New mac with old apps?

You could try to see what may transfer on setup using Migration

Assistant, mostly your created files would be moved over and

then you'd have to get applications that could open & convert

them to run in the new operating system. Otherwise...

{Without the installers or a license allowing re-installation from an

online source, or other media allowing more than one installed

version at a time, the answer (for several reasons) would be no.}

Applications from the era prior to Lion 10.7 that relied on Rosetta

under Snow Leopard, Leopard, etc, won't run if they contain PPC

code, so the answer may vary depending on several things.

And the new Macs (except base MB Pro w/ optical drive) do not

have a DVD drive, and any older applications should be installed

from their original media. Per the license agreement conditions.

Perhaps someone else can supply more information, or you could

post a re-worded question in the Mavericks OS X 10.9 discussions

area since that is the system that is on the new MB/Air, & others.

Good luck! 😐

You can use a backup such as Time Machine, to help migrate to a new computer.

•OS X: How to migrate data from another Mac using Mavericks

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5872

Toward the bottom of this ^ article you can see a toggle triangle that opens more

info about using migration assistant with a time machine, or other backup HDD.

It says, "Time Machine or other disk migration." The rest may be helpful, too.

The support article below is similar to this Mavericks one. I likely could find

other online articles with additional details, as some are cited here in ASC

discussions by some of the long-time high number volunteers. I have bookmark

links to places I've been over the past 15 years, some still work. So I may have

to look through the sites to see if any are applicable to this discussion.

(A few articles may suggest upgrading the OS X in the older computer, but

I would avoid anything but a minor step to the system in your old computer

because an upgrade to an old one may be a very bad idea. It can be awful.)

There are other articles in Support, some are more specific and others try to

cover a wider range of general purpose when possible. Things change, so an

older article may help to some extent, depending on the old OS X vintage;

should any question relate to the Mini's current OS X or what the applications

are that you may need to have similar ones of, to use documents or other files

you made in the older system & mini, in a new system in a MB/Air.

In some instances there may be a reference to a 'setup assistant' and some

of that is similar to the migration assistant; except one can be used before

you've personalized the new mac, and have it import stuff on initial boot up

of the new computer. I'd tend to wait and do that later, to see what really

can be done with the new computer, and use migration assistant later.

An older article similar to the one linked above, also mentions using setup assist.

•OS X: How to migrate from another mac using Mt Lion or earlier:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4889?viewlocale=en_US

If you have an Apple Store with Genius bar, you could ask to see if they can

help you set up the new Mac, if you take your old one & backup hard drive

or time machine device in. Some can do that. However be sure that your old

Mini still has all its stuff since you may need to use it for the older applications

should some newer ones not be to your liking; or as a backup computer, if

you were planning on keeping it around. What Mini model series is it?

The Help viewer in your computer, should be able to supply you with more

information, and depending on the version OS X and its Help viewer, it

may draw information from the Support database servers online. I use a

google search or other, on occasion, & get Support articles that way, too.

Hopefully the new MacBook Air works out for you. I'd considered a MB/Pro

due to generally higher specs available, but don't really need Retina display.

So I get 'pre-buyers remorse' instead of being a compulsive buyer...

Good luck! 🙂

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