" hello mike! I'm pleased to tell you that after installing yesterday's release of El Gato's CDRW helper MY ORB DRIVE (SCSI) WORKS ON MY OS X 10.1.1 MACHINE!
Sorry for using all caps but i downloaded it this morning thinking maybe it can add functionality to my orb drive, today i came home from school, popped in a disk and it worked!
he later wrote
Mike, it appears that I was mistaken! I truly thought that it was the El Gato kext that made the use of my orb drive possible however now that I have deinstalled your extension, i see that it is actually OS X 10.1.1 that has allowed it to work! I'm sorry for misleading you earlier.
EITHER WAY, this is great news that OS X.1.1 allows the use of it!
Best wishes, Mike Diaz

If you've not tried SCSI helper, it's available here. (For install tips see this news item from yesterday.)

" Mike -- noticed this guy had trouble with the Que! 24x w/Plextor mech. [drive database report added today]

He forgot one vital step in the instructions -- work off a backup copy, then replace the file via Terminal. You can't edit the file directly from the system location, as I believe the file is considered "busy" by the System. And I'm not sure that only Plextor mechs end up in these Que! 24x enclosures...

And I've upgraded to 10.1.1 and the "hack" still works fine... the only caveat I've noticed is that iTunes 2 only writes at 12x when I burn a CD with a "0" second gap. Same thing happens in OS 9. Suppose it's doing Disc-at-Once...
Steven H. "

For those that missed the mod info posted previously, it's at this FAQ CDROM/CDR question titled I have a Que 24x Firewire drive or Plextor 24/10/40 CDRW drive with no iTunes support.
Steven also commented on a sleep issue he's seeing in OS X 10.1/10.1.1:

" An entirely unrelated issue that's making me nuts:
I can't get OS X 10.1 (or 10.1.1) to enter "deep sleep" on my G4 500 DP. I have eliminated every common problem: removed all USB devices, all FireWire devices, no background apps, no file services or sharing, AppleTalk off, no applications open, and all "wake upon" options disabled in Sys Prefs. PRAM has been zapped, and Open Firmware reset. Funny thing is every once in a great while, it will kick in and work just fine. I've monitored logs to no avail.

While the screen dims after the set amount of time, the machine never enters deep sleep on it's own. If I use "Sleep" from the Apple Menu, it works like a charm.
In OS 9.2.1, no issues. Sleep works as it should.
Steven"

I've not tried deep sleep on my DP 500 since the 10.1.1 update, but it worked under 10.1. (Even with the Acard ATA/66 RAID card installed, but the card has no attached drives at the moment.) I've been sick with some sort of Flu bug the last few days, but will test sleep mode with the DP 500 in 10.1.1 as soon as I can.

I've also added "El Gato" as a driver selection for searching the Drive Compatibility database for SCSI CDRW reports with OS X. (See today's update listing below, which were entered with El Gato as the driver.)
If you own a SCSI CDRW drive and try OS X with the El Gato utility, post a Drive database entry for your SCSI CDRW drive brand and select OS X as the operating system. (Include in the comments if you're running OS X 10.0.x, 10.1 or 10.1.1 and any burn tests you run.)

" I arrived at 5AM (they open at 6AM) and was 10th in line. About 30 people waiting when the doors opened. They had 36 or 38 Xboxes for sale - a mad scramble to get them and all were sold within the first 1/2 hour. Walmart was one store that did not require you to buy games or a bundle, selling the system alone ($299.xx).

One guy (who looked to be in his mid-50s at least) slept in his van all night to be there first. Another lady eager to get one was clearly in her 60s. The others were a mix of teens, 20s, 30s and 40s. One guy commented he could not return home without one.

Halo seemed to be the main attraction for many, although Shrek and Sports games were also snapped up by some buyers. Halo looks impressive in some areas, drab/so-so in others, but still is a great game I think and I can't wait to play it."

I saw two Xbox demo machines locally in the last week - both had what I think is the worst image quality TV/monitor I've seen. I can't believe they included such a poor quality monitor for the demo systems - it looked bad compared to the monitors for other systems on display. Sound output was impressive however. I hear MS is losing money on every unit and won't show a profilt many say until 2004. (It's basically a PIII 733mhz w/GeForce 3 and advanced sound, ethernet port, etc.).
I wonder how many Mac owners will buy an Xbox for gaming... or will they wait for the Mac version of Halo.

" Hi Mike,
I just got off the phone with a Microsoft support rep. who tells me that OS X drivers for Microsoft USB mice (such as my Intellimouse Optical) and USB keyboards (like my Internet Pro) should be posted by mid-December.
These USB mice and keyboards do work currently under OS X, but only with a most limited feature set.
Joseph Snodgrass"

Combo DVD/CDRW Drive Reports:
• IDE Matshita UJDA-710 (8x4x24x + DVD) in iBook 2001 (OS X)
  (no iTunes/DB support - see FAQ here for mods/download of OS 9 support file mods, which should be able to be applied to OS X support file also)
  
  IDE CDRW Drive Reports:
• Sony CRX160E-A1 (12x8x24) in Beige G3 (OS 9.2)
  
