Spanning Sync public beta re-opened

#2: The main reason Spanning Sync is a middle man is because the Google API doesn't exactly support syncing, and gCal itself is in beta. Google is constantly making changes to how devs can access gCal data, so running this system through their own servers allows them to keep up with code changes without having to make users upgrade to a new 0.0.x release every other day.

Also, companies get taken down all the down by underestimating the attention they might receive, and a hosted service like this is no exception. Even digg, the site that *invented* "the digg effect," goes down on occasion. Cut a startup company some slack.

Easier way to backup:
in iCal: "File" -> "Back up Database"

You could use GCALDaemon, which does the exact same thing, resides on your computer so you don't have to worry about an intermediary, and is free:
http://nethope.blogsome.com/2007/01/15/gcaldaemon-beta-2/

It's not too difficult to set up.

Works ok, but did rearrange some appointment dates and load an old " US Holidays" that I thought I had removed. Repeated dates times where changed as 1st poster noted. It's still Beta, and that becomes obvious when using it. Take the advice and backup before installing, save yourself some headaches.

Too bad the whole thing relies on their servers sitting between you and Google. Why? There is no logical reason to do it this way other than they want to sell it as a subscription service. Thanks, but I'll pass. If they'd done it the "right" way to begin with, their servers wouldn't have "buckled" under the load in the first place. If a beta can cripple them, what's going to happen when real people try to use it?

Finally it works. One thing does not work correctly - repeated dates sometimes are one hour late - maybe related to DST?

mk