Calling Stomachmonkey...
 

Good sir, can you remind me of the best way to transfer the data from two older Apple laptops to one newer one?

Thank you in advance.

Markus

Do the older laptops have Firewire?

There is an app on all the machines called Migration Assistant. Should be in Applications/Utilities.

Run it from the new one that you want to transfer the info to.

It will allow you to pick and chose the user accounts and associated file/data that you want to transfer.

It will run over the network but really the fastest way is FireWire Target Disc mode.

Shut down old laptop, connect old and new with a FW cable, boot old laptop and hold the T key.

FW symbol will flash on old laptop screen and it's hard drive will show up as a volume on the new one.

Run Migration Assistant.

EDIT: watch out for account name conflicts. If you have an account on the old machine named John Doe and one on the new machine named John Doe you'll need to rename one of them but Migration Assistant should prompt you on that.

You are a gentleman.

Many thanks.

My pleasure.