trying to compile and run alsa--AGAIN!

[Cheryl Homiak]

I'm only doing this to get on the reflector; was quite happy with oss, but it
doesn't work with the reflector.
Using 0.9.0beta12; when I tried anything in the 0.5 series I got all these
deparacation warnings and then it didn't compile anyway; won't go into that
since i'm using this version anyway, unless somebody thinks it will shed light
on the problem.
Am using kernel 2.4.18 and sblive.
Actually got the cd to work.
However, nothing else.
If I run "play" or anything with trplayer or ogg, I get "no such device" for
/dev/audio and /dev/dsp and oss, depending on the application I am using.
there are a zillion mixer settings, so maybe there's one I don't have on or
unmuted.
Please, please, not meaning to be irritable, but don't anybody ask me if I ran
./snddevices when I compiled; I know it's a logical question, but last time I
tried this I got asked that by at least a half dozen people. I really did run it
and I even checked to make sure it ran okay.
I'll continue to play with mixer channels to see if I stumble across anything.
Suggestions, please.
Thanks.