TRUSTED INFORMATION SYSTEMS INC
SC 13D/A, 1997-10-29
PREPACKAGED SOFTWARE
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                           ---------------------------
                               AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO
                                  SCHEDULE 13D
                           ---------------------------

                    UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                        Trusted Information Systems, Inc.
                                (Name of Issuer)


                          Common Stock, $.01 par value
                         (Title of Class of Securities)


                                   897908-10-9
                                 (CUSIP number)

                                Stephen E. Smaha
                          10713 RR 620 North, Suite 512
                               Austin, Texas 78726
                                 (512) 918-3555
                  (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
                Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)


                                October 16, 1997
             (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)

        If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule
           13G to report the acquisition which is the subject of this
              Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of
              Rule 13d-1(b)(3) or (4), check the following box: [ ]



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<PAGE>







                                   Signatures

After  reasonable   inquiry  and  to  the  best  knowledge  and  belief  of  the
undersigned,  the undersigned hereby certifies that the information set forth in
this amendment is true, complete and correct.


Dated:  October 24, 1997


                                           By      /s/ Stephen E. Smaha
                                                       Stephen E. Smaha



                                       2
<PAGE>


Exhibit 2

 
                          AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

         THIS AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (this  "Agreement"),  entered into as
of October 3, 1997 by and among TRUSTED  INFORMATION  SYSTEMS,  INC., a Delaware
corporation (the "Buyer"),  TRUSTED  ACQUISITIONS,  INC., a Delaware corporation
and a  wholly-owned  subsidiary  of the Buyer (the "Merger  Sub"),  and HAYSTACK
LABORATORIES,  INC., a Delaware  corporation  (the  "Company").  The Buyer,  the
Merger Sub and the Company are referred to collectively herein as the "Parties."

         This Agreement contemplates a merger of the Merger Sub into the Company
in a transaction  that will qualify as a non taxable  transaction  under Section
368 of the Code (as defined  below).  In such merger,  the  stockholders  of the
Company will receive  capital  stock of the Buyer in exchange for their  capital
stock of the Company.

         NOW, THEREFORE,  in consideration of the  representations,  warranties,
agreements and covenants herein contained, the Parties agree as follows.

                                    ARTICLE I
                                   THE MERGER

         1.1......The  Merger.  Upon and subject to the terms and  conditions of
this Agreement,  the Merger Sub shall merge with and into the Company (with such
merger  referred to herein as the  "Merger") at the  Effective  Time (as defined
below).  From and after the Effective Time, the separate corporate  existence of
the Merger Sub shall  cease and the  Company  shall  continue  as the  surviving
corporation in the Merger (the "Surviving  Corporation").  The "Effective  Time"
shall be the time at which the Company and the Merger Sub file the  agreement of
merger and  certificate of merger  prepared and executed in accordance  with the
relevant provisions of the Delaware General  Corporation Law ("DGCL"),  with the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the  "Certificate of Merger").  The
Merger shall have the effects  specified in this Agreement and in Section 259 of
the DGCL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and subject thereto,
at the  Effective  Time,  all  the  property,  rights,  privileges,  powers  and
franchises   of  the  Company  and  Merger  Sub  shall  vest  in  the  Surviving
Corporation, and all debts, liabilities and duties of the Company and Merger Sub
shall become the debts, liabilities and duties of the Surviving Corporation.

         1.2......The  Closing. The closing of the transactions  contemplated by
this  Agreement  (the  "Closing")  shall  take  place at the  offices of Piper &
Marbury L.L.P., 1200 Nineteenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., or at such other
location as the Parties  mutually agree,  commencing at 10:00 a.m. local time on
October 16, 1997, or, if all of the conditions to the obligations of the Parties
to consummate the  transactions  contemplated  hereby have not been satisfied or
waived  by such  date,  on  such  mutually  agreed  upon  later  date as soon as
practicable   after  the  satisfaction  or  waiver  of  all  conditions  to  the
obligations of the Parties to consummate the  transactions  contemplated  hereby
(the "Closing Date").

                                       3
<PAGE>

   
         1.3......Actions at the Closing. At the Closing:  (a) the Company shall
deliver to the Buyer and the Merger Sub the  various  certificates,  instruments
and documents referred to in Section 5.2; (b) the Buyer and the Merger Sub shall
deliver to the Company  the  various  certificates,  instruments  and  documents
referred to in Section  5.3;  (c) the Company and the Merger Sub shall file with
the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware the Certificates of Merger;  and
(d) the Buyer  shall  deliver  certificates  for the Merger  Shares (as  defined
below) to American Stock  Transfer as exchange  agent (the "Exchange  Agent") in
accordance with Section 1.7.

         1.4......Additional  Action. The Surviving Corporation may, at any time
after the Effective  Time, take any action,  including  executing and delivering
any document, in the name and on behalf of either the Company or the Merger Sub,
necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

         1.5......Effect on Capital Stock.

 ..................(a)      Definitions.

 .................."Buyer  Common  Stock"  shall  mean the  common  stock,  par 
value  $0.01 per  share,  of Trusted Information Systems, Inc.

 .................."Buyer  Share  Market  Value"  shall mean the average  closing
price on the Nasdaq  National Market System for shares of Buyer Common Stock for
the five (5)  trading  days prior to the date for which the Buyer  Share  Market
Value is being determined.

 .................."Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
 amended.

 .................."Common  Stock  Conversion  Ratio"  shall mean a fraction,
the  numerator  of which shall be the number of Merger  Shares and the 
denominator  of which shall be the number of Common Stock  Equivalents  as of
the Effective Time plus the number of Counted Assumed Option Shares. 

 .................."Common  Stock  Equivalents"  shall  mean the total  number of
shares of Company  Common Stock  outstanding  plus the total number of shares to
which  holders  of  outstanding  shares of the  Company's  Series A  Convertible
Preferred Stock and Series B Convertible  Preferred Stock would be entitled upon
conversion,  including  shares of Company  Common Stock issued upon  exercise of
Options between the date hereof and immediately prior to the Effective Time.

                                       4
<PAGE>

 .................."Company  Common  Stock" shall mean the common  stock,  par
value  $0.001 per share,  of Haystack Laboratories, Inc.

 .................."Company  Shares"  shall mean shares of the  Company's  equity
securities including Company Common Stock, Series A Convertible  Preferred Stock
and  Series  B  Convertible  Preferred  Stock  actually  held  by  each  Company
Stockholder.

 .................."Company  Stockholder" shall mean the holders of the Company's
Series A  Convertible  Preferred  Stock,  the  Company's  Series  B  Convertible
Preferred  Stock  and  Company  Common  Stock as of the  Effective  Time and the
holders of 1996 Options  automatically  converted  into Buyer Common Stock as of
the Effective Time in accordance with Section 1.10.

 .................."Counted  Assumed  Option  Shares"  shall  mean the  shares of
Company  Common  Stock  issuable  upon  exercise of options  outstanding  at the
Closing  (regardless  of whether  vested),  including the Options which have not
been  exercised  as of the  Effective  Time and which are  converted  into Buyer
Common Stock in accordance with Section 1.10. In addition, any option granted by
the Company  from the date of this  Agreement  until the  Closing  shall only be
exercisable  for shares of Company Common Stock that are Counted  Assumed Option
Shares.  In addition,  any warrant  granted by the Company from the date of this
Agreement  until the  Closing  shall only be  exercisable  for shares of Company
Common Stock that are Counted Assumed Option Shares.

     .................."Counted  Assumed  Option Merger  Shares" shall mean that
number of Merger Shares equal to the Counted Assumed Option Shares multiplied by
the   Common   Stock   Conversion   Ratio. 

     .................."Former  Company  Stockholder"  shall  mean each  Company
Stockholder  at the  Effective  Time and each  person  that is issued an Assumed
Option (as defined below).

 .................."Merger  Shares"  shall mean two  million,  one  hundred  five
thousand four hundred  ninety-four  (2,105,494) shares of Buyer Common Stock (as
such number may be  appropriately  adjusted for stock splits,  stock  dividends,
reverse stock splits and other  subdivisions  and  combinations  of Buyer Common
Stock between the date of this Agreement and the Effective Time).

     .................."Series  A  Convertible  Preferred  Stock" shall mean the
Company's Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share.

     .................."Series  B  Convertible  Preferred  Stock" shall mean the
Company's Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share.

     .................."Merger  Sub Common  Stock" shall mean the common  stock,
par value $0.01 per share, of the Merger Sub.

                                       5
<PAGE>

     .................."Securities  Act" shall mean the  Securities Act of 1933,
as amended.

     ..................(b)  Immediately  prior to the Effective Time and without
any  action  on the part of any  Party  or the  holder  of any of the  following
securities:

     ..................  (i) Each share of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock,
issued  and  outstanding  immediately  prior  to the  Effective  Time  shall  be
converted into one share of Company Common Stock; and

     ..................  (ii) Each share of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock
issued  and  outstanding  immediately  prior  to the  Effective  Time  shall  be
converted into one share of Company Common Stock; and

     ..................  (iii) Each option under the  Company's  1996 Stock Plan
issued  and  outstanding  immediately  prior to the  Effective  Time (the  "1996
Option') shall be exercised for Company Common Stock.

         .........(c) At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without
any  action  on the part of any  Party  or the  holder  of any of the  Company's
securities,   each  share  of  Company  Common  Stock  issued  and   outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into such fraction of
a share of Buyer Common Stock as is equal to the Common Stock Conversion Ratio.

 ..................(d)  At the  Effective  Time,  each share of Merger Sub Common
Stock issued and  outstanding  immediately  prior to the Effective Time shall be
converted   into  and  exchanged  for  one  validly   issued,   fully  paid  and
nonassessable  share of Common Stock of the  Surviving  Corporation.  Each stock
certificate of Merger Sub evidencing ownership of any such shares shall continue
to  evidence  ownership  of  such  shares  of  capital  stock  of the  Surviving
Corporation.

 ..................(e)  Notwithstanding the foregoing,  no fractional shares
of Buyer Common Stock shall be issued;  rather such  fractional  shares shall be
converted into cash as provided in Section 1.9.

