[NBLUG/talk] Sound problem with Skype on Ubuntu 9.04

[Roger House]

Recently I helped my daughter's friend, Meghan, install Ubuntu 9.04 on a 
Sony Vaio.  I was rather impressed at how well it went, since my 
assistance was via phone; Meghan and my daughter managed to download the 
ISO image on a Mac, burn it to a CD, install Ubuntu on the Vaio, etc.  
Neither of them are computer geeks. 

Meghan was basically in a position where Best Buy wanted to charge her 
$200 to reinstall Windows on her computer, so free software looked good 
to her.  She has been managing quite well so far.  But now she has 
encountered an issue (see her email below) which I can't provide much 
help with.  I myself am in a similar situation.  After I installed 8.10, 
and continuing with 9.04, no one can hear me when I try to use Skype.  I 
can hear them, and other sounds seems to work.  I use this machine 
rarely, so the lack of Skype has not bothered me that much, so I haven't 
devoted much time to the issue.  By the way, on my machine Skype worked 
just fine with Ubuntu before I installed 8.10.  Any ideas about what to 
do will be appreciated.

Roger

<Begin email from Meghan>
Hi there!

So far figuring out stuff hasn't been too difficult with Ubuntu, but I'm 
getting really confused trying to use Skype. It downloaded just fine so 
that I can log on and call people. I can even see the people that I'm 
calling on their webcams, BUT they can't see or hear me. I guess Ubuntu 
doesn't recognize my sound and built-in camera on my Sony Vaio anymore? 
Do you know how I can make Skype recognize my camera and audio again? I 
never had an issue with it before because it was all built in and 
windows just recognized it automatically, so I have no idea how to fix 
it. I tried to google about it, but all the answers were given in 
codespeak, and I have no idea what they're talking about! Thanks Roger!!

-Meghan
<End email from Meghan>