Ubuntu - writing raw data to /dev/dsp

[LanguidLegend]

The following is an exercise for my class:
Redirect mouse device into a file.

sudo cat /dev/input/mice > rawmouse.data
Move the mouse a bit and then type CONTROL-C.

Note that on some distro's you'll need to sudo to bypass device files' restricted permissions.

Now, cat that file to the sound card.

cat rawmouse.data > /dev/dsp
Sounds horrible, doesn't it.

So that's how we make sound, by throwing bytes at the sound card.

I follow those directions, but it remains silent.. Any ideas why?

Note: I am running Ubuntu 10.10, and my sound is at max volume.

[LanguidLegend]

[bump]

[LanguidLegend]

Any help would be awesome! :(

[LanguidLegend]

Update:
Well I've done soem more digging, and I've found out that /dev/dsp is based on the OSS (Open Sound System), which Ubuntu doesn't use anymore. Ubuntu now uses ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture), which has a different setup (no idea what).
Based on that, I came across a directory which might contain my solution(?): /proc/asound

Any ideas? Am I heading in the right direction??
I just need to find some way to do this exercise (writing raw text data for output) on my system..