Re: if I were a newbie how would I get sound?

[Kent West <westk@acu.edu>]

Brad Sawatzky wrote:
> On Sun, 17 Dec 2006, Douglas Tutty wrote:
>   
>> If I was a total newbie, how would I know how to play sound?
>>     
>
> Make sure the relevant sound controls are unmuted and turned up using your
> favorite sound mixer.  For example:
<snip>

I don't believe Douglas was asking how to play sound (although your
explanation, Brad, was very good); I believe he was asking how he's
supposed to know how since the docs don't address the issue.

Good question, Doug. I haven't looked at those docs in ages, but if they
need a section on sound, I bet the folks responsible for those docs
would be happy for someone to contribute such a section. (Many folks
would suggest that you write that section, but you may not be
knowledgeable enough to do so; but perhaps your question will highlight
the need to someone who is capable of writing that section.)

I also suspect that most newbs run KDE or Gnome; I'm unsure about Gnome,
but KDE plays a startup sound by default, giving clear indication if the
sound system is functional (although it does not necessarily indicate
failures), but that doesn't really seem like it adequately addresses
your question.

I guess the real answer to your question is that a total newbie would
not know how to play sound, unless he just happened to come across the
right sequence or the right entry in the mailing list archives or knew
enough to ask someone (this list?), etc. But I suspect you're not asking
that question so much as you're hinting that a sound section needs to be
added to the newbie documentation. When someone gets the itch who can
address this issue, I'm sure it'll be addressed. Until then (and even
afterward), no OS is perfect in all respects. *shrug*


-- 
Kent West
Westing Peacefully <http://kentwest.blogspot.com>