how to show X many blog posts ? ? ?

Hi I have download WP and cant figure out how to make it show only X amount of posts hear is the header that is display recent post and the recent blog updates but blog updates just keeps listing them and the recent post only shows 6. And considering I am basically php illiterate I still have not figured out how to do it : )

  <div class="lists_header">
    <div class="list">
      <div class="list_up">
        <div class="list_up_text">Recent Entries </div>
      </div>
      <ul class="list_item">
        <?php get_archives('postbypost', 6); ?>
      </ul>
    </div>




    <div class="list">
      <div class="list_up">
        <div class="list_up_text">Recent Updates </div>
      </div>
[COLOR="DarkRed"]<?php
$blogs = get_last_updated('');
if( is_array( $blogs ) ) {
	?>[/COLOR]
<ul class="list_item">

	<?php foreach( $blogs as $details ) {
		?><li><a href="http://<?php echo $details[ 'domain' ] . $details[ 'path' ] ?>"><?php echo get_blog_option( $details[ 'blog_id' ], 'blogname' ) ?></a></li><?php
	}
	?>
	</ul>
	<?php
}
?>
    </div>

Code (markup):

Thanks

 

Well try changing get_archives('postbypost', 6); to a diff number.

 

yes that one works for the recent post .. . but the one for "recent updates" doesnt have any of those symbols

 

Ok, that is showing like 40 recent updates right?

 

do you change the config in the wp--admin panel?

 

Correct . . . i dont know if it stops there but it is running into the main part of my page from the header LOL

I might have to change it in one of the core files, because i just took the recent updates code and added it to the header where i wanted it to show

THANKS FOR EVERYONES RESPONSES !