cx_Oracle entry point error

[lblr33 at yahoo.com]

I downloaded cx_Oracle from
http://www.cxtools.net/default.aspx?nav=cxorlb and selected the windows
installer for Oracle 8i, Python 2.4

>From the readme.txt file:
BINARY INSTALL:
Place the file cx_Oracle.pyd or cx_Oracle.so anywhere on your Python
path.

So I tried this and set PYTHONPATH.

I then created a script called ora_conn.py with one line:
import cx_Oracle

When I run the script (c:\python24\python.exe ora_conn.py) I get this
error in a pop-up box:

"The procedure entry point OCIEnvCreate could not be located in the
dynamic link ligrary OCI.dll

The bottom line of what I want to do is to connect to an oracle
database without having to create an ODBC connection on the individual
PC.

Any ideas?  Thanks.