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Technical Q&As
Following simple guidelines, developers can take advantage of built-in Mac OS X interfaces that make the user interface of their applications accessible to external assistive applications. An assistive application interacts with an application's user interface to provide an alternative way for persons with disabilities to use the application. For example, visually impaired users can use an assistive application to convert an application's menu items and button labels into speech and then relay their verbal commands to the application.

Accessibility Resources
A guided introduction and learning path for developers writing applications that are accessible to users with disabilities.  
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ANSI SCSI Standards (HTML)
Deprecated - DV03: Describes past Macintosh systems that did not fully support the ANSI SCSI-1 standard.
Device Drivers 1995-07-01
Are the Name Registry device tree nodes unique? (HTML)
Deprecated - HW64: Discusses whether Name Registry nodes copied from the Open Firmware device tree are unique.
Device Drivers 1999-10-11
Bluetooth Radio Power Class for Apple Systems (HTML) ()
QA1278: Notes Preferred Bluetooth Transmitter Characteristics for products designed for Apple Systems.
Device Drivers 2003-08-06
Checking for the Printer Driver (HTML)
DV42: Describes a legacy Mac OS technique avoiding system hangs when using serial drivers on USB systems.
Device Drivers 2000-06-19
Detecting a CD-ROM (HTML) ()
DV18: Demonstrates CD-ROM drive detection.
Device Drivers 1997-01-31
Determining RAM size & location in New World Machines (HTML)
QA1065: Demonstrates Open Firmware method of determining RAM size & location in New World Machines.
Device Drivers 2001-08-01
Energy Star PCI Device (HTML) ()
QA1108: Provides useful information for developers of Energy Star-compliant PCI devices.
Device Drivers 2002-01-15
Faster DDR DRAM in the 867MHz Power Mac G4 (Mirrored Drive Doors) (HTML) ()
QA1191: Confirms the use of faster DDR DRAM in the 867MHz Power Mac G4 (Mirrored Drive Doors).
Device Drivers 2002-08-19
Generating an NMI Without a Programmer's Switch (HTML) ()
QA1264: Explains how to generate a non-maskable interrupt (NMI) on CPUs without programmer's switches.
Device Drivers 2004-04-26
Getting a List of Drivers & LUNs (logical unit numbers) (HTML)
Deprecated - DV04: Describes a legacy Mac OS technique for obtaining a list of SCSI Parallel drivers, devices, and LUNs.
Device Drivers 1995-07-01
How can I tell if a PCI device has on board I/O space? (HTML)
QA1287: Demonstrates "how to" tell if a PCI device has on board I/O space.
Device Drivers 2003-09-24
Invoking the Open Firmware user interface (HTML) ()
HW45: Describes how to invoke the Open Firmware user interface on startup.
Device Drivers 1999-02-15
IODeviceTree & the IORegistry (HTML) ()
QA1120: Describes the IODeviceTree plane in the Mac OS X IORegistry.
Device Drivers 2002-02-13
Menu Bar Clock and NVRAM (HTML)
QA1102: Explains why booting with the Command-Option-P-R keys doesn't reset date and time preferences.
Device Drivers 2001-12-21
The "packages" node in the device tree (HTML)
HW90: Describes the "packages" node in the Open Firmware device tree.
Device Drivers 2000-09-05
PC100 SDRAM DIMMs on the Flat Panel iMac (HTML) ()
QA1130: Describes PC100 SDRAM DIMM limitations on the "original " Flat Panel iMac.
Device Drivers 2002-03-18
PCI Bus? (HTML)
QA1104: Answers the question, "Do all Macintosh computers have a PCI bus?"
Device Drivers 2001-12-21
Resetting NVRAM to factory defaults (HTML)
QA1103: Describes what happens when you boot holding the Command-Option-P-R keys.
Device Drivers 2001-12-21
SCSI ID from vRefNum (HTML) ()
DV29: Legacy Mac OS technique for identifying the ID of a SCSI Parallel device containing a specified disk volume.
Device Drivers 1997-05-23
A SCSI little secret (HTML)
HW81: Details what to expect when accessing the motherboard SCSI bus on the Blue & White G3.
Device Drivers 1999-12-20
SDRAM Problems With Self-Powered USB Devices (HTML) ()
HW82: Alerts that non-compliant, self-powered USB devices plugged into a G4, can cause problems with low-voltage-sensitive SDRAM .
Device Drivers 2003-08-21
SDRAM, CAS Latency for the "Quicksilver" PowerMacG4s (HTML)
QA1071: Describes the supported CAS Latency values for the "QuickSilver", PowerMac G4 CPUs.
Device Drivers 2001-09-13