When you install Oracle8i and Developer in the same machine, be sure to install them on two different sub-directories.  Also you must make sure their home names are different.

Once you install the Oracle products, go to the connectivity and play the movie.  The movie shows how to login to Oracle8i using the Oracle tools, such as “SQLPLUS,” and “FORM Builder.”

To establish connectivity, you will use Net8 Easy config.  If you don’t have “Net8 Easy config,” you can use the “Net8 assistant” option.

Important notes to remember:

• Oracle Server is an object-relational database management system that provides an open, comprehensive, and integrated approach to information management.  It consists of an Oracle database and instance.

• The Oracle Database contains all user data information.  It has a physical and a logical structure.

• The “Physical Structure” is determined by the operating system files; such as data files, control files, and parameter files.

• The “Logical Structure” is determined by the Oracle Database, such as tablespaces, tables, and segments.

• An instance is a combination of Oracle background processes and memory buffers. 

• The memory buffer is called System Global Area (SGA) and is shared by the database users.  Every time a database is started the system global area is allocated and Oracle background processes are started.

• Oracle Background Processes Server tasks between memory and disk.

• A user establishes connection and then requests information using a client application from the Oracle Server.

• The Listener process waits for connection requests from a client application, and routes each client to a server process.

• Server processes are created on behalf of each user’s application to read a user request and return the results.

• The TNSNAMES.ORA and SQLNET.ORA files establish client session connectivity to a server using the local naming option.

Good Luck.