      1.6......Dissenting Shares.

 ..................(a) For purposes of this Agreement,  "Dissenting Shares" means
Company  Shares held as of the Effective Time by a Company  Stockholder  who has
not voted such Company Shares in favor of the adoption of this Agreement and the
Merger and with  respect to which  appraisal  shall have been duly  demanded and
perfected  in  accordance  with  Section  262 of the  DGCL  and not  effectively
withdrawn or forfeited prior to the Effective Time.  Notwithstanding anything to
the contrary  contained in Section 1.5(a) above,  Dissenting Shares shall not be
converted  into or represent  the right to receive  Merger  Shares,  unless such
Company  Stockholder  shall have forfeited his right to appraisal under the DGCL
or withdrawn, with the consent of the Company, his demand for appraisal. If such
Company  Stockholder  has so forfeited  or  withdrawn  his right to appraisal of
Dissenting  Shares,  then as of the  occurrence  of such  event,  such  holder's
Dissenting  Shares  shall cease to be  Dissenting  Shares and shall be converted
into and represent the right to receive the Merger Shares issuable in respect of
such Company Shares pursuant to Section 1.5(a).

                                       6
<PAGE>


 ..................(b)  The Company shall give the Buyer:  (i) prompt notice
of any written demands for appraisal of any Company Shares,  withdrawals of such
demands,  and any other  instruments that relate to such demands received by the
Company;  and (ii) the  opportunity to direct all  negotiations  and proceedings
with respect to demands for  appraisal  under the DGCL.  The Company  shall not,
except  with the prior  written  consent of the  Buyer,  make any  payment  with
respect to any demands  for  appraisal  of Company  Shares or offer to settle or
settle any such demands.

         1.7......Exchange of Shares.

 ..................(a)  Prior to the Effective  Time, the Buyer shall appoint the
Exchange  Agent to effect the  exchange  for the Merger  Shares of  certificates
that,  immediately  prior to the  Effective  Time,  represented  Company  Shares
converted into Merger Shares pursuant to Section 1.5 ( the  "Certificates").  On
the Closing Date,  the Buyer shall deliver to the Exchange  Agent,  in trust for
the benefit of holders of Certificates,  a stock certificate (issued in the name
of the  Exchange  Agent or its  nominee)  representing  the  Merger  Shares,  as
described in Section  1.5(a),  other than the Merger  Shares that are (i) Escrow
Shares  pursuant to Article VII below or (ii) that are  Counted  Assumed  Option
Merger  Shares.  No later than 15 days  following the Effective  Time, the Buyer
shall cause the Exchange  Agent to send a notice and a transmittal  form to each
holder of a Certificate  advising such holder of the effectiveness of the Merger
and the procedure for  surrendering  to the Exchange  Agent such  Certificate in
exchange for the Merger Shares issuable pursuant to Section 1.5(a).  Each holder
of a  Certificate,  upon  proper  surrender  thereof  to the  Exchange  Agent in
accordance with the instructions in such notice, shall be entitled to receive in
exchange  therefor  (subject to any taxes  required to be  withheld)  the Merger
Shares issuable pursuant to Section 1.5(a) (other than the Escrow Shares). Until
properly surrendered,  each such Certificate shall be deemed for all purposes to
evidence  only the right to  receive  the Merger  Shares  issuable  pursuant  to
Section  1.5(a).  Holders  of  Certificates  shall not be  entitled  to  receive
certificates  for the Merger  Shares to which they would  otherwise  be entitled
until such Certificates are properly surrendered.

 ..................(b)  If any  Merger  Shares  are to be issued in the name of a
person  other  than the  person in whose  name the  Certificate  surrendered  in
exchange therefor is registered, it shall be a condition to the issuance of such
Merger Shares that: (i) the  Certificate so surrendered  shall be  transferable,
and shall be properly  assigned,  endorsed or accompanied  by appropriate  stock
powers;  (ii) such  transfer  shall  otherwise  be proper;  and (iii) the person
requesting  such transfer  shall pay to the Exchange Agent any transfer or other
taxes payable by reason of the foregoing or establish to the satisfaction of the
Exchange  Agent that such taxes have been paid or are not  required  to be paid.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither the Exchange Agent nor any Party shall be
liable to a holder of  Company  Shares for any Merger  Shares  issuable  to such
holder  pursuant  to Section  1.5(a)  that are  delivered  to a public  official
pursuant to applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar laws.



                                       7
<PAGE>



 ..................(c)  In the event any Certificate shall have been lost, stolen
or  destroyed,  only upon the making of an  affidavit of that fact by the person
claiming such Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed, shall the Buyer issue
in exchange for such lost,  stolen or destroyed  Certificate  the Merger  Shares
issuable in exchange therefor pursuant to Section 1.5(a). The Board of Directors
of the Buyer may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance
thereof,  require the owner of such lost,  stolen or  destroyed  Certificate  to
submit to the Buyer an affidavit  and to give to the Buyer an indemnity  against
any claim that may be made  against  the Buyer with  respect to the  Certificate
alleged to have been lost,  stolen or destroyed.  In addition,  a holder of such
lost,  stolen or destroyed  Certificate may be required by the Exchange Agent to
post a bond in connection therewith.

 ..................(d)  Promptly  following  the date that is twelve  (12) months
from the Closing Date,  the Exchange  Agent shall return to the Buyer all Merger
Shares in its  possession,  and the Exchange  Agent's  duties  shall  terminate.
Thereafter,  each holder of a Certificate may surrender such  Certificate to the
Buyer and, subject to applicable  abandoned property,  escheat and similar laws,
receive in exchange  therefor the Merger Shares  issuable  with respect  thereto
pursuant to Section 1.5(a).

         1.8......Dividends.  No  dividends  or  other  distributions  that  are
payable to the holders of record of Buyer  Common Stock as of a date on or after
the Closing Date shall be paid to former Company Stockholders entitled by reason
of the Merger to  receive  Merger  Shares  until such  holders  surrender  their
Certificates  in  accordance  with Section 1.7. Upon such  surrender,  the Buyer
shall pay or deliver to the persons in whose name the certificates  representing
such Merger  Shares are issued any  dividends  or other  distributions  that are
payable to the holders of record of Buyer  Common Stock as of a date on or after
the Closing Date and that were paid or delivered  between the Effective Time and
the time of such  surrender;  provided,  however,  that no such person  shall be
entitled to receive any interest on such dividends or other distributions.

         1.9......Fractional  Shares.  No  certificates  or  scrip  representing
fractional Merger Shares shall be issued to former Company Stockholders upon the
surrender for exchange of  Certificates,  and such former  Company  Stockholders
shall not be entitled to any voting  rights,  rights to receive any dividends or
distributions  or other rights as a stockholder of the Buyer with respect to any
fractional  Merger Shares that would  otherwise be issued to such former Company
Stockholders.  In lieu of any fractional  Merger Shares that would  otherwise be
issued, each former Company Stockholder that would have been entitled to receive
a  fractional  Merger  Share  shall,  upon  proper  surrender  of such  person's
Certificates,  receive a cash  payment  equal to the Buyer Share  Market  Value,
multiplied  by the  fraction  of a share  that such  Company  Stockholder  would
otherwise be entitled to receive.



                                       8
<PAGE>

   

                  1.10     Options.

                  (a) As of the  Effective  Time,  by virtue of the  Merger  and
without  any action on the part of any Party or the  holder of any option  under
the Company's 1993 Stock Option Plan (the "1993 Options") and the Company's 1996
Stock Option Plan (the "1996  Options" and together with the 1993  Options,  the
"Options"),  each  Option  issued  and  outstanding  immediately  prior  to  the
Effective Time that has not been  exercised  shall be converted into such number
of shares of Buyer Common Stock as is equal to:

                           A - (B/C)

         where

         A = the number of Company Shares subject to the unexercised  portion of
such Option multiplied by the Common Stock Conversion Ratio;

         B = the number of Company Shares subject to the unexercised  portion of
such Option multiplied by the per share exercise price of such Option; and

         C = the Buyer Share Market Value.

                  (b) As soon as practicable after the Effective Time, the Buyer
or the Surviving Corporation shall deliver to each holder of an Option converted
pursuant to subsection  (i) a certificate  for 90% of the shares of Buyer Common
Stock issuable  pursuant to subsection (i) and shall deliver to the Escrow Agent
a certificate  for 10% of the shares of Buyer Common Stock issuable  pursuant to
subsection (i) for the purposes of Article VII.

         1.11 Certificate Legends. The shares of Buyer Common Stock to be issued
pursuant  to this  Article  I shall  not  have  been  registered  and  shall  be
characterized as "restricted  securities" under the federal securities laws, and
under  such  laws  such  shares  may be resold  without  registration  under the
Securities Act (as defined below) only in certain  limited  circumstances.  Each
certificate  evidencing  shares of Buyer Common  Stock to be issued  pursuant to
this Article I shall bear the following legend:

         THE SHARES  REPRESENTED  BY THIS  CERTIFICATE  HAVE BEEN  ACQUIRED  FOR
         INVESTMENT  AND HAVE NOT BEEN  REGISTERED  UNDER THE  SECURITIES ACT OF
         1933, AS AMENDED.  SUCH SHARES MAY NOT BE SOLD OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED
         IN THE  ABSENCE OF SUCH  REGISTRATION  WITHOUT AN  EXEMPTION  UNDER THE
         SECURITIES ACT OR AN OPINION OF LEGAL COUNSEL REASONABLY  ACCEPTABLE TO
         THE COMPANY THAT SUCH REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED.

                                       9
<PAGE>

     1.12 Certificate of  Incorporation.  At the Effective Time, the Certificate
of  Incorporation  of Merger Sub, as in effect  immediately  prior the Effective
Time,  shall be the Certificate of  Incorporation  of the Surviving  Corporation
until thereafter amended as provided by DGCL; provided,  however, that Section 1
of the  Certificate  of  Incorporation  of the  Surviving  Corporation  shall be
amended  to  read  as  follows:   "The  name  of  the  Corporation  is  Haystack
Laboratories, Inc."

