I always thought that in 8-ball, on the break, if I got a ball in, that that is what I was, is that right, or do you have to confirm it by sinking another ball after that. Meaning, if I hit a stripe in on the break, then miss my next shot, are stripes by balls, or can the other player attempt to hit a stripe in, and therefore by stripes himself?

Rules aren't always the same

The Billiard Congress of America (BCA) has developed the professional standardized rules for 8 ball.  In direct answer to your question, this is the current rule.  Object balls which fall on the game's opening break do NOT count toward committing the shooter to stripes or solids for the rest of the game. That commitment is made only when a player pockets a stripe, or solid, AS INTENDED. If something goes in on the break, the shooter continues his turn, but the table still "is open," that is, he may play for either stripes or solids. He may even use a stripe to make a combination on a solid, or vice versa, for his first intended ball. Needless to say, there will be close to as many versions of rules as there are places to play, owing to the time-honored tradition of "house rules." And it's always a VERY smart idea for players who don't regularly face one another to agree on the rules before any competition begins.

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