gregsurname

This WPMU plugin sets up a template system for new blogs. When a new blog is created it can have a template applied to it. These templates allow for these blog options to be set:
<ul>
<li>Blog options.(Privacy, Theme, Moderation, etc)</li>
<li>Extra posts to be created.</li>
<li>Extra pages to be created.</li>
<li>Extra links to be created.</li>
<li>Extra page categories to be created.</li>
</ul>
A default template can be created if all you are after is a single set of new blog defaults.

Blog Templates

A WPMU plugin that sets up a template system that lets you have a template appied to new blogs.

feedmeastraycat

WordPress removes the Update Services ability (Settings – Writing) when you create a network (aka enables WordPress MU/Multisite). 
Activate this plugin to get it back.
Note: This is only for WordPress setups with a network, aka multiple sites, aka multisites, 
aka WPMU in WordPress 3 and later.
This plugin might work with older WordPress MU sites. I haven’t tested it though. If you do, please 
let me know how it turned out.
<h3>Files</h3>
<ul>
<li>/activate-update-services/activate-update-services.php</li>
<li>/activate-update-services/README.txt</li>
</ul>

Activate Update Services

WordPress removes the Update Services ability when you create a network. Activate this plugin to get it back.

Blog Templates vs Activate Update Services