     1.13 By-laws. The By-laws of the Surviving Corporation shall be the same as
the By-laws of the Merger Sub immediately prior to the Effective Time.

     1.14  Directors and Officers.  The directors of the Merger Sub shall remain
the  directors  of the  Surviving  Corporation  after the  Effective  Time.  The
officers of the Merger Sub shall remain as officers of the Surviving Corporation
after the Effective Time, retaining their respective positions.

     1.15 No  Further  Rights.  From and after the  Effective  Time,  no Company
Shares shall be deemed to be outstanding,  and the holders of Certificates shall
cease to have any rights with respect  thereto,  except as provided herein or by
law.

     1.16 Closing of Transfer  Books.  At the Effective Time, the stock transfer
books of the Company  shall be closed and no transfer  of Company  Shares  shall
thereafter be made. If, after the Effective Time,  Certificates are presented to
the Surviving  Corporation  or the Exchange  Agent,  they shall be cancelled and
exchanged  for Merger  Shares in  accordance  with  Section  1.5(a),  subject to
applicable law in the case of Dissenting Shares.

     1.17 Tax and Accounting Consequences.  It is intended by the parties hereto
that the Merger shall:  (i)  constitute a  reorganization  within the meaning of
Section 368 of the Code; and (ii) qualify for accounting  treatment as a pooling
of interests.

     1.18 Taking of Necessary Action;  Further Action. If, at any time after the
Effective  Time,  any further  action is necessary or desirable to carry out the
purposes  of this  Agreement  and to vest the  Surviving  Corporation  with full
right, title and possession to all assets, property, rights, privileges,  powers
and  franchises  of the Buyer and Merger Sub, the officers and  directors of the
Company  and Merger  Sub are fully  authorized  in the name of their  respective
corporations  or otherwise to take, and will take, all such lawful and necessary
action, so long as such action is not inconsistent with this Agreement.


                                       10
<PAGE>

                                   ARTICLE II
                  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

         The  Company  represents  and  warrants to the Buyer and the Merger Sub
that,  as of the date hereof,  the  statements  contained in this Article II are
true and correct in all material respects, except as set forth in the disclosure
schedule attached hereto (the "Disclosure Schedule") or except where the failure
to comply or fulfill,  accurately  state or  accurately  represent or accurately
warrant would not have a material  adverse  effect on the business or results of
operations of the Company.  The  Disclosure  Schedule  shall be initialed by the
Parties and shall be updated as of the Closing Date.

         2.1  Organization,  Qualification and Corporate Power. The Company is a
corporation  duly  organized,  validly  existing and in  corporate  and tax good
standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.  The Company is duly qualified
to conduct  business and is in corporate and tax good standing under the laws of
Delaware and in each other  jurisdiction in which the failure to be so qualified
would  have a  material  adverse  effect on the  Company.  The  Company  has the
corporate  power and authority to carry on the businesses in which it is engaged
and to own and  use the  properties  owned  and  used  by it.  The  Company  has
furnished  or made  available  to the  Buyer  true and  complete  copies  of its
Certificate of  Incorporation  and By-laws,  each as amended and as in effect on
the date hereof  (hereinafter the "Company  Charter" and the "Company  By-laws,"
respectively).  The  Company  is not in  default  under or in  violation  of any
provision  of the  Company  Charter or the Company  By-laws,  each as amended to
date. The Company does not have any direct or indirect subsidiaries or any other
equity  interest in any other firm,  corporation,  partnership,  joint  venture,
association or other business organization.

         2.2  Capitalization.  The  authorized  capital  stock  of  the  Company
consists of: (a) Eleven Million,  Nine Hundred Thousand  (11,900,000)  shares of
Company Common Stock,  of which 44,002 shares are issued and  outstanding and no
shares are held in the  treasury  of the  Company;  and (b) Eight  Million,  One
Hundred  Thousand  (8,100,000)  shares  of  preferred  stock,  of which  (i) Six
Million,  Two Hundred Thousand (6,200,000) shares have been designated as Series
A  Convertible  Preferred  Stock,  of which  5,814,825  shares  are  issued  and
outstanding,  and (ii) One Million,  Nine Hundred Thousand (1,900,000) have been
designated as Series B Convertible  Preferred  Stock, of which 1,551,111  shares
are issued and outstanding.  Section 2.2 of the Disclosure Schedule sets forth a
complete and accurate list of: (a) all  stockholders of the Company,  indicating
the type and  number of Company  Shares  held by each  stockholder;  and (b) all
holders  of  Options  and  Warrants,  indicating  the type and number of Company
Shares subject to each Option and Warrant and the exercise price thereof. All of
the Options and Warrants  have been  granted  pursuant to a form of agreement or
other  instrument  previously  provided  to the  Buyer.  All of the  issued  and
outstanding  Company  Shares are, and all Company Shares that may be issued upon
exercise of Options and Warrants will be, duly authorized, validly issued, fully
paid,  nonassessable and free of all preemptive rights. There are no declared or
accrued but unpaid  dividends with regard to any issued and outstanding  Company
Shares.  Holders  of issued and  outstanding  Company  Shares  have no basis for
asserting rights to rescind the purchase of any such Company Shares.  Other than
the  Options and  Warrants,  there are no  outstanding  or  authorized  options,
warrants,  rights,  calls,  agreements or  commitments to which the Company is a
party  or which  are  binding  upon  the  Company  providing  for the  issuance,
disposition or acquisition of any of its capital stock. There are no outstanding
or authorized stock  appreciation,  phantom stock or similar rights with respect
to  the  Company.   There  are  no  agreements,   voting  trusts,   proxies,  or
understandings  with respect to the voting, or registration under the Securities
Act,  of any  Company  Shares:  (a)  between or among the Company and any of its
stockholders;  and (b) to the Company's  knowledge,  between or among any of the
Company's  stockholders.  All of the issued and outstanding  Company Shares were
issued in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws.

                                       11
<PAGE>

         2.3  Authorization of Transaction.  The Company has the corporate power
and  authority  to  execute  and  deliver  this  Agreement  and to  perform  its
obligations hereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and, subject
to the adoption of this  Agreement  and the approval of the Merger by a majority
of the votes  represented by the outstanding  Company Shares entitled to vote on
this  Agreement  and the  Merger,  including  the  approval  of the holders of a
majority  of the  shares  of Series B  Convertible  Preferred  Stock,  voting in
accordance  with the DGCL and the Company  Charter (the  "Requisite  Stockholder
Approval"),   the   performance  by  the  Company  of  this  Agreement  and  the
consummation by the Company of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby have been
duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the
Company.  This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the
Company and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by the Buyer
and the Merger Sub,  constitutes a valid and binding  obligation of the Company,
enforceable  against  the  Company  in  accordance  with its  terms,  except  as
enforcement may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium
or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors'  rights generally,
and except that the  availability  of  equitable  remedies,  including  specific
performance,  is  subject  to the  discretion  of the  court  before  which  any
proceeding therefor may be brought.

         2.4  Noncontravention.   Subject  to  compliance  with  the  applicable
requirements of the Securities Act and any applicable  state securities laws and
the filing of the  Certificate  of Merger as required  by the DGCL,  neither the
execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company, nor the consummation by
the Company of the transactions  contemplated  hereby, will (a) conflict with or
violate any provision of the Company Charter or the Company By-laws, (b) require
on the part of the  Company  any  filing  with,  or any  permit,  authorization,
consent or approval of, any court, arbitrational tribunal, administrative agency
or  commission  or other  governmental  or  regulatory  authority  or  agency (a
"Governmental  Entity"),  (c) conflict with,  result in a breach of,  constitute
(with or without due notice or lapse of time or both) a default under, result in
the  acceleration  of, create in any party the right to  accelerate,  terminate,
modify or cancel, or require any notice,  consent or waiver under, any contract,
lease, sublease, license, sublicense, franchise, permit, indenture, agreement or
mortgage for borrowed money,  instrument of indebtedness,  Security Interest (as
defined below) or other  arrangement to which the Company is a party or by which
the Company is bound or to which any of their  assets is subject,  (d) result in
the  imposition  of any Security  Interest upon any assets of the Company or (e)
violate  any  order,  writ,  injunction,  decree,  statute,  rule or  regulation
applicable to the Company, any of its properties or assets. For purposes of this
Agreement,  "Security Interest" means any mortgage,  pledge,  security interest,
encumbrance,  charge, or other lien (whether arising by contract or by operation
of law),  other than: (i)  mechanic's,  materialmen's,  and similar liens;  (ii)
liens  arising  under  worker's  compensation,  unemployment  insurance,  social
security,  retirement,  and  similar  legislation;  and (iii)  liens on goods in
transit incurred pursuant to documentary letters of credit, in each case arising
in the  ordinary  course of business  consistent  with past custom and  practice
(including with respect to frequency and amount) ("Ordinary Course of Business")
of the Company and not material to the Company.

                                       12
<PAGE>

         2.5      [Intentionally Omitted].

         2.6      Financial Statements.

                  (a) The  Company has  provided  to the Buyer:  (i) the audited
balance sheets and statements of operations, changes in stockholders' equity and
cash flows for each of the last three fiscal years for the Company; and (ii) the
unaudited balance sheet,  statement of operations and statement of cash flows as
of and for the month and  eight-month  period  ended as of August 31,  1997 (the
"Most Recent  Fiscal Month End"),  as set forth on Schedule  2.6. As of the Most
Recent Fiscal Month End, the Company has a net worth  (assets less  liabilities)
of at least  $74,000 and a  non-negative  balance of cash and cash  equivalents.
Such financial statements  (collectively,  the "Financial Statements") have been
prepared  in  accordance  with  United  States  generally  accepted   accounting
principles ("GAAP") applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered
thereby, fairly present the financial condition,  results of operations and cash
flows of the  Company as of the  respective  dates  thereof  and for the periods
referred  to  therein  and are  consistent  with the  books and  records  of the
Company, provided,  however, that the Financial Statements referred to in clause
(ii) above are subject to normal recurring year-end  adjustments (which will not
in the aggregate be material) and do not include footnotes.

                  (b) The  Company has  provided  the Buyer with its most recent
business  plan and the budgeted  operating  results for the year January 1, 1997
through December 31, 1997 (the "Budget"). As of the date hereof, the prospective
financial  information  set forth in the Budget for the  calendar  quarters  and
months of July 1, 1997  through  December  31,  1997  (the  "Forecast  Period"),
represents the Company's best  estimates of the most likely  expected  operating
results for the Forecast  Period.  The Company knows of no  information  or fact
that has or would have a material  adverse  effect on the  business or condition
(financial or otherwise) of the Company that has not been disclosed to the Buyer
in writing.  The budget and financial  projections  for the Forecast Period were
prepared  with due care based on  management's  most  reasonable  estimates  and
assumptions  at the time the budget was prepared and as of the Closing Date, the
Company  knows of no material  adverse  event that has occurred that would cause
the Company's  management to change the assumptions and estimates underlying the
budget.

                                       13
<PAGE>

         2.7 Absence of Certain Changes.  Since August 31, 1997, the Company has
conducted its business in the ordinary course  consistent with past practice and
there has not  occurred:  (a) any  change,  event or  condition  (whether or not
covered by insurance)  that has resulted in, or might  reasonably be expected to
result  in any  material  adverse  change  in the  assets,  business,  financial
condition or results of operations  of the Company;  and (b) the Company has not
taken any of the actions set forth in paragraphs (a) through (q) of Section 4.5.

         2.8  Undisclosed  Liabilities.  The Company has no  liability,  whether
liquidated or  unliquidated  and whether due or to become due),  except for: (a)
liabilities  accrued  or  reserved  against  the  August  31,  1997,   unaudited
consolidated  balance sheet of the Company  ("Most Recent Balance  Sheet");  (b)
liabilities  which have arisen since August 31, 1997, in the Ordinary  Course of
Business  and which are  similar in nature and amount to the  liabilities  which
arose during the comparable  period of time in the immediately  preceding fiscal
period; (c) contractual or statutory liabilities incurred in the Ordinary Course
of Business which are consistent with past practice and are not required by GAAP
to be  reflected  on a  balance  sheet;  (d) up to an  aggregate  of  $1,000,000
incurred in connection  with the  preparation and execution of the Agreement and
in anticipation of the Merger for legal, accounting, investment banking fees and
expenses and  transition  costs  related to severance  payments to key employees
necessary to  transition  the Company's  business to the Buyer (the  "Transition
Costs") (the Transition Costs, with the other merger expenses, collectively, the
"Transaction  Costs");  and (e) liabilities  adequately  reserved against as set
forth on Schedule 2.8.

         2.9      Tax Matters.

                  (a) The Company has filed all material Tax Returns (as defined
below) that it was  required to file and all such Tax Returns  were  correct and
complete in all  material  respects.  The Company has paid or will pay all Taxes
(as defined  below) due on or before the  Closing  Date,  regardless  of whether
shown on any such Tax Returns,  except such as are being contested in good faith
by appropriate proceedings (to the extent any such proceedings are required) and
with  respect to which the Company is  maintaining  reserves  adequate for their
payment. The accrued but unpaid Taxes of the Company for tax periods through the
date of the Most Recent  Balance  Sheet do not exceed the  accruals and reserves
for Taxes set forth on the Most Recent Balance Sheet. All Taxes  attributable to
the period  January 1, 1997,  through the Closing Date are  attributable  to the
conduct by the Company of its  operations in the Ordinary  Course of Business or
to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The Company has no actual or
potential  liability for any Tax obligation of any taxpayer  (including  without
limitation any affiliated  group of corporations or other entities that included
the Company  during a prior period)  other than the Company.  All Taxes that the
Company is or was required by law to withhold or collect have been duly withheld
or  collected  and,  to the  extent  required,  have  been  paid  to the  proper
Governmental Entity.

                                       14
<PAGE>

     (i) For purposes of this Agreement, "Taxes" means all taxes, charges, fees,
levies or other similar assessments or liabilities, including without limitation
income, gross receipts, ad valorem, premium, value-added, excise, real property,
personal property, sales, use, transfer,  withholding,  employment,  payroll and
franchise  taxes imposed by the United States of America or any state,  local or
foreign government, or any agency thereof, or other political subdivision of the
United  States  or any such  government,  and any  interest,  fines,  penalties,
assessments or additions to tax resulting  from,  attributable to or incurred in
connection  with any tax or any  contest or dispute  thereof  and any amounts of
Taxes of another  person that the Company is liable to pay by law or  otherwise.
The  jurisdictions in which the Company has incurred Taxes in the past three (3)
years are set forth on Schedule 2.9(i).

     (ii) For  purposes of this  Agreement,  "Tax  Returns"  means all  reports,
returns,  declarations,  statements or other information required to be supplied
to a taxing authority in connection with Taxes.
                       
     (iii) For purposes of  determining  the amount of Taxes  attributable  to a
specified  period  (e.g.,  the period from the date of the Most  Recent  Balance
Sheet  through  the Closing  Date)  other than a Tax  Period,  each Tax shall be
computed as if the  specified  period were a Tax  Period.  For  purposes of this
sub-paragraph  (iii), a Tax Period means a period for which a Tax is required to
be computed under applicable statutes and regulations.

                  (b)  The  Company  has  delivered  to the  Buyer  correct  and
complete  copies of all  federal  income Tax  Returns,  examination  reports and
statements of deficiencies  assessed  against or agreed to by any of the Company
since  December 31, 1993. The federal income Tax Returns of the Company have not
been audited by the Internal Revenue Service. No examination or audit of any Tax
Returns of the Company by any  Governmental  Entity is, to the  knowledge of the
Company,  currently in progress or, threatened or contemplated.  The Company has
not waived  any  statute of  limitations  with  respect to taxes or agreed to an
extension of time with respect to a tax assessment or deficiency is currently in
effect with respect to Taxes of the Company.

                  (c) The Company is not a "consenting  corporation"  within the
meaning of Section  341(f) of the Code and none of the assets of the Company are
subject to an election  under  Section  341(f) of the Code.  The Company has not
been a United States real  property  holding  corporation  within the meaning of
Section  897(c)(2) of the Code during the applicable period specified in Section
897(c)(l)(A)(ii)  of the Code.  The Company is not a party to any Tax allocation
or sharing agreements.

                  (d) The  Company  is not and has  never  been a  member  of an
"affiliated  group" (other than the common parent) of  corporations  (within the
meaning of Section 1504 of the Code).

                                       15
<PAGE>

         2.10     Assets.

                  (a) The  Company  has good and  marketable  title or has valid
leasehold  interests  to all  its  tangible  assets.  No  asset  of the  Company
(tangible or intangible) is subject to any Security Interest.

                  (b)  Subject  to any  reserves  set  forth  in  the  Financial
Statements,  the accounts receivable shown on the Financial Statements represent
and will represent bona fide claims against debtors for sales and other charges,
and are not subject to  discount  except for normal  cash and  immaterial  trade
discounts.  The amount carried for doubtful accounts and allowances disclosed in
the  Financial  Statements  is sufficient to provide for any losses which may be
sustained on reevaluation of the receivables.

         2.11 Owned Real Property. The Company does not own any real property.

         2.12     Intellectual Property.

                  (a) The Company  owns,  or is licensed or otherwise  possesses
legally enforceable rights to use, all patents, trademarks, trade names, service
marks,  copyrights,  and any  applications for such patents,  trademarks,  trade
names,  service marks and  copyrights,  and all patent  rights,  trade  secrets,
schematics, technology, know-how, computer software programs or applications and
tangible  or  intangible  proprietary  information  or  material  (collectively,
"Intellectual  Property")  that are used to conduct its  business  as  currently
conducted.  The Company has taken adequate  measures to protect the  proprietary
nature of each item of Intellectual  Property, and to maintain in confidence all
trade secrets and confidential information that it owns or uses.

          (i) Section  2.12(a)(i) of the  Disclosure  Schedule lists all patents
     and patent applications and all trademarks,  registered  copyrights,  trade
     names and  service  marks  owned by the  Company  and which are used in the
     business of the Company,  including  the  jurisdictions  in which each such
     Intellectual  Property  right has been issued or registered or in which any
     such application for such issuance or registration has been filed.

          (ii) Section  2.12(a)(ii) of the Disclosure Schedule lists all written
     licenses,  sublicenses and other agreements to which the Company is a party
     and  pursuant  to which any person is  authorized  to use any  Intellectual
     Property rights,  except such non-material  licenses,  sublicenses or other
     agreements  with  end-users  that have been  entered  into in the  Ordinary
     Course  of  Business  and  grant  non-exclusive  rights  to  use a  Company
     products.

          (iii)  Section  2.12(a)(iii)  of the  Disclosure  Schedule  lists  all
     written licenses,  sublicenses and other agreements as to which the Company
     is a party and pursuant to which the Company is authorized to use any third
     party patents, patent rights,  trademarks,  service marks, trade secrets or
     copyrights, excluding non-material end-user licenses granted to the Company
     in the Ordinary Course of Business that permit the use of software products
     without a right to modify, distribute or sublicense the same, but including
     software ("Third Party Intellectual Property Rights") which are used in the
     business  of the  Company or which form a part of any  existing  product or
     service of the Company, including,  without limitation, the products in the
     Stalker Series and WebStalker series.

                                       16
<PAGE>

          (iv) Section  2.12(a)(iv) of the Disclosure Schedule lists all written
     agreements  or other  arrangements  under which the Company has provided or
     agreed to provide  source code of any Company  products to any third party,
     except  for  software   development  kits  provided  to  agent  integration
     providers.

         The Company has made available to the Buyer correct and complete copies
of all such patents,  registrations,  applications,  licenses,  sublicenses  and
agreements  as amended to date.  The Company is a not party to any oral license,
sublicense or agreement  which, if reduced to written form, would be required to
be listed in Section  2.12 of the  Disclosure  Schedule  under the terms of this
Section 2.12(a).

                  (b) With respect to each item of  Intellectual  Property  that
the Company owns: (i) subject to such rights as have been granted by the Company
under  license  agreements  entered  into by the  Company  (copies of which have
previously been made available to the Buyer),  the Company  possesses all right,
title and interest in and to such item; and (ii) such item is not subject to any
outstanding judgment, order, decree, stipulation or injunction.  With respect to
each  item of  Third  Party  Intellectual  Property  Rights:  (i)  the  license,
sublicense  or other  agreement  covering  such item is legal,  valid,  binding,
enforceable  and in full force and effect  with  respect  to the  Company  party
thereto,  and to the Company's knowledge is legal, valid,  binding,  enforceable
and in full force and effect with respect to each other party thereto; (ii) such
license,  sublicense  or other  agreement  will  continue  to be  legal,  valid,
binding,  enforceable  and in full force and effect  immediately  following  the
Closing in accordance  with the terms thereof as in effect prior to the Closing;
(iii) the  Company  is not in  breach or  default  under,  and to the  Company's
knowledge  no other  party is in breach or default  under,  any such  license or
other  agreement  and, to the Company's  knowledge,  no event has occurred which
with  notice or lapse of time  would  constitute  a breach or  default or permit
termination,  modification or acceleration thereunder;  (iv) the underlying item
of Third Party Intellectual Property is not subject to any outstanding judgment,
order, decree,  stipulation or injunction to which the Company is a party or has
been  specifically  named, nor to the Company's  knowledge  subject to any other
outstanding  judgment,  order, decree,  stipulation,  or injunction;  and (v) no
license or other fee is payable upon any transfer or assignment of such license,
sublicense or other agreement.

                  (c) Except as set forth in Section  2.12(c) of the  Disclosure
Schedule,  the Company: (i) has not been named in any suit, action or proceeding
which involves a claim of infringement or  misappropriation  of any Intellectual
Property right of any third party;  and (ii) has not received any written notice
alleging any such claim of  infringement  or  misappropriation.  The Company has
made  available  to the Buyer  correct  and  complete  copies of all such suits,
actions  or  proceedings  or written  notices  to the extent the  Company is not
prohibited  from  disclosing  the  same  under  applicable  court  orders.   The
manufacturing,  marketing,  licensing or sale of the products or  performance of
the service  offerings of the Company do not  currently  infringe,  and have not
within the five (5) years  prior to the date of this  Agreement  infringed,  any
Intellectual  Property  right of any third  party;  and to the  knowledge of the
Company, the Intellectual Property rights of the Company are not being infringed
by activities, products or services of any third party.

                                       17
<PAGE>

         2.13 Real  Property  Leases.  Section 2.13 of the  Disclosure  Schedule
lists all real  property  leased or subleased  to the  Company.  The Company has
delivered to the Buyer  correct and complete  copies of the leases and subleases
(as amended to date) listed in Section  2.13 of the  Disclosure  Schedule.  With
respect to each lease and  sublease  listed in  Section  2.13 of the  Disclosure
Schedule:

     (a) the lease or sublease is legal, valid, binding, enforceable and in full
force  and  effect  with  respect  to the  Company  and will  continue  to be so
following the Closing in accordance with the terms thereof as in effect prior to
the Closing;

     (b) the  Company  is not in  breach  or  default  under  any such  lease or
sublease and no event has occurred  which,  with notice or lapse of time,  would
constitute  a  breach  or  default  or  permit  termination,   modification,  or
acceleration thereunder;

     (c) there are no  disputes,  oral  agreements  or  forbearance  programs in
effect as to the lease or sublease; and

     (d) the Company has not assigned, transferred,  conveyed, mortgaged, deeded
in trust or encumbered any interest in the leasehold or subleasehold.

     2.14 Contracts. Section 2.14 of the Disclosure Schedule lists the following
written arrangements to which the Company is a party:

     (a) any written  arrangement for the lease of personal  property from or to
third parties providing for lease payments in excess of $15,000 per annum;

     (b) any written  arrangement for the licensing or distribution of software,
products  or  other  personal  property  or for the  furnishing  or  receipt  of
services:  (i) which calls for performance  over a period of more than one year;
(ii) which involves more than the sum of $15,000;  or (iii) in which the Company
has granted rights to license, sublicense or copy, "most favored nation" pricing
provisions  or  exclusive  marketing  or  distribution  rights  relating  to any
products or territory  or has agreed to purchase a minimum  quantity of goods or
services or has agreed to purchase goods or services  exclusively from a certain
party;

     (c) any written arrangement establishing a partnership or joint venture;



                                       18
<PAGE>

     (d) any  written  arrangement  (or group of related  written  arrangements)
under which it has created,  incurred,  assumed,  or guaranteed  (or may create,
incur,  assume,  or  guarantee)   indebtedness   (including   capitalized  lease
obligations)  involving  more than $15,000 or under which it has imposed (or may
impose) a Security Interest on any of its assets, tangible or intangible;

     (e) any written arrangement concerning confidentiality or noncompetition;

     (f) any written  arrangement with any of the Company  Stockholders or their
affiliates,  as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the "Exchange Act") ("Affiliates");

     (g) any written  arrangement  under which the  consequences of a default or
termination  could  have a  material  adverse  effect on the  assets,  business,
financial condition, results of operations or future prospects of the Company;

     (h) any other written  arrangement  including those not entered into in the
Ordinary Course of Business involving more than $15,000;

     (i)  other  than  arrangements  pursuant  to the  Company's  standard  form
maintenance and/or support agreement, the form of which has been provided to the
Buyer, any written  arrangement under which the Company provides  maintenance or
support  services to any third party with regard to the  Company's  products and
any  written  arrangement  containing  a  commitment  by the  Company to provide
support  for any  such  products  for more  than one year  from the date of this
Agreement; and

     (j) any written  arrangement  by which the Company agrees to make available
any Stalker series, WebStalker series or other product.

     The Company has  delivered to the Buyer a correct and complete copy of each
written  arrangement  (as  amended  to  date)  listed  in  Section  2.14  of the
Disclosure Schedule. With respect to each written arrangement so listed: (i) the
written arrangement is legal,  valid,  binding and enforceable and in full force
and effect with  respect to the  Company  and, to the  Company's  knowledge  the
written  arrangement is legal,  valid,  binding and is  enforceable  and in full
force and effect with respect to each other party thereto, except as enforcement
may be limited by bankruptcy,  insolvency,  reorganization,  moratorium or other
similar laws  effecting the  enforcement  of creditors'  rights  generally,  and
except  that  the  availability  of  equitable   remedies,   including  specific
performance,  is  subject  to the  discretion  of the  court  before  which  any
proceedings therefor may be brought;  (ii) the written arrangement will continue
to be legal,  valid,  binding  and  enforceable  and in full  force  and  effect
immediately  following  the Closing in  accordance  with the terms thereof as in
effect prior to the Closing and does not require the consent of any party to the
transactions  contemplated  hereby;  and (iii) the  Company  is not in breach or
default,  to the  Company's  knowledge,  no other party  thereto is in breach or
default,  and no event has  occurred  which,  with notice or lapse of time would
constitute  a  breach  or  default  or  permit  termination,   modification,  or
acceleration,  under the written arrangement.  The Company is not a party to any
oral contract, agreement or other arrangement which, if reduced to written form,
would be required to be listed in Section 2.14 of the Disclosure  Schedule under
the terms of this Section 2.14.

                                       19
<PAGE>

         2.15     Powers  of  Attorney.  There are no  outstanding  powers of
attorney  executed  on behalf of the Company.

         2.16     Insurance.

                  (a)  Section  2.16  of  the  Disclosure  Schedule  lists  each
insurance policy (including fire, theft,  casualty,  general liability,  workers
compensation,  business  interruption,   environmental,  product  liability  and
automobile  insurance  policies and bond and surety  arrangements)  to which the
Company is a party, a named insured, or otherwise the beneficiary of coverage at
any time within the past year.  Section 2.16 of the  Disclosure  Schedule  lists
each person or entity required to be listed as an additional  insured under each
such policy.  Each such policy is in full force and effect and will  continue to
be in full force and effect following the Closing.

                  (b) The  Company is not in breach or default  (including  with
respect to the payment of premiums or the giving of notices)  under such policy,
and no event  has  occurred  which,  with  notice  or the  lapse of time,  would
constitute  such a breach or  default  or permit  termination,  modification  or
acceleration,  under such  policy;  and the Company has not  received any notice
from the insurer  disclaiming  coverage or  reserving  rights with  respect to a
particular  claim or such policy in general.  The Company has not  incurred  any
loss,  damage,  expense or liability  covered by any such  insurance  policy for
which it has not  properly  asserted a claim under such  policy.  The Company is
covered  by  insurance  in scope and amount  customary  and  reasonable  for the
businesses in which it is engaged.

         2.17     Litigation.

                  (a) Section 2.17(a) of the Disclosure Schedule identifies, and
contains  a  description  of:  (i)  any  unsatisfied  judgment,  order,  decree,
stipulation  or  injunction;  and  (ii)  any  claim,  complaint,  action,  suit,
proceeding,  hearing or investigation of or in any Governmental Entity or before
any arbitrator to which the Company, any officer, director, employee or agent of
the  Company is or was (for the five (5) years prior to and  including  the date
hereof) a party or, to the knowledge of the Company,  is threatened to be made a
party.  Other than as set forth in Section  2.17(a) of the Disclosure  Schedule,
none  of  the   complaints,   actions,   suits,   proceedings,   hearings,   and
investigations  set forth in Section  2.17(a)  of the  Disclosure  Schedule,  if
determined adversely to the Company, could have a Material Adverse Effect on the
Company.

                                       20
<PAGE>

                  (b) Section 2.17(b) of the Disclosure  Schedule identifies any
agreement or other document or instrument settling any claim, complaint, action,
suit or other proceeding, or a threat of any such claim, complaint, action, suit
or other  proceeding,  against the Company  that has arisen  during the five (5)
year period prior to and including the date hereof.

