Yes, it's 2021, and you can still use Mavericks!

[mac23456]

There has been some confusion around this particular subject, so I'll confirm the answer. You can use Mavericks in 2021! Here is what you'll need to do for each aspect.

Web Browser
You can simply use Firefox Extended Support Release. However, that doesn't work so well with Teams. Google Chrome is still available for Mavericks, in fact it is available for anything 10.6 up! So that's easy to resolve.

Microsoft Office
You can still get Microsoft Office 2011 for Mavericks. You might still have the Install DVD, or you can download it online and possibly get a licence (I haven't looked into that, as I use my school's subscription). You could also use Apple's 'iWork' suite (see below).

iWork
iWork users, you are in luck. You can download iWork '09 trial DMG, and then upgrade, or you can, if you purchased iWork before, you can just check purchases in App Store.

Anything else?
Most apps will have versions that will work on Mavericks. If there's something on the App Store that you want, follow these steps. Check in your purchases and see if it is there. If it is, click Install. If the app is available for mavericks, it will either start downloading, or it will ask you to confirm the download of a previous version of the app. If not, you will get a flat-out refusal to download the app.

If you want, I can possibly check for other software and see if it is compatible. I have catalogued most software I use.

How to even get Mavericks
I did skip the most important part: How to get Mavericks. That's easy. Just go to allmacworld.com and search for 'Mavericks' and select 10.9.5. Do not select 10.9 or 10.9.0. That download is for Hackintoshes.

I hope this information is helpful.
mac23456

 

[bykim5]

Absolutely! Running Mavericks on iMac4,1 flashed and upgraded to 5,1. Using Firefox ESR, youtube plays at 720p, Ms Office 2011 is great and even runs Adobe CS6.. iTunes seems finicky though

 

[Wowfunhappy]

iTunes seems finicky though

It will be somewhat less finicky if you use https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/fixing-https-issues-on-old-versions-of-os-x.2281326/. I don't have iTunes installed on my main machine, so I don't remember exactly what it fixes and what stays broken, but I remember it helped significantly.

 

[bykim5]

It will be somewhat less finicky if you use https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/fixing-https-issues-on-old-versions-of-os-x.2281326/. I don't have iTunes installed on my main machine, so I don't remember exactly what it fixes and what stays broken, but I remember it helped significantly.

That didn't really fix iTunes but it did get rid of that error that's mentioned in the thread so thank you.

I did manage to fix iTunes by downgrading to 12.2.1 - no longer freezes AND i can access my Apple Music subscription and all of my purchases (LOTR UHD lol)

 

[Macbookprodude]

hell, eff that.. I can still use 10.5 Leopard with my PB G4 to browse the i-net using TenFourFox. Mavericks is nice I have to admit.

 

[California]

There has been some confusion around this particular subject, so I'll confirm the answer. You can use Mavericks in 2021! Here is what you'll need to do for each aspect.

Web Browser
You can simply use Firefox Extended Support Release. However, that doesn't work so well with Teams. Google Chrome is still available for Mavericks, in fact it is available for anything 10.6 up! So that's easy to resolve.

Microsoft Office
You can still get Microsoft Office 2011 for Mavericks. You might still have the Install DVD, or you can download it online and possibly get a licence (I haven't looked into that, as I use my school's subscription). You could also use Apple's 'iWork' suite (see below).

iWork
iWork users, you are in luck. You can download iWork '09 trial DMG, and then upgrade, or you can, if you purchased iWork before, you can just check purchases in App Store.

Anything else?
Most apps will have versions that will work on Mavericks. If there's something on the App Store that you want, follow these steps. Check in your purchases and see if it is there. If it is, click Install. If the app is available for mavericks, it will either start downloading, or it will ask you to confirm the download of a previous version of the app. If not, you will get a flat-out refusal to download the app.

If you want, I can possibly check for other software and see if it is compatible. I have catalogued most software I use.

How to even get Mavericks
I did skip the most important part: How to get Mavericks. That's easy. Just go to allmacworld.com and search for 'Mavericks' and select 10.9.5. Do not select 10.9 or 10.9.0. That download is for Hackintoshes.

I hope this information is helpful.
mac23456

Mac Mail is not working at all on Mavericks. Any tips?

 

[Macbookprodude]

So does this mean also Snow Leopard can be used or Mountain Lion ?

 

[Macbookprodude]

Doesn’t Leopard also support PowerPC as well ?

 

[SuperMatt]

Doesn’t Leopard also support PowerPC as well ?

Yes, 10.5 (Leopard) is the last version to support PPC.

 

[padams35]

Web Browser
You can simply use Firefox Extended Support Release. However, that doesn't work so well with Teams. Google Chrome is still available for Mavericks, in fact it is available for anything 10.6 up! So that's easy to resolve.

