Backing up applications

[generik]

Has anyone tried this before? Suppose I drag an application to an external disk, can I go to another installation of OSX and drag it back in again to restore it?

 

[Blue Velvet]

Depends on the application. For instance, there's no way it would work with QuarkXpress purely for activation reasons...

 

[generik]

Depends on the application. For instance, there's no way it would work with QuarkXpress purely for activation reasons...

Would it work ok if you backup your home directories too? Since there is no "registry" equivalent thing to MacOS, surely each application has to store all its settings in some accessible place right?

I am planning to perhaps get rid of this machine, get a mini, and tide the next month over for the transition ride