Trinity Calendar (Tcal), a service allowing students to synchronise their timetables with the Google calendar platform, has been shut down by the College, according to an email sent by its developer, Rory Hughes, to users today.
The email, which included an apology from the developer over the disbandment of the service, cited “the unofficial integration” of the platform with college databases as the reason for the decision. Around 1,500 students opted to use this student-led service, with its popularity increasing through word-of-mouth praise of the app.
The service had existed as an alternative to the Trinity MyDay app. Operated by IT Services, MyDay allows users access to key online College services, including Trinity’s social media, as well as class timetables, library accounts and blackboard, and mytcd. It is the first Trinity online platform to connect the disparate College services in a hub where students can stay logged in.
Tcal, which had been in operation for a year as of October, used college login details for both Trinity email and for student portal accounts, SITS, in order to operate. It had also been able to synchronise exam timetables, in addition to ordinary class timetables.
The email sent to users also included an invitation to a Facebook event called “T-Canz”, feted as a send-off party for the platform. Hughes described the event as a means of giving “recognition to all the support the app received from students”.
A farewell message, featuring the song “Shut Down” by Skepta, was also posted on the official TCal Facebook page to notify users of the service’s deletion, along with the message “it’s been real”.
