Hi,
Everything you described can be easily done, but requires a bit of customization - all scenarios cannot be covered in a single package. For example:
1. non-admin users cannot create new blogs using default Web parts (it is a kind of a security issue), but we already created a few projects with this functionality (for example, http://www.jobsmarket.ie opens a blog for each new user on registration), and can send you code examples.
By default admins can create blogs and assign non-admins to blog editor roles, allowing them to administer all aspects of their blogs.
2. default implementation of the BlogSearchProvider searches accross blogs, and the search box is placed outside of a blog system (on a dashboard page). Of course, this can also be modified in a custom implementation.
3. I don't follow you on this one - blogs are only containers that hold name and description, all blog content is in fact held in blog posts. Could you elaborate this a bit? As for "top 50", "newest blogs", yes, it can be done - default implementation has newest posts on a dashboard page.

The bottom line is that everything can be done, but many custom applications do require some development effort. Depending on the complexity of your scenarios, you may get free support via our support resources. Paid, unlimited support is also available.

Hi Denis,

Thanks for your help; your answer to question #2 made question #3 relatively moot. If you're able, I would love to see those code samples; regardless, thanks for all of the help you've provided so far - it helps a lot in terms of letting me know what I can and can't do in this regard.

Please send us your contact details at support (at) mono-software.com.

Hello,

Working a little more on the site, I had another question: if each user gets a blog, does that mean that each user has privileges to delete posts on all blogs, or only their blog? Is setting individual permissions for each blog (or rights for blog owners vs. everyone else) something that can be set in admin? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

User can only administer blogs to which he is given blog editor rights. This can be set in the back-end, and also on the blog settings screen - you can enter individual usernames separated by commas in the autocomplete box.
Additionally, you can put unlimited number of roles in the "Blog editors" role group in the web.config file.

Been working a little more, and was wondering if you could elaborate on how I would add a "newest posts" web part to my page; I didn't see anything in the documentation about working with the default dashboard.

Could I also just add an RSS part and point the RSS URL to the blog?

Newest posts is just a specially configured BlogPostList module. Here is how it is configured in the Dashboard.aspx:

You can set all of these properties interactively (if you are using personalization via admin toolbox), however if you are putting together a more complex page I would opt for a new aspx page and code-based approach. Template property is one of the most important as it specifies the visual look and feel of your part.

RSS part does not exists as such - RSS architecture is provider based, and any of your custom parts can implement the IRssWebPart interface to become an RSS provider. By default, blog list module has this feature turned on, so there is nothing special you have to do. As soon as you place the blog list part on the page the RSS feed should become active (you will see the RSS icon active in the browser's toolbar), as RSS feed link is injected into the head section of the page. You can use its URL to put a custom RSS link anywhere on the page.

Hi Denis,

I think that should be the default functionality of the project. An owner of the content should be able to edit or delete his content. So how can I make owner to create blog and also be able to delete his own. Also A user should not be able to delete someone else's blog entries.

I would love if I can some codes for that.

Regards
Parminder