Juniper Networks Inc. (Nasdaq: JNPR - message board) is taking a handful of Light Reading message board users to court, according to recent court filings.

The Sunnyvale, Calif., company filed a lawsuit in the California Superior Court of Santa Clara on December 14 claiming that it had been defamed and libeled by up to 10 persons unknown. These persons, referred to as “Does 1-10″ in the court complaint (as in “John Doe,” or anonymous), are being accused by Juniper of posting harmful statements about the company and its executives on Light Reading’s message boards.

Ironic, I just said in the podcast that this type of thing will happen and there are ways to handle it. Suing isn’t the best way. Just as an example, I would have never read those posts. The posts they are mentioning is a drop in the bucket to the millions of people using the internet. The average person, even their average customer, would not have seen those messages.

Are the allegations serious? Yes. Will suing make these allegations more known? Most definitely. Will it help their reputation? Most likely not. It would have been wiser to address the situation. Ask for the posts to be removed. Respond to the posts. Respond on a blog. Suing should have been a last resort.

These comments they are trying to surpress are not all over the internet. So let’s say they win the case, the comments are still out there except being in one spot they are now in thousands of different places.

Now what?

Pardon the dust around here. New header, new server, new content….

….coming in podcast directly to you!

Stay tuned for some really exciting news next week as we kick this thing back into gear, and I know that all of our excellent hosts along with Cam and myself hope that you have enjoyed the great podcasts that we have been providing for your listening pleasure since February 2005…the ride has just started folks.

:)
Mick Stanic
Co-Founder, The Podcast Network

Between the 29th of September and the 3rd of October, The Podcast Network web site will be undergoing some major server work that will increase (fingers crossed) both the speed and the reliability of the service you have come to love and cherish ;)

Access to the web site and the functionality of the RSS feed will at best experience a small blip of down time… and at worst…well..it could vanish into the bermuda triangle that is tech land for upto four days. I have also had to switch of the ability to post comments on all the sites till we are fully operational as well.

Stick with us through this little hick-up and I promise we will return to normal transmission as quick as possible.

Thanks guys and gals…

Mick Stanic
Co-Founder of The Podcast Network

We mentioned in our first podcast about the Gawker Media suit. Fred Durst has now dropped the suit. He even sent flowers and a personal note. While all very nice of him, someone I don’t see Fred Durst sending flowers… Maybe black roses? Hmm…

Last night, the Gawker Batcave received a call from entertainment management company The Firm, asking if we had received a delivery. Moments later, a messenger showed up bearing flowers and the note above. Was this the most genius prank ever? We called The Firm to verify the authenticity of the delivery, and it turns out that it is indeed from Fred Durst. So Denton gets to keep his money, which isn’t too surprising — ever since his mother dipped him in the river Styx as a baby, he has been practically invincible.

Well, Fred, we’re flattered. Thanks for the note and the flowers; you’re such a good listener! We’re still not going to touch your balls or your ass, but we will put Nookie back on our iPods.

Thanks mate, really appreciate it ;-)

Sadly, this may be the most anti-climactic launch of a podcast ever. See, the problem is, we don’t really have a show finished at this point. We have 2 “in the can”, but I’m still waiting for them to come “out of the can”, so to speak.

So, in the meantime, here’s a brief intro to what this show will be focussing on.

Primarily, as the name suggests, this show will focus on the world of business blogging. What companies are doing it, how they’re doing it, what’s working, what isn’t… What companies aren’t doing it, why they aren’t doing it, what some possibilities are for their organization, etc… We’ll be talking to blog consultants, CEO’s, CTO’s, middle managers and everything in between.

Also, since this show is done by me, there will be some random tidbits in there. I am, after all, random.

For those who don’t know me, feel free to read my blog at Ensight.

I’m hoping we’ll have at least one show up for you this week. The problem is that, as I said, this could be anti-climactic. I’m about to move across the country (3000 miles), and it’ll take me at least a week to settle in. So, whether you love or hate the first show you’ll undoubtedly have time to forget about it by the time the next one is up.

Anyways, welcome to the podcastosphere (or whatever) Jeremy! ;-)