I have been using Linux for sometime now and I do programming. The problem is since I do not do much games I have never paid attention to the sound much, I do get sound but the mike does not work. I sometimes use an online chat which is audeo/video capable, I can hear the others talking but my mike is dead. The chat is flash enabled

I would also like to make videos including tutorial type videos that captures what is happenning on the screen as well as picks up my voice explaning things. I know that must be a software application, not sure about the mike.

Hello BruceD, welcome to LQ,

your first step should be to open a terminal and execute the alsamixer command, look there for any options, don't forget to look at the options which are available via the F1-F? keys in alsamixer.

Markus