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Get an iPad for him to do all new web browsing/email requirements and leave the computer he works on as it is.
JonD-
Yeah - this was the other solution. I still think he'd prefer a one stop shop - emails in one place etc. At the moment hes forwarding emails to Mother in law's iPad, and doing it from there - but they don't seem to like this solution (interrupts mother in law from doom scrolling the daily mail for stories about Meghan Markle)
At the end of the day, he's really quite old - likes to sit in his study and get all the things done. It's tricky, because as he gets older he's falling for scams, forgetting how to do things, and doesn't work well in the "modern" world with multi factor authorisation etc. They still don't internet bank (don't think they ever will) but hes also pretty deaf. Tech life needs to get easier rather than harder.
He's also amazing, in that he still works at 87, and is generally "busy" - without which I don't think he'd be as healthy.
Which brings me onto the next headache....I think there may be a few....
He uses Microsoft Entourage for his email - it looks like this may be some kind of nightmare to move over into outlook on a new system....any words of advice?
Scrabble
Right, got a bit of a legacy Mac issue I'd appreciate some guidance on.
My Father in Law (87 - but still working as a building stone consultant) has a conundrum. He has an 2008 IMac that is still running Snow Leopard. Why? Because he LOVES AppleWorks 6. Literally all of his technical drawings / graphs (1000's) have been drawn in this program and he's still creating more. He is too old to learn a new thing now, and my understanding is that a like for like replacement doesn't really exist anyway.
The problem is, websites are increasingly not able to run on Snow Leopard - but AppleWorks doesnt work on any newer OS. So he's getting in a pickle when emails ask him to provide meter readings, or pay bills - and the webpage doesn't load. This is happening more and more frequently.
He's also very worried (and not without due cause) that if I get fiddling I could break everything.
I think I've found a work around, where by we can run a more recent OS, and use a Windows emulator to run a windows version of Appleworks - I've got this working on my misses new Macbook (quite proud of myself).
But, he still doesnt want to plunge into updating his old Imac - for fear of it catching fire, so the solution is to buy him a nice circa 2012 iMac, that can run Catalina, and then migrate things over.
So - the actual question is - how easy is it to migrate from Snow Leopard to Catalina on two separate iMacs - and would the old iMac still be useable, in case anything goes amiss. Basically - I'm only allowed to do thigs that guarantee his old computer still works as it does now - in case I mess up the new one.
Any advice appreciated.