How to Make Your Instant Messenger Talk in Ubuntu Linux

Sometimes instant messages are important enough to break away from what you're currently doing and sometime they're not. In Ubuntu, you can setup your Instant Messenger to automatically speak (vocally) incoming instant messages. Now you can decide their importance before clicking away from your current task. This article will show you how to quickly set this up.

About Ubuntu Instant Messaging

As many of you know, Ubuntu Linux comes with an an "instant messaging consolidator"; its an single application that allows you to be simultaneously logged in to all your instant messaging accounts. For example, with this consolidator, you could be logged into all the following at once: Yahoo, ICQ, AIM, MSN, IRC, gadu-gadu, GroupWise, jabber, QQ, and sip.

In Ubuntu 7.04, this application is called GAIM. However, because of legal pressure from AOL, future Ubuntu releases will call the application by its new name, Pidgin:

Instructions

Install Festival and Festival-GAIM

1. Open the Synaptic Package Manager by navigating from your "System" menu: System | Administration | Synaptic Package Manager.
2. You'll be prompted for your password, enter it and press enter.
3. Click the "Search" button and type "festival" into the search box, then click the search button below.
4. You'll see an alphabetical listing of packages. Right click on the first "festival" package, and select "Mark for Installation".
5. Below the first "festival" package, you'll find the package named "festival-gaim". Click the check box and select "Mark for Installation".
6. Now click the "Apply" button. Festival will be downloaded and installed.

Activate the Plugin

1. If GAIM is already open close it. If the "little yellow man" icon is on the status tray (by the clock), right-click the icon and select "Quit".
2. Open GAIM from Ubuntu's "Applications" menu: Applications | Internet | GAIM Instant Messenger.
3. Go to GAIM's "Tools" menu and select "Plugins".
4. Find the Festival plugin and click its "Enable" check box.
5. Click the "Configure Plugin" button. I suggest checking all the boxes at the bottom to start with; you can always come back here to change your preferences.
6. Last, click the close button.

Now, if your speakers have volume, you'll hear talking the next time one of your buddies messages you!

If you'd like your computer to read other things to you, read this article:

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