Open Source PDA Sync Servers?

bandix asks: "There's been quite a buzz going on slashdot lately about various linux based PDAs. What we haven't heard too much about is the software available on the client side. Sure there are plenty of workstation hotsync clients, but what about the web-based stuff? One of the coolest ideas I've seen in a while is the AvantGo.com service that allows PDA users to MAL-sync their data up to an AvantGo server. AvantGo has released the source to an malsync client at mobilelink.org. But where is the web-based calendar software that supports syncing with it? Where do I get the software to setup my own open source AvantGo.com-like service? That application is just as useful, if not moreso, than actually running a flavor of Unix on the PDA. Anyone out there working on a solution or know of one hidden away somewhere?"

Re:Syncing with web-based groupware

[ecloud]

My project Nettebook [wiredglobal.com] is intended to do this someday, but it's taking me a while to get around to it.

I'm working on one

[pegulapegula]

for my senior thesis. kinda. It's like AvantGO where you subscribe to channels but the channels are all administered by hand through a web interface. The Palm client connects to a custom server using TCP/IP so it can take advantage of a bunch of connection types. hopefully. Anyway, despam and email me if you want the code or some chapters from my thesis. It's all C/PHP/MySQL and I'm not really sure if I have to do something special to GPL it with the MySQL in it.

Try using a SyncML server instead

[Peter_Thompson]

Hi Folks,
Rather than use MAL, why not use SyncML? The source is readily available, and also includes demo code for a server and a client. The server uses Lotus Notes, and the client runs on a Palm.
Check out www.syncml.org.

Disclaimer: I'm with syncml.

Syncing with web-based groupware

[sachachua]

Syncing with web-based groupware would be a very useful thing, but unfortunately most open-source apps don't really take PDAs into account yet. Maybe if you donated some units to the developers.. |)

More solutions will likely come out for the Palm, especially since the Palm programming faqs explain how to create conduits (programs that can interact with the data on your Palm). From there it should be a bit of work to get it to talk to a web server, or any other app for that matter.

Too bad PocketPC isn't that easy to fiddle around with - I won a Jornada in one of the HP contests and I've been trying to find out how to sync it with pine. Waah!

More info...

[herrlich_98]

BTW, Avantgo does not sync. For the most part the Avantgo data is one way, that is, clipped web pages out to your PDA.

Also note that Avantgo releasing the source code through mobilelink.org [mobilelink.org] is less than it seems. It says that they have stopped releasing new versions and you get the impression from the site that there will be no more activity on open source MAL-sync.

Not that I don't agree that more options for syncing would be a great idea.