Keeping iPhoto?

[Big Stevie]

Is there a way of me keeping my iPhoto and its contents, even after my MacBook dies and Apple have washed their hands of the app?

I have already copied my iPhoto to an external hard drive as a back up, but does this mean I will have it forever?

 

[Bending Pixels]

macOS' Photos app can read and import an iPhoto library.

 

[Big Stevie]

But surely that would mean having to use Photos? I would really like to be able to keep iPhoto as it is, in the same format. I like the search facility, keywords tags, intact I fit iPhoto to be perfect for me which is why I want to be able to keep it in its present form if possible.

 

[techwarrior]

The iPhoto library can be imported to any new Mac, be it iPhotos app, or Photos app.

When you start iPhotos or Photos holding the Option key, it will prompt you for the library you want to open. Choose the iPhotos library and it will use it, or import\convert it to Photos. If you go this route, move the iPhotos library to the new Mac's Hard Drive unless you want to keep it on the external HDD.
[doublepost=1514387329][/doublepost]iPhotos will only be present on a new Mac if you have a way of installing it from a backup of your old Mac. For instance, when I got a new Mac, I used a Time Machine backup from an old Mac to restore apps, settings, files, etc. iPhotos is still available to use. But, if I got a new Mac and started using it without restoring old apps and files, Photos would be my only choice.

 

[Big Stevie]

That makes sense techwarrior. Thanks.

 

[Bending Pixels]

Time for a reality check - eventually - only Apple knows for sure - iPhoto (and Aperture) won't run on macOS (whatever future version). There comes a point to where you'll need to move on to more current software.

 

[Partron22]

There comes a point to where you'll need to move on to more current software.

Not necessarily. You can always keep an old Mac around, running Yosemite or whatever, and just stop updating the thing. If you like doing all your photo work with the tools from back then, you can always freeze that configuration, and buy a new Mac to take advantage of whatever good stuff Apple adds to its products.

 

[chscag]

I think a lot of folks sell the new Photos app short. It does all that iPhoto did and more. I guess the "old resistance to change" sets in and the need to keep the old stuff around.

 

[Big Stevie]

I think a lot of folks sell the new Photos app short. It does all that iPhoto did and more. I guess the "old resistance to change" sets in and the need to keep the old stuff around.

One thing I like about iPhoto is the ability to tag photos and Events with Keywords. I also like the search function, which by clicking on the tiny black triangle by the search box allows you to search by different methods, including Keyword.

Can Photos do this type of thing?

 

[mikzn]

Yes search is similar and info such as Description and Keyword in "Photos" can be added and searched much the same as in iPhoto

I still use both - and still prefer iPhoto slightly because of the layout, but would agree with chscag comments they are very similar. I started using Photos in 2012 and kept all the older pictures (pre 2012) in several iPhoto libraries and did not convert them - and still use iPhoto to access them. Most pictures since 2012 have been stored in Photos

There are no events in Photos - but there are projects

My guess would be that sooner or later new hardware will only work with Photos and if iCloud integration is important Photos is the way to go

 

[Big Stevie]

So are you saying that its possible to have both iPhoto and Photos on the same MacBook? So I could keep my iPhoto library as it is, and then new photos can be put into Photos?

 

[chscag]

So are you saying that its possible to have both iPhoto and Photos on the same MacBook? So I could keep my iPhoto library as it is, and then new photos can be put into Photos?

In one word, yes. However, I recommend you learn how to use the new "Photos" app as there really is no telling when the "iPhoto" app will no longer work properly with newer versions of macOS. Also keep in mind that Apple has hinted that the next version of macOS will no longer allow 32 bit apps. Very similar to what they did with iOS.

 

[mikzn]

Yes I am running both versions on my MacBook Pro since 2012 and they both run fine and use separate libraries. Am presently on sierra and have not tried iPhoto on high sierra, but all has been fine on Mavericks, Yosemite, El Capitan and Sierra.

Just don't open the iPhoto libraries with photos or it will convert upgrade the library to a Photos library.