I reverted to 1.2.0.18nb1 and that version works fine.

The final version of 1.4.0 has been release (1.4.0.118), but it
doesn't work either.

In trawling through the Skype on Linux forums, I found that there
is a OSS binary available too, by tacking on an '-oss' suffix, like:

    http://download.skype.com/linux/skype_static-1.4.0.XXXX-oss.tar.bz

(where XXX is the version number).  This version does seem to use
/dev/dsp, but still fails with the same error.  The Options page
also has a 'Play Test Sound' which, although the ktrace output
looks like it's doing something, doesn't actually play anything.

Brian.

-- 
  Brian de Alwis | Software Practices Lab | UBC | http://www.cs.ubc.ca/~bsd/
      "Amusement to an observing mind is study." - Benjamin Disraeli