 12" abrasive blade. $15 at the hardware store and
$5 at the BORG.

The local hardware store is good for nuts and bolts and that is about it.

Brian Elfert

"Locutus" wrote in message
...

"CW" wrote in message
ink.net...
Why, are you a cyborg?


Actually....

In article , says...
"Leon" writes:


Have you actually looked at the amount of the sales receipt compared to the
hardware receipt?
In Houston, the Borgs are almost a dime a dozen. I can buy almost anything
they sell cheaper at the local hardware store. I noticed that about 3 years
ago.

You must have some damn good local hardware stores. I was at the hardware
store for a bolt or screw and decided to check on the price of a drill bit
I needed. I decided at two or three times the price of the BORG I could
wait until my next trip to the BORG.

Another time I wanted a 12" abrasive blade. $15 at the hardware store and
$5 at the BORG.

The local hardware store is good for nuts and bolts and that is about it.

Brian Elfert


Funny, I just bought an empty paint can at the local hardware store for
$1.85. Lowes has the same thing for $4.50. I've learned to never assume the
big boxes are cheaper. Usually they are, but often not enough to bother
traveling the extra few miles.

"bf" wrote in news:1158675851.275763.164670
@d34g2000cwd.googlegroups.com:


Puckdropper wrote:
The BORG is 14 miles away, and probably doesn't sell wire by the foot
just in expensive spools. Cost of gas: ~$2.50. Who knows about the
wire?


They sell it by the foot, they just won't know what 12 guage is, and
you'll have to wait an hour for someone to cut it for you and tag it.



I did it myself at the local hardware store. Sure, I could have asked
for help, but I didn't need it. Gave me time to pick up a few extra
needed items. (And a new knife that I could take a look at and hold
before buying. Most the borgs have things like that sealed so you can't
hold it.)

Puckdropper
--
Wise is the man who attempts to answer his question before asking it.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm