What is weird about Oracle instances is the fact that you can't really host multiple databases in an instance. My definition of a database is a collection of related tables/triggers/SPs/views/RI.

In VFP, I can have n databases open, and tables can have the same names, same SP names, etc and I can feel that they function independently; I can even have multiple VFP .exes opening the same multiple databases.

In Oracle (at least in 7.3.4 which is what I deal with), I can't have a generic SP named "auditrow" and use it over and over, since everything is lumped into the same Oracle instance.

Or is this just a sign of lazy DBA work? Is there a way to "compartmentalize" databases in a single instance, or should I look to create multiple instances?