error message, keyboard not working as a result

[Adam Myrow]

Well, I don't know why you are getting the messages you are getting, but 
have you tried setting up an initrd (initial RAM disk?)  I found that 
having Speakup load from an initrd allowed me to shut it up immediately as 
it comes up later in the boot process.  From what I've read about kernel 
2.6, the major difference from 2.4 is that 2.4 and earlier assumed anybody 
who has a computer has a keyboard.  2.6 makes no such assumption, and 
thus, could in theory, work with an embedded system which can only be 
accessed remotely.  I think what's happening is that keyboard support 
comes up later in 2.6, and thus, you can't stop speech until it detects 
the keyboard.  As I said, with Speakup built entirely as modules, and 
loading it from an initrd, it comes up a little later, but you can silence 
it immediately.  It's a compromise between compiling it directly in the 
kernel, and having to wait until you are fully booted up to start speech.