(25 or more) in my.opera there was a blog post, imho, mentioning this (my.opera) wasnot fb, where you couldnot reply/comment without being friends. In my.opera you could even comment anonymous, without being a member.
You could subscribe to their posts too.
So why should you collect friends there then?
Partly, just as here, for friends-only posts, and to follow them on other blogs, and groups.
Here you donot even need that latter imho. Just friends-only posts.
I amnot too eager to accept new friends here, just now.
Unless I feel they are (to become) real friends of-course 😀