         2.18 Employees. Section 2.18 of the Disclosure Schedule contains a list
of all employees of the Company,  along with the position and the annual rate of
compensation  of each  such  person.  Each  such  employee  has  entered  into a
confidentiality/assignment  of inventions  agreement with the Company, a copy of
which has previously been delivered to the Buyer. To the Company's knowledge, no
key employee or group of employees  has any plans to terminate  employment  with
the Company. The Company is not a party to or bound by any collective bargaining
agreement,  nor has it  experienced  any strikes,  grievances,  claims of unfair
labor  practices or other  collective  bargaining  disputes.  The Company has no
knowledge of any organizational  effort made or threatened,  either currently or
within the past two years,  by or on behalf of any labor  union with  respect to
employees  of the  Company.  To  the  Company's  knowledge,  the  Company  is in
compliance  in all material  respects  with all  currently  applicable  laws and
regulations  respecting  discrimination  in employment,  terms and conditions of
employment,  wages,  hours and  occupational  safety,  and is not engaged in any
unfair labor practice. There are no pending claims against the Company under any
workers compensation plan or policy or for long term disability. The Company has
no material  obligations  under COBRA with  respect to any former  employees  or
beneficiaries thereunder.  There are no proceedings pending or, to the knowledge
of the  Company,  threatened,  between  the  Company  and its  employees,  which
proceedings  have or could  reasonably  be expected  to have a Material  Adverse
Effect on the Company. In addition,  the Company has provided all employees with
all relocation benefits,  stock options,  bonuses and incentives,  and all other
compensation that such employee has earned up through the date of this Agreement
or that such employee was otherwise promised in their employment agreements with
the Company.


                                       21
<PAGE>


         2.19     Employee Benefits.

                  (a)  Section  2.19(a) of the  Disclosure  Schedule  contains a
complete and  accurate  list of all Employee  Benefit  Plans (as defined  below)
maintained,  or  contributed  to, by the  Company,  or any ERISA  Affiliate  (as
defined below).  For purposes of this Agreement,  "Employee  Benefit Plan" means
any "employee  pension benefit plan" (as defined in Section 3(2) of the Employee
Retirement  Income  Security Act of 1974, as amended  ("ERISA")),  any "employee
welfare  benefit  plan" (as  defined  in Section  3(1) of ERISA),  and any other
written or oral plan,  agreement  or  arrangement  involving  direct or indirect
compensation,   including  without  limitation,  insurance  coverage,  severance
benefits,  disability benefits,  deferred compensation,  bonuses, stock options,
stock purchase,  phantom stock,  stock  appreciation or other forms of incentive
compensation or  post-retirement  compensation.  For purposes of this Agreement,
"ERISA  Affiliate" means any entity which is a member of: (i) a controlled group
of  corporations  (as  defined in Section  414(b) of the Code);  (ii) a group of
trades or businesses  under common  control (as defined in Section 414(c) of the
Code); or (iii) an affiliated  service group (as defined under Section 414(m) of
the Code or the  regulations  under  Section  414(o) of the Code),  any of which
includes the Company.  Complete and accurate copies of: (i) all Employee Benefit
Plans  which  have been  reduced  to  writing;  (ii)  written  summaries  of all
unwritten Employee Benefit Plans; (iii) all related trust agreements,  insurance
contracts and summary plan  descriptions;  and (iv) all annual  reports filed on
IRS Form 5500,  5500C or 5500R for the last [three] plan years for each Employee
Benefit Plan, have been delivered to the Buyer.  Each Employee  Benefit Plan has
been administered in all material respects in accordance with its terms and each
of the Company and the ERISA  Affiliates has met its obligations with respect to
such Employee Benefit Plan and has made all required  contributions thereto. The
Company  and all  Employee  Benefit  Plans  are in  compliance  in all  material
respects with the currently applicable  provisions of ERISA and the Code and the
regulations thereunder.

                  (b) There are no  investigations  by any Governmental  Entity,
termination  proceedings or other claims (except claims for benefits  payable in
the normal  operation of the Employee Benefit Plans and proceedings with respect
to  qualified  domestic  relations  orders),  suits or  proceedings  against  or
involving  any  Employee  Benefit  Plan or  asserting  any  rights  or claims to
benefits under any Employee Benefit Plan that could give rise to any liability.

                  (c) All the  Employee  Benefit  Plans that are  intended to be
qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code have received  determination  letters
from the Internal Revenue Service to the effect that such Employee Benefit Plans
are  qualified  and the plans and the trusts  related  thereto  are exempt  from
federal  income taxes under  Sections  401(a) and 501(a),  respectively,  of the
Code, no such determination  letter has been revoked and revocation has not been
threatened, and no such Employee Benefit Plan has been amended since the date of
its most recent determination letter or application therefor in any respect, and
no act or omission has occurred,  that would adversely affect its  qualification
or materially increase its cost.

                                       22
<PAGE>

                  (d)  Neither  the  Company  nor any ERISA  Affiliate  has ever
maintained an Employee  Benefit Plan subject to Section 412 of the Code or Title
IV of ERISA.

                  (e) At no time has the  Company  or any ERISA  Affiliate  been
obligated  to  contribute  to any  "multi-employer  plan" (as defined in Section
4001(a)(3) of ERISA).

                  (f)  There are no  unfunded  obligations  under  any  Employee
Benefit Plan providing  benefits after termination of employment to any employee
of the Company (or to any beneficiary of any such  employee),  including but not
limited to retiree  health  coverage and deferred  compensation,  but  excluding
continuation of health coverage  required to be continued under Section 4980B of
the Code and insurance conversion privileges under state law.

                  (g) No act or omission has  occurred  and no condition  exists
with respect to any Employee Benefit Plan maintained by the Company or any ERISA
Affiliate  that would  subject the Company or any ERISA  Affiliate  to any fine,
penalty, tax or liability of any kind imposed under ERISA or the Code.

                  (h) No Employee Benefit Plan is funded by, associated with, or
related to a "voluntary employee's  beneficiary  association" within the meaning
of Section 501(c)(9) of the Code.

                  (i) No Employee Benefit Plan, plan documentation or agreement,
summary plan description or other written communication distributed generally to
employees by its terms  prohibits the Company from amending or  terminating  any
such Employee Benefit Plan.

                  (j) Section 2.19(j) of the Disclosure Schedule discloses each:
(i) agreement with any director,  executive officer or other key employee of the
Company  (A) the  benefits  of which are  contingent,  or the terms of which are
altered,  upon the  occurrence  of a  transaction  involving  the Company of the
nature of any of the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement, (B) providing
any term of employment  or  compensation  guarantee or (C)  providing  severance
benefits or other benefits after the termination of employment of such director,
executive  officer or key employee;  (ii) agreement,  plan or arrangement  under
which any person may receive  payments  from the Company  that may be subject to
the tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code or included in the  determination of
such person's  "parachute  payment"  under  Section 280G of the Code;  and (iii)
agreement or plan binding the Company,  including  without  limitation any stock
option  plan,  stock  appreciation  right plan,  restricted  stock  plan,  stock
purchase plan,  severance benefit plan, or any Employee Benefit Plan, any of the
benefits of which will be  increased,  or the  vesting of the  benefits of which
will be accelerated,  by the occurrence of any of the transactions  contemplated
by  this  Agreement  or the  value  of any of the  benefits  of  which  will  be
calculated  on  the  basis  of  any of the  transactions  contemplated  by  this
Agreement.

                                       23
<PAGE>

         2.20     Environmental Matters.

                  (a) The Company has complied with all applicable Environmental
Laws (as defined  below).  There is no pending or  threatened  civil or criminal
litigation,  written notice of violation,  formal administrative  proceeding, or
investigation,  inquiry  or  information  request  by any  Governmental  Entity,
relating to any  Environmental  Law involving the Company.  For purposes of this
Agreement,  "Environmental Law" means any federal,  state or local law, statute,
rule or regulation or the common law relating to the environment or occupational
health and safety, including without limitation any statute, regulation or order
pertaining to: (i) treatment,  storage, disposal,  generation and transportation
of industrial,  toxic or hazardous  substances or solid or hazardous waste; (ii)
air, water and noise pollution;  (iii) groundwater and soil contamination;  (iv)
the release or threatened  release into the environment of industrial,  toxic or
hazardous substances,  or solid or hazardous waste, including without limitation
emissions,  discharges,  injections,  spills,  escapes or dumping of pollutants,
contaminants or chemicals;  (v) the protection of wild life, marine  sanctuaries
and  wetlands,  including  without  limitation  all  endangered  and  threatened
species; (vi) storage tanks, vessels and containers; (vii) underground and other
storage tanks or vessels,  abandoned,  disposed or discarded barrels, containers
and other closed  receptacles;  (viii)  health and safety of employees and other
persons;  and  (ix)  manufacture,  processing,  use,  distribution,   treatment,
storage,  disposal,  transportation  or  handling of  pollutants,  contaminants,
chemicals  or  industrial,  toxic or  hazardous  substances  or oil or petroleum
products or solid or hazardous  waste.  As used above,  the terms  "release" and
"environment"  shall have the  meaning  set forth in the  federal  Comprehensive
Environmental Compensation, Liability and Response Act of 1980 ("CERCLA").

                  (b)  There  have  been  no  releases  of  any   Materials   of
Environmental  Concern (as defined below) into the  environment at any parcel of
real property or any facility when leased, operated or controlled by the Company
or a Subsidiary.  The Company is not aware of any other releases of Materials of
Environmental Concern that could reasonably be expected to have an impact on the
real  property or facilities  owned,  operated or controlled by the Company or a
Subsidiary. For purposes of this Agreement, "Materials of Environmental Concern"
means any chemicals,  pollutants or contaminants,  hazardous substances (as such
term is defined under CERCLA),  solid wastes and hazardous wastes (as such terms
are defined under the federal  Resources  Conservation  and Recovery Act), toxic
materials,  oil or  petroleum  and  petroleum  products,  or any other  material
subject to regulation under any Environmental Law.

