Using the available option to play a sound file istead of using the
system beep as indicated in the /etc/X11/app-defaults/Coolmail file
results in the application playing a highly distorted sound and not
the intended *.au file.

ie:
---
coolmail.soundFile: /usr/local/bin/sounds/youvegotmail.au
---

When run from a terminal with coolmail -v, the application wants to
write to /dev/audio but complains about not being able to do it.

---

The same file can be properly played by the aplay, VLC and Audacious
applications so I think it is safe to conclude that there's not
problem with the *.au file being used.

My system has ALSA and the alsa-aoss package installed.

Starting the application with aoss coolmail -v gets me the same
(distorted audio/printout) results.

Other texts I have seen online have only make reference to the *.au
format, so it would seem that it is what the application expects.

All the same, I tried with a *.wav file but got output saying that it
is the wrong file format.

Thanks in advance,

JHM