  Firewire CDRW Drive Reports:
• APS 16x10x40 used w/G4 Cube (OS X)
  (noted OS X 10.1 support out of the box)
• Plextor 161040A (16x10x40) is Oxford911 FW case used w/G4 AGP (OS X)
  (noted 10.1.1 fixed FW issues)
• Que 24x/10x/40x used w/G4 Cube (OS X)
  (Noted still no support in 10.1.1, not able to modify the support files as others had done from the news/FAQ info here.)
• Sony CRX1600L (Spressa 12x8x32) used w/iMac slot loading (OS X)
  Noted OS X 10.1.1 solved problems with Finder disc burning and recognition in Toast OS X PR2 beta.
• TDK Velocd 24/10/40 used w/G4 AGP (OS X)
  (no itunes support in OS X, but noted Discburner/Toast worked)
  
  SCSI CDRW Drive Reports:
• AcomData CDE121032SE in 8x00 (OS X)
  (listed under "other brands" - El Gato SCSI helper didn't work)
• Lacie CDRW-12432S (12x/4x/32x) External w/Dual G4 (OS X)
  (using El Gato SCSI helper)
• Yamaha 6416S 6x4x16x in Dual G4 (OS X)
  (using El Gato SCSI helper)
• Yamaha 6416S 6x4x16x in Beige G3 (OS X)
  (using El Gato SCSI helper)
• Yamaha CRW2100SX (16x10x40x) in Beige G3 (OS X)
  (noted working with Toast PR2 for OS X)
• Yamaha 8424S (8x4x24x) external used w/PB G3 Lombard (OS X)
  
• Yamaha CRW4260 4x2x6x used in Beige G3 (OS X)
  (using El Gato SCSI helper)
  
  USB CDRW Drive Reports:
• Sony CRX-120E used w/G4 AGP (OS X)
  (noted still no support even in OS X 10.1.1)
  
  IDE Hard Drive Reports:
• IBM 60GXP 40GB in B&W G3 (OS 9.1)
  (problems noted - may have a rev 1 B&W G3 ide chip)
• Seagate ST340824A 40GB in B&W G3 (OS 9.2)
  (problems noted - may have a rev 1 B&W G3 ide chip)
  
  Firewire Hard Drive Reports:
• Que M3 60GB used w/B&W G3 (OS X)
  (noted OS X 10.1.1 solved FW errors, but now seems slow to read files. Using OM FW/USB PCI Card, not onboard FW)

You can find full owner reports by searching the database by drive/brand/interface/mac models (the latest reports are shown first in searches).
For guides to installing CD/CDRW/DVD drives or Hard drives in many mac models, see the IDE Articles page. The Firewire articles page also has guides on case kits, installing drives, etc.
If you've added a IDE, SCSI, Firewire or USB hard drive, CDRW, tape drive, etc. make sure you add a report to the database. [If you post an updated entry - make sure you use the same name, etc. as you did before so I can find your past entry. Thanks.]

• Sonnet G4/500 in B&W G3 (rated 1)
  (software/firmware patcher problems noted)

(Warning - Overclocking may not be reliable and could lead to hardware failure or corrupted data.) You can find the full reports by searching the database selecting the indicated Mac model and upgrade card brand/type. If you've upgraded the CPU on your Mac, please post an entry in the database. Search the database for entries from most every upgradable Mac model *before* you buy. (Searchable by mac model/upgrade brand). For detailed reviews with performance tests and install tips, see the CPU Upgrades page.)

• 1 year ago today
• 2 years ago today
• 3 years ago today

Apple TIL Updates:

• OS X 10.1.1 Enhancement and Installation Information

Software Updates:
• Diablo II: Lord of Destruction v1.09C Upgrade Patch
• Warbirds III 111401
• Happy Mik 1.0.0
• icq 2.8a32
• VectorWorks 9.5.0b7
  
  OS X Related Software:
• (OS X) Quake I v1.0.2
• Powerprint 9.2.1 Update
• Corel 10
• KnockOut 2.0
• FWB Backup Toolkit 3.0

Mac/PowerPC Related News:
(Note: Rehashing of press releases, repeated news, etc. not listed)

• iPod Hacks (ipodhacks)
• Corel reinforces Mac commitment (cnet)
• Apple Beefs Up Encryption in AirPort (eweek)
• OS X vs. Windows XP: (webmastermac)
• OpenOSX Office 0.9, Now Shipping (businesswire)
• PC Vintage: Full-Bodied, Mellow Price (yahoo)
• Apple: a Year Late, $100 Too Much (802.11b networking news)
• OS Xtra good (mycareeer)
• Vote for Best of the Mac Web Survey (lowendmc)
• Disastrous Bug Yields Key Lessons (LA Times)
• Wind River Delivers Software and Services to Power Apple's AirPort Wireless Gateway; Cutting Edge Products Earns Wind River's "Cool Customer Design "Award (businesswire)
• Wind River Delivers Software and Services to Power Apple's AirPort Wireless Gateway (yahoo)
• Corel and Apple Celebrate Creativity on Mac OS X (yahoo)
• CorelDRAW 10 and Corel PHOTO-PAINT 10 Now Available as Standalone Applications for Macintosh Customers (businesswire)
• NTI Enter MAC Market with Dragonburn (ntius)
• For a dependable, easy-to-use computer, why not a Mac? (philly inquirer)
• Apple store at Fashion Valley (apple)
• Apple store at The Falls (apple)
• Apple store at Valley Fair (apple)
• Intuit Canada acquires MYOB Canada (globeandmail)
• Apple in AppleScript storm (macworld uk)

Gaming Related:
• Warbirds III 111401
• Xbox launch in NY Times Square (gamespot)
• Xbox - Game On (cnet)
• nVidia Recommended games (nvidia)

Misc Hardware Related:
• SimpleTech Launches First Portable External Drive Compatible with USB 1.1, USB 2.0 and FireWire (businesswire)