                  (c) Set forth in Section 2.20(c) of the Disclosure Schedule is
a list of all  environmental  reports,  investigations  and audits  relating  to
premises  currently  or  previously  leased or operated by the Company  (whether
conducted by or on behalf of the Company or a third  party,  and whether done at
the  initiative  of the Company or directed  by a  Governmental  Entity or other
third party) which were issued or conducted during the past five years and which
the Company has possession of or access to. Complete and accurate copies of each
such  report,  or the  results of each such  investigation  or audit,  have been
provided to the Buyer.

                                       24
<PAGE>

         2.21 Legal Compliance; Restrictions on Business Activities. The Company
and the conduct and  operations of its business are in compliance  with each law
(including  rules and regulations  thereunder) of any federal,  state,  local or
foreign government,  or any Governmental Entity, which (a) affects or relates to
this Agreement or the transactions  contemplated  hereby or (b) is applicable to
the Company or  business,  except for any  violation  of or default  under a law
referred to in clause (b) above which may  reasonably  be expected not to have a
Material  Adverse  Effect  on the  Company.  There  is no  agreement,  judgment,
injunction,  order  or  decree  binding  upon  the  Company  which  has or could
reasonably be expected to have the effect of prohibiting or materially impairing
any current or future  business  practice of the  Company , any  acquisition  of
property of the  Company or the conduct of business by the Company as  currently
conducted.

         2.22 Permits.  The Company possesses all material  consents,  licenses,
permits,  grants or other authorizations issued to the Company by a Governmental
Entity:  (a)  pursuant  to which the  Company  currently  operates  or holds any
interest in any of its properties; or (b) which is required for the operation of
its business or the holding of any such interest (collectively,  the "Permits"),
which Permits are in full force and effect and constitute  all Permits  required
to permit the Company to operate or conduct its business or hold any interest in
its property or assets.

          2.23 Certain Business  Relationships  With Affiliates.  No Affiliate
of the Company: (a) owns any property or right,  tangible or intangible, which
is used in the business of the Company; (b) has any claim or cause of action
against the Company;  or (c) owes any money to the Company.  Section 2.23 of the
Disclosure Schedule describes any transactions or relationships between the
Company and any  Affiliate  thereof  which are reflected in the statements of
operations  of  the  Company included  in  the  Financial Statements.

         2.24  Fees.  Except as  disclosed  in  Section  2.24 of the  Disclosure
Schedule,  the  Company  has no  liability  or  obligation  to pay  any  fees or
commissions to any broker, investment banking firm, finder or agent with respect
to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

         2.25 Books and Records.  The minute books and other similar  records of
the  Company  contain  true and  complete  records of all  actions  taken at any
meetings of the  Company's  stockholders,  Board of Directors  or any  committee
thereof and of all written consents  executed in lieu of the holding of any such
meeting. The books and records of the Company accurately reflect in all material
respects the assets, liabilities,  business,  financial condition and results of
operations  of the  Company and have been  maintained  in  accordance  with good
business and bookkeeping practices.

         2.26  Company  Action.  The Board of  Directors  of the  Company,  at a
meeting duly called and held, has by the unanimous  vote of all  directors:  (a)
determined  that the Merger is fair and in the best interests of the Company and
its  stockholders;  (b) adopted this Agreement in accordance with the provisions
of the DGCL; and (c) directed that this Agreement and the Merger be submitted to
the  Company  Stockholders  for their  adoption  and  approval  and  resolved to
recommend  that  Company  Stockholders  vote in  favor of the  adoption  of this
Agreement and the approval of the Merger.

                                       25
<PAGE>

         2.27 Customers and Suppliers.  As of the date hereof, no customer which
individually  accounted for more than 5% of the Company's  gross revenues during
the 12 month period preceding the date hereof and no supplier or the Company has
canceled or  otherwise  terminated,  or, to the  Company's  knowledge,  made any
written threat to the Company to cancel or otherwise  terminate its relationship
with the  Company  or has at any time on or after  August  31,  1997,  decreased
materially  its  services  or  supplies  to the  Company in the case of any such
supplier,  or its usage of these services or products of the Company in the case
of such customer,  and to the Company's  knowledge,  no supplier or customer has
indicated either orally or in writing that it will cancel or otherwise terminate
its  relationship  with the Company or to decrease  materially  its  services or
supplies to the Company or its usage of the services or products of the Company,
as the case may be. The Company has not knowingly  breached,  so as to provide a
benefit to the Company that was not intended by the parties, any agreement with,
or engaged in any  fraudulent  conduct with respect to, any customer or supplier
of the Company.

         2.28 Pooling of Interests.  Neither the Company nor to the knowledge of
the Company, any of its directors,  officers or Company Stockholders,  has taken
any action  which would  interfere  with the Buyer's  ability to account for the
Merger as a pooling of interests.

         2.29 Disclosure. No representation or warranty by the Company contained
in this Agreement,  and no statement contained in the Disclosure Schedule or any
other document,  certificate or other instrument delivered to or to be delivered
by or on behalf of the  Company  pursuant  to this  Agreement,  contains or will
contain any untrue  statement of a material  fact or omits or will omit to state
any material fact necessary, in light of the circumstances under which it was or
will be made, in order to make the statements  herein or therein not misleading.
The Company has disclosed to the Buyer all material adverse information relating
to the  business  of  the  Company  or the  transactions  contemplated  by  this
Agreement.

                      ARTICLE III
                   REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE BUYER
                               AND THE MERGER SUB

         Each of the Buyer and the Merger Sub  represents  and  warrants  to the
Company as follows:

     3.1  Organization.  Each of the Buyer and the Merger  Sub is a  corporation
duly  organized,  validly  existing and in corporate and tax good standing under
the laws of the  State of  Delaware.  The  Buyer is duly  qualified  to  conduct
business and is in corporate  and tax good  standing  under the laws of Delaware
and in each other  jurisdiction  in which the failure to be so  qualified  would
have a material  adverse effect on the Buyer.  The Buyer has the corporate power
and  authority to carry on the  businesses in which it is engaged and to own and
use the  properties  owned  and used by it.  The  Buyer  has  furnished  or made
available  to the  Company  true  and  complete  copies  of its  Certificate  of
Incorporation  and By-laws,  each as amended and as in effect on the date hereof
(hereinafter  the "Buyer Charter" and the "Buyer  By-laws,"  respectively).  The
Buyer is not in default under or in violation of any provision of its Charter or
By-laws, each as amended to date.

                                       26
<PAGE>

     3.2  Capitalization.  The authorized capital stock of the Buyer consists of
Five Million  (5,000,000)  shares of undesignated  preferred  stock, of which no
shares were issued and  outstanding  as of August 31,  1997,  and Forty  Million
(40,000,000)  shares of Buyer  Common  Stock,  of which  11,611,851  shares were
issued and  outstanding  and no shares were held in the treasury of the Buyer as
of July 31, 1997. All of the issued and outstanding shares of Buyer Common Stock
are duly authorized,  validly issued, fully paid,  nonassessable and free of all
preemptive  rights.  All of the Merger Shares will be, when issued in accordance
with this Agreement, duly authorized,  validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable
and free of all preemptive rights.

     3.3 Authorization of Transaction.  Each of the Buyer and the Merger Sub has
all  corporate  requisite  power and  authority  to  execute  and  deliver  this
Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution
and delivery of this  Agreement and the  performance  of this  Agreement and the
consummation of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby and thereby by the Buyer
and the  Merger  Sub have  been duly and  validly  authorized  by all  necessary
corporate  action on the part of the Buyer and Merger Sub.  This  Agreement  has
been duly and validly  executed  and  delivered  by the Buyer and the Merger Sub
and,  assuming  the due  authorization,  execution  and delivery by the Company,
constitutes  a valid and  binding  obligation  of the Buyer and the Merger  Sub,
enforceable against them in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement may
be limited  by  bankruptcy,  insolvency  or other  similar  laws  affecting  the
enforcement of creditors' rights generally,  and except that the availability of
equitable remedies, including specific performance, is subject to the discretion
of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.

     3.4   Noncontravention.   Subject  to   compliance   with  the   applicable
requirements of the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws, the
Exchange  Act and the filing of the  Certificate  of Merger as  required  by the
DGCL, neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement, nor the consummation
by the  Buyer or the  Merger  Sub of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby  or
thereby, will: (a) conflict or violate any provision of the Buyer Charter or the
Buyer  By-laws or the Charter or By-Laws of the Merger  Sub;  (b) require on the
part of the Buyer or the Merger Sub any filing with,  or permit,  authorization,
consent or approval of, any Governmental  Entity;  (c) conflict with,  result in
breach of,  constitute  (with or without  due notice or lapse of time or both) a
default under,  result in the  acceleration of, create in any party any right to
accelerate,  terminate,  modify or cancel,  or require  any  notice,  consent or
waiver under, any contract,  lease, sublease,  license,  sublicense,  franchise,
permit,  indenture,  agreement  or mortgage for borrowed  money,  instrument  of
indebtedness,  Security  Interest  or other  arrangement  to which  the Buyer or
Merger  Sub is a party or by  which  either  is  bound or to which  any of their
assets are subject; or (d) violate any order, writ, injunction, decree, statute,
rule or  regulation  applicable  to the Buyer or the  Merger Sub or any of their
properties or assets.

                                       27
<PAGE>

     3.5 Reports and Financial Statements. The Buyer has previously furnished or
made  available  to the Company  complete  and  accurate  copies,  as amended or
supplemented,  all other  reports  filed by the Buyer  under  Section  13 of the
Exchange Act with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  ("SEC")  since the
quarter  ended  September 27, 1996 (such  reports are  collectively  referred to
herein  as  the  "Buyer  Reports").  The  Buyer  Reports  constitute  all of the
documents required to be filed by the Buyer under Section 13 of the Exchange Act
with the SEC since such date. As of their  respective  dates,  the Buyer Reports
complied in all material  respects with  applicable SEC and Nasdaq  requirements
and did not contain any untrue  statement of a material  fact or omit to state a
material fact required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the statements
therein,  in  light  of the  circumstances  under  which  they  were  made,  not
misleading.  The audited  financial  statements and unaudited  interim financial
statements of the Buyer included in the Buyer Reports:  (a) comply as to form in
all material respects with applicable accounting  requirements and the published
rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto; (b) have been prepared in
accordance  with GAAP  applied on a  consistent  basis  throughout  the  periods
covered thereby (except as may be indicated therein or in the notes thereto, and
in the case of quarterly financial  statements,  as permitted by Form 10-Q under
the Exchange  Act);  (c) fairly present the  consolidated  financial  condition,
results of  operations  and cash flows of the Buyer as of the  respective  dates
thereof and for the periods referred to therein; and (d) are consistent with the
books and records of the Buyer.

