Dotcom said Mega was a different beast to Megaupload, as the new site enables users to control exactly which users can access uploaded files, in contrast to its predecessor, which allowed users to search files, some of which contained copyrighted content allegedly without permission.

FORBES: Links 19 Jan: Kim Dotcom's PR System Is Certainly Working Well Over Mega

What "Oz" might well have borrowed from its predecessor, however, is what allowed Garland and her colleagues to be great a sense of drama that still resonates with contemporary audiences.

WSJ: Nowhere Near the Rainbow

Later, Mr McCourt began laying his own telephone cables, building small local networks for commercial customers that allowed them to bypass Bell Atlantic's Boston predecessor.

ECONOMIST: Stand and deliver