We love Ning and we run several Ning networks. As they are phasing out their free networks - we will have to consider using our own platform doXtop for some sites and may be this is an option as well for other Ning network owners.

doXtop's social publishing site modul allows users - just like Ning does -  to create their own individual networks. doXtop's services are free. Unlike Ning - doXtop is more content centric. Here's a high level overview of the main doXtop social publishing site features as compared to Ning.

Features that Ning doesn't offer

+ document management on user and team level incl. versioning and checkin/out

+ document libraries with folders on user and team level

+ task list in teamspaces

+ publishing of documents in- and outside of social networks (flash, html, pdf, mp3 ..)

+ content syndication via open social with other networks - f.e. Ning, Hi5, orkut, …

+ Creation of journals with published content from any number of users

Features that both - Ning and doXtop are offering

~ Administration of sites

~ Email

~ Friends

~ Invite

~ Login/Signup/…

~ Search

~ Discussion

~ About site

~ Blog

~ Calendar

~ Headlines / RSS

~ Quicklinks

~ Textbox

~ My Site

~ Teamspaces (i.e. groups)

~ Members

Features that doXtop is missing yet or which have less functionality than Ning

- Customization

- Latest Activity/user alerts

- Langauge UI (doXtop supports only English at the moment)

- Chat

- Video integration

- Apps

If you want to check it out - gere are the links and some samples

doXtop

Sample doXtop publishing site

Journal of DMS/ECM (German)

Sample Publication (Flash Website-HTML PDF)

US News Liberty Newspost

Ning integration

doXtop's social publishing sites are based on the free SharePoint services and can be easily customized or enhanced from us. If you built your networks on doXtop - we'll appreciate to support you.

Questions - feel free to contact me.