Watch out...

Behold the two entries in a tnsnames.ora file:

FRANK.CS.NL =
  (description =
  (address=(protocol=BEQ)(PROGRAM = ORACLE)
  (ARGV0=oracleDB920)
       (ARGS='(DESCRIPTION=(LOCAL=YES)(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=BEQ)))'))
    (CONNECT_DATA =(SID=DB920)
    )
 )

FRANKIE.CS.NL =
 (DESCRIPTION=
  (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = BEQ)(PROGRAM=oracle)
  (ARGV0=oracledb920)
        (ARGS='(DESCRIPTION=(LOCAL=yes)(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=BEQ)))'))
    (CONNECT_DATA=(SID=db920)
    )
 )

Seems pretty straightforward, not? Yet, one entry works, and the other does not:

C:\>tnsping frank

TNS Ping Utility for 32-bit Windows: Version 9.2.0.4.0 - Production on 26-MAY-20 05 10:18:45

Copyright (c) 1997 Oracle Corporation. All rights reserved.

Used parameter files:
D:\oracle\ora92\network\ADMIN\sqlnet.ora

Used TNSNAMES adapter to resolve the alias
Attempting to contact (description = (address=(protocol=BEQ)(PROGRAM = ORACLE) (
ARGV0=oracleDB920) (ARGS='(DESCRIPTION=(LOCAL=YES)(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=BEQ)))')) (
CONNECT_DATA =(SID=DB920)))
TNS-12560: TNS:protocol adapter error

C:\>tnsping frankie

TNS Ping Utility for 32-bit Windows: Version 9.2.0.4.0 - Production on 26-MAY-2005 10:20:52

Copyright (c) 1997 Oracle Corporation. All rights reserved.

Used parameter files:
D:\oracle\ora92\network\ADMIN\sqlnet.ora

Used TNSNAMES adapter to resolve the alias
Attempting to contact (DESCRIPTION= (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = BEQ)(PROGRAM=oracle)
(ARGV0=oracledb920) (ARGS='(DESCRIPTION=(LOCAL=yes)(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=BEQ)))'))
(CONNECT_DATA=(SID=db920)))
OK (30 msec)

This is Windows/2000.