     3.6 Absence of Material Adverse  Changes.  Since August 31, 1997, there has
not  been  any  material  adverse  change  in the  assets,  business,  financial
condition  or results of  operations  of the Buyer,  nor has there  occurred any
event or  development  that could  reasonably  be  foreseen  to result in such a
material adverse change in the future.

     3.7 Brokers'  Fees.  Neither the Buyer nor the Merger Sub has any liability
or obligation to pay any fees or commissions to any broker, finder or agent with
respect to the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement except to The Updata
Group, Inc.

     3.8  Disclosure.  No  representation  or warranty by the Buyer contained in
this Agreement, and no statement contained in any document, certificate or other
instrument delivered to or to be delivered by or on behalf of the Buyer pursuant
to this Agreement,  contains or will contain any untrue  statement of a material
fact or omits or will omit to state any material fact necessary, in light of the
circumstances  under  which  it was or will  be  made,  in  order  to  make  the
statements  herein or therein not  misleading.  The Buyer has  disclosed  to the
Company all material adverse  information  relating to the business of the Buyer
or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

                                       28
<PAGE>

     3.9  Undisclosed  Liabilities.  (a) The  Buyer  has no  liability,  whether
liquidated  or  unliquidated  and  whether  due or to become  due),  except  for
liabilities accrued or reserved against unaudited  consolidated balance sheet of
the Company as of June 27, 1997;  (b)  liabilities  which have arisen since June
27, 1997, in the Ordinary Course of Business and which are similar in nature and
amount to the  liabilities  which arose during the comparable  period of time in
the  immediately  preceding  fiscal  period;  and (c)  contractual  or statutory
liabilities  incurred in the Ordinary  Course of Business  which are  consistent
with past  practice  and are not  required by GAAP to be  reflected on a balance
sheet.

     3.10  Taxes.  The  Buyer has filed all  material  Tax  Returns  that it was
required  to file and all such Tax  Returns  were  correct  and  complete in all
material  respects.  The accrued  but unpaid  Taxes of the Buyer for tax periods
through the date of the June 27, 1997,  balance sheet do not exceed the accruals
and reserves for Taxes set forth on such balance sheet.  All Taxes  attributable
to the period January 1, 1997,  through June 27, 1997, are  attributable  to the
conduct by the Buyer of its operations in the Ordinary  Course of Business or to
the  transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement.  The Buyer has no actual or
potential  liability for any Tax obligation of any taxpayer  (including  without
limitation any affiliated  group of corporations or other entities that included
the Buyer during a prior period) other than the Buyer.  All Taxes that the Buyer
is or was  required  by law to withhold  or collect  have been duly  withheld or
collected and, to the extent required, have been paid to the proper Governmental
Entity.

     3.11 Intellectual Property.

                  (a) The Buyer  owns,  or is licensed  or  otherwise  possesses
legally  enforceable  rights to use, all Intellectual  Property that are used to
conduct  its  business  as  currently  conducted.  The Buyer has taken  adequate
measures  to  protect  the  proprietary  nature  of each  item  of  Intellectual
Property,  and to  maintain in  confidence  all trade  secrets and  confidential
information that it owns or uses.

                  (b) With respect to each item of  Intellectual  Property  that
the Buyer owns:  (i)  subject to such  rights as have been  granted by the Buyer
under  license  agreements  entered into by the Buyer,  the Buyer  possesses all
right, title and interest in and to such item; and (ii) such item is not subject
to any outstanding  judgment,  order,  decree,  stipulation or injunction.  With
respect  to each  item of Third  Party  Intellectual  Property  Rights:  (i) the
license,  sublicense  or other  agreement  covering  such item is legal,  valid,
binding,  enforceable  and in full  force and effect  with  respect to the Buyer
party  thereto,  and  to  the  Buyer's  knowledge  is  legal,  valid,   binding,
enforceable  and in full force and  effect  with  respect  to each  other  party
thereto;  (ii) such license,  sublicense or other  agreement will continue to be
legal,  valid,  binding,  enforceable  and in full force and effect  immediately
following the Closing in accordance with the terms thereof as in effect prior to
the  Closing;  (iii) the Buyer is not in breach  or  default  under,  and to the
Buyer's knowledge no other party is in breach or default under, any such license
or other  agreement and, to the Buyer's  knowledge,  no event has occurred which
with  notice or lapse of time  would  constitute  a breach or  default or permit
termination,  modification or acceleration thereunder;  (iv) the underlying item
of Third Party Intellectual Property is not subject to any outstanding judgment,
order,  decree,  stipulation  or injunction to which the Buyer is a party or has
been  specifically  named,  nor to the  Buyer's  knowledge  subject to any other
outstanding  judgment,  order, decree,  stipulation,  or injunction;  and (v) no
license or other fee is payable upon any transfer or assignment of such license,
sublicense or other agreement.

                                       29
<PAGE>

     3.12  Litigation.  There  is  no  private  or  governmental  action,  suit,
proceeding,  claim,  arbitration  or  investigation  pending  before  any court,
tribunal or Governmental Entity or, to the Buyer's knowledge, threatened against
the Buyer or any of its  officers,  directors,  employees  or  agents  (in their
capacities as such) that, individually or in the aggregate,  could reasonably be
expected to have a Material  Adverse Effect on the Buyer.  There is no judgment,
decree or order  against  the Buyer or,  to the  Buyer's  knowledge,  any of its
officers,  directors,  employees  or agents (in their  capacities  as such) that
could  prevent,  enjoin or  materially  alter or delay  any of the  transactions
contemplated  by this  Agreement or that could  reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect on the Buyer.

     3.13 Employee Benefits.

                  (a) The  Buyer  and  all its  Employee  Benefit  Plans  are in
compliance in all material respects with the currently applicable  provisions of
ERISA and the Code and the regulations thereunder.

                  (b) There are no  investigations  by any Governmental  Entity,
termination  proceedings or other claims (except claims for benefits  payable in
the normal  operation of the Buyer's Employee Benefit Plans and proceedings with
respect to qualified domestic relations orders), suits or proceedings against or
involving any of Buyer's Employee Benefit Plan or asserting any rights or claims
to benefits under any of Buyer's  Employee  Benefit Plan that could give rise to
any liability.

                  (c) All of Buyer's Employee Benefit Plans that are intended to
be  qualified  under  Section  401(a)  of the Code have  received  determination
letters  from the  Internal  Revenue  Service to the effect  that such  Employee
Benefit  Plans are qualified  and the plans and the trusts  related  thereto are
exempt from federal income taxes under Sections 401(a) and 501(a), respectively,
of the Code, no such  determination  letter has been revoked and  revocation has
not been  threatened,  and no such Employee  Benefit Plan has been amended since
the date of its most recent  determination letter or application therefor in any
respect,  and no act or omission has occurred,  that would adversely  affect its
qualification or materially increase its cost.

                  (d)  Neither  the  Buyer  nor any  ERISA  Affiliate  has  ever
maintained an Employee  Benefit Plan subject to Section 412 of the Code or Title
IV of ERISA.

                  (e) At no time  has the  Buyer  or any  ERISA  Affiliate  been
obligated  to  contribute  to any  "multi-employer  plan" (as defined in Section
4001(a)(3) of ERISA).

                                       30
<PAGE>

                  (f)  There are no  unfunded  obligations  under  any  Employee
Benefit Plan providing  benefits after termination of employment to any employee
of the Buyer (or to any  beneficiary  of any such  employee),  including but not
limited to retiree  health  coverage and deferred  compensation,  but  excluding
continuation of health coverage  required to be continued under Section 4980B of
the Code and insurance conversion privileges under state law.

                  (g) No act or omission has  occurred  and no condition  exists
with respect to any Employee  Benefit Plan  maintained by the Buyer or any ERISA
Affiliate  that  would  subject  the Buyer or any ERISA  Affiliate  to any fine,
penalty, tax or liability of any kind imposed under ERISA or the Code.

                  (h) No Buyer  Employee  Benefit Plan is funded by,  associated
with, or related to a "voluntary employee's beneficiary  association" within the
meaning of Section 501(c)(9) of the Code.

                  (i) No Buyer  Employee  Benefit Plan,  plan  documentation  or
agreement,  summary plan description or other written communication  distributed
generally  to  employees  by its terms  prohibits  the Buyer  from  amending  or
terminating any such Employee Benefit Plan.


                                   ARTICLE IV
                                    COVENANTS

     4.1 Best  Efforts.  Each of the Parties  shall use its best efforts to take
all actions and to do all things  necessary,  proper or advisable to  consummate
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

     4.2 Notices and Consents. Each of the Buyer, the Merger Sub and the Company
shall use its  respective  best  efforts to  obtain,  at its  expense,  all such
waivers, permits, consents, approvals or other authorizations from third parties
and Governmental  Entities,  and to effect all such  registrations,  filings and
notices with or to third parties and Governmental  Entities,  as may be required
by or with respect to the Buyer, the Merger Sub or the Company, respectively, in
connection  with the  transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement  (including
without limitation,  with respect to the Company, those listed in Section 2.4 or
Section 2.22 of the Disclosure Schedule).

                                       31
<PAGE>

     4.3 Special Meeting.

                  (a) The  Company  shall  call a  special  meeting  of  Company
Stockholders  to be held to vote in favor of the adoption of this  Agreement and
the approval of the Merger ("the Company