"Band Pro is informed and believes, and thereupon alleges that Glenn Kennel and Bill Russel, executives of ARRI, had firsthand knowledge of Bravin's hacking activities, " asserts the recently filed complaint.

ENGADGET: Band Pro seeking damages against ARRI and Michael Bravin, expects to get its data back

The Hamburg Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information thereupon took up the matter once again in the context of regulatory offence proceedings.

ENGADGET: Google fined $190,000 in Germany for illegal WiFi snooping with Street View cars

But when, as in Britain, governments are frustrated in their desire to create a formal ranking of institutions, the conflict between numbers and quality does not thereupon melt away.

ECONOMIST: Higher learning and the middle classes

The government's core allegation is that Mr Skilling used accounting trickery, false public statements and other devices to inflate Enron's share price, thereupon cashing in his share options.

ECONOMIST: America's corporate trials