Esound problem (gnome) - sound device inadequate

[Micha Feigin <michf@math.tau.ac.il>]

I have a computer with no sound ( yes it's an old 486 there is still one
of these around :) ).
The thing is that whenever i try to start a gnome program it tries to
search /dev/dsp for a sound card (permision denied), fails, gives me a
message : Sound device inadequate for Esound. Fatal.
and then sometimes it starts but usually segfaults. Anyway around this?
BTW i am using gnomever 1.0.5-3
BTW2 the full mesage:
/dev/dsp: Permission denied
Audio device open for 44.1Khz, stereo, 16bit failed
Trying 44.1Khz, 8bit stereo.
/dev/dsp: Permission denied
Audio device open for 44.1Khz, stereo, 8bit failed
Trying 22.05Khz, 8bit stereo.
/dev/dsp: Permission denied
Audio device open for 22.05Khz, stereo, 8bit failed
Trying 44.1Khz, 16bit mono.
/dev/dsp: Permission denied
Audio device open for 44.1Khz, mono, 8bit failed
Trying 22.05Khz, 8bit mono.
/dev/dsp: Permission denied
Audio device open for 22.05Khz, mono, 8bit failed
Trying 11.025Khz, 8bit stereo.
/dev/dsp: Permission denied
Audio device open for 11.025Khz, stereo, 8bit failed
Trying 11.025Khz, 8bit mono.
/dev/dsp: Permission denied
Audio device open for 11.025Khz, mono, 8bit failed
Trying 8.192Khz, 8bit mono.
/dev/dsp: Permission denied
Audio device open for 8.192Khz, mono, 8bit failed
Trying 8Khz, 8bit mono.
/dev/dsp: Permission denied
Sound device inadequate for Esound. Fatal.
Segmentation fault

thanks