Ben Werdmuller has put up some instructions for incorporating an external blog’s RSS feed to create content in an Elgg blog. I’d set up an Elgg blog a while ago, but, realistically, trying to maintain two blogs wasn’t possible. I like the way Elgg works, and, as I’ve already said, think that Elgg would be a good way to set up student’s blogs here.
I first used the auto feed system on Digitaldivide (off line at present). I’ve also asked James if Edublogs would support such a scheme.
The drawback, of course, for owners of blog sites, is that it would be quite easy for a spammer to set up a single blog, register accounts on many sites, and then just spawn many identical blogs. However, for me, when I’ve looked at several community sites, and liked them, it’s much easier to be able to have a single blog that I update & use it to generate other blogs. The ideal, which I think that Elgg are working on, would be that selected posts only went to other sites, so, Elgg could have the educational ones (about 99%), and Digitaldivide those that look more at development issues.