OT Ubuntu question

[Glenn Ervin]

I have tried to get Ubuntu working, as I downloaded the latest version for a 
duel-core processor, which I have on my laptop.
It does come up with the Ubuntu music, so I know the sound works.
I have tried F5 and down arrowing 4 times for speech, and that never works.
Note, I did the F5 and down arrowing at the first pause of the spin-up from 
the CD.
The Ubuntu music starts a while later.
Since the speech never comes up, I do:
control + alt + F1, and type in:
orca
and it sounds like eSpeak giving me a bunch of options, like language, what 
I want to have echoed, Braille display or not, and so on.
But here's the big problem.
It says I need to log out and back on again for it to continue.
Why doesn't it just come up talking?
Also, is there a better voice than eSpeak?
gErvin at cableone.net,