The download process was smooth, and soon John had the Oracle Client 8.1.7 installed on his machine. He tested the connection to the server, and it worked like a charm.
Please be aware that Oracle Client 8.1.7 is an old version and may have security vulnerabilities. It's recommended to use newer versions of the Oracle client whenever possible.
https://www.oracle.com/database/technologies/appdev/jdbc-downloads.html
Feeling like Indiana Jones on a mission, John persevered. He scoured the internet, visiting various forums and communities, where he met other developers who had faced similar challenges. One of them shared a cryptic hint about a hidden repository on the Oracle website, where older versions of the client were stored.
