Would migration assistant be appropriate for this?

[ASchul89]

I've looked up as much as I could, but I just want to run my plan by you guys to see if it would work.

I've accumulated a lot of free apps from across the web over the years, and my friend who just got a new MBP wants them. He wants them without erasing the few he's found since he got his computer. If he copies is app folder to a different location, leaving his default app folder empty, then I use migration assistant to transfer my app folder to his mac will:
1) I still have my applications?
2) will he have all my applications plus all of his?
3) if he copies the contents of his folder back, will all the apps function correctly?

Thank you for any and all input!

 

[spinnerlys]

It would be best to leave the friend's Application folder untouched and don't empty it just for putting your collected applications into that.

Better just copy your collected applications via Target Disk Mode to the friend's applications folder, maybe even into a subfolder, without even removing/moving the existing apps (in your friends applications folder) into another folder.

But some apps may need additional files, that are installed into the Library > Application Support, but that may only be with bigger software that needs audio samples like Garage Band for example.

 

[ASchul89]

can that somehow be done over a wifi connection, seeing as I don't have a firewire handy?

 

[spinnerlys]

Target Disk Mode can only be used with Firewire, so if you both have Firewire, us that, if your collection of apps is that big.

What comes to mind, why don't you just use a USB Flash Drive or a CD/DVD for copying, as it is just copying?

The Migration Assistant would also just copy, maybe together with some libraries. But it can be done via LAN, I'm just not sure if via W-LAN.

You can also use File Sharing via LAN or W-LAN via System Preferences > Sharing.

 

[DoFoT9]

copying them over wifi/LAN is a good idea, and most apps should work providing serials are correctly entered.

i dont see it as being a problem tbh..

 

[ASchul89]

most of them opened, then got an error message, offering to send it to apple, then shut down when I just copied the app with a flash drive, hence why i was asking about the migration assistant. I figured it would copy whatever files just directly copying them missed. Are their any other folders I should copy along with it?