Oracle 8.1.7 INIT.ORA parameters

[cjohnson6]

Can anyone assist me on where i can find information, link or a website that will provide me with detailed information re: Oracle's INIT.ORA configuration file & its parameters? I am a relatively novice user to Oracle & want to better understand the specifics of each parameter, why they are & the defaults that are given when a new database instance is created.
My company recently purcahsed Oracle 8.1.7 & i have installed it on several local servers here but the defaults given & the docs provided by Oracle's Doc CD & online info, really don't give a full explanation of why those particular parameters are being used & why they are set the way they are. I hope this makes sense.

Thanks in advance to anyone who responds.
C Johnson

 

[waterDBA]

I don't know for sure about the CD, but my Oracle Manual:
Oracle 7 Server Administrator's Guide, Part No 6694-70-1292,
Appendix A, Initialization Parameter Files, pp. A-1 to A-49,
has a description of all the parameters, including:
the default value, the range of possible values, explanation
and a reference "For more information."