Cisco was never referred to as Borg!
What's this attempt to transfer the Borg epitaph to Cisco when it has always been known historically as referring to Microsoft. The Register even had a special icon representing billg as a Borg.
The Ethernet market remains limp, with IDC's first-quarter data showing a mere 1.4 per cent increase compared with the first quarter of 2015. By contrast, the number-cruncher reckons the router market expanded by a still-disappointing 3.3 per cent. The only Ethernet geography to show double-digit growth was the Asia Pacific, …
That image today would have to have a Linux patch over one eye.
Microsoft is not Borging anything any more. The PC market is in decline and MS is royally pissing consumers off with its ultra-aggressive GWX tactics and shoddier-than-usual WU snafus, and concerning the phone market - well let's just say that MS is history in that arena.
Cisco, on the other hand, despite having a tattered reputation, is still there and going strong. So maybe it's time the title be passed on.
If Ethernet doesn't get in gear with economy of scale we'll be stuck with a proprietary one size fits many solution in the mass market and a sky high price for anything more!
Thunderbolt 3 may serve as a prod. We don't really have the software for a good 10Gb *IPoTB hack, yet. However, IPoTB is already integrated into OS X Mavericks. How much more would it take to add the functionality to the other Unixes, Linux OSs, and even (shudder) Windows?
The Asmedia USB 3.1 controller runs ~ 3$ vs intel's ~5$ a port for Thunderbolt 3 (in quantities of ~5000)... plus a USB 3.1 cable. Ethernet's longer cable run than Thunderbolt's 3m (copper - 60m optical) would be a nice bonus and handle bigger networks at what should be a lower co$t per port. Look at the way Gb Ethernet has become so nearly ubiquitous. ;-)
* Internet Protocol over Thunderbolt Bridge
http://www.pcworld.com/article/3064626/hardware/how-intel-turned-thunderbolt-from-a-failure-into-a-success.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderbolt_%28interface%29#Thunderbolt_3
https://thunderbolttechnology.net/blog/thunderbolt-3-usb-c-does-it-all