THE END IS NEAR! (for the Firefox ESR, which is going to stop receiving updates October 2021. The next ESR will probably require Sierra.) Also while legacy Chrome versions can still be downloaded they are not being updated/maintained.

So. That gives you guys 7 months to find a new recommended web browser. Or you can borrow the EarlyIntel list.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

THE END IS NEAR! (for the Firefox ESR, which is going to stop receiving updates October 2021. The next ESR will probably require Sierra.) Also while legacy Chrome versions can still be downloaded they are not being updated/maintained.

The end is not near. I switched to Chromium Legacy a little over a month ago, and have been very happy. https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/chromium-legacy-google-chrome-for-os-x-10-7-10-9.2283612/

 

[Macbookprodude]

There is always Linux.. so, Intel is going the route of where PPC is. But it seems we have no real issues browsing the web under Leopard or under Linux.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

I don't know why people keep saying there are "issues" browsing the web on Mavericks either when Chromium works. ?‍♂️

This isn't an actual problem. It had the potential to be a problem, but now it's not.

 

[padams35]

Eh, the only issue is gradually limiting choices. For example, the OPs Firefox ESR recommendation is nearing end life and thus I thought deserving of special mention. Of course it still works and isn't going to stop working or become insecure overnight, but it is still the beginning of an end.

Thanks for the Chomium tip. I'd heard of TenFourFox for the PPC but somehow Chomium was new to me.

 

[Macbookprodude]

Chromium is older than Tenfourfox.

 

[Macbookprodude]

Only you DECIDE the end.. Apple may tell us we are using obsolete stuff, but I am still using OS 9 for things and a PPC PB G4 for most things.. a computer is not obsolete until you no longer can do anything useful.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

Chromium is older than Tenfourfox.

Uh, no, it's not. Chromium Legacy (!) is based on the mainline branch of Chromium, the same code base behind Google Chrome, the most popular browser in the world.

Thanks for the Chomium tip. I'd heard of TenFourFox for the PPC but somehow Chomium was new to me.

Well, at the time OP made this thread, Chromium Legacy didn't work on Mavericks.

The developer and I worked together to fix it. There was an evil use-after-free bug.

 

[Macbookprodude]

Too bad chromium doesn’t work on PPC Macs. Or maybe it does and is unfinished. Stainless was a great browser.

 

[California]

I guess you guys didn't see my query? Mac Mail is crashing in Mavericks and also in El Capitan for me. Do you have any tips?

 

[SuperMatt]

I guess you guys didn't see my query? Mac Mail is crashing in Mavericks and also in El Capitan for me. Do you have any tips?

I cannot answer the Mavericks question, but I’m running Mail in El Cap without any issues. Are any other apps giving you trouble? Might be something like a corrupted mailbox file or something. I recall there being something about Mail and El Cap crashes years ago...

Check out either of these sources.

Mail App Keeps Crashing With El Capitan, How-To - AppleToolBox

For older MacBook owners, we are all too familiar with the numerous El Capitan problems that you had to put up with since it came out. We hope that you

appletoolbox.com

El Capitan Mail Problems – Resolve It Using Simple Steps On Mac OS

Are you facing El Capitan mail problems (10.11.3/2/1)? Learn more about the causes of the problem and get the simplified tips to resolve the Mail problem.

www.freeviewer.org

 

[California]

Brill! Thanks for doing research on it for me. Mavericks is my preferred OS and maybe this will fix things there, too.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

I guess you guys didn't see my query? Mac Mail is crashing in Mavericks and also in El Capitan for me. Do you have any tips?

Crash logs would be helpful.

 

[JohnAJ]

Google Chrome is still available for Mavericks, in fact it is available for anything 10.6 up!

To clarify, I don't think Chrome/ium is available for 10.6?

 

[Wowfunhappy]

To clarify, I don't think Chrome/ium is available for 10.6?

I think what they're referring to is that when you go to google.com/chrome in 10.6–10.10, Google will provide a download for the last compatible version.

It's a gesture which I would really appreciate for, well, any software that wasn't a web browser. But running an outdated browser, on an outdated OS, is legitimately dangerous unless you also turn off Javascript. You're executing all sorts of code from who knows where.

If you're on Snow Leopard / 10.6, use InterWeb, which works well enough. And then you have Chromium Legacy for 10.7 and above.

 

[mortlocli]

To clarify, I don't think Chrome/ium is available for 10.6?

Yesterday after reading this thread I downloaded Chrome for 10.6 to give it a try. It stated 10.6 is not longer supported but is still available. Found I could access some web sites without the probs I have in Interweb eg maps causing the browser to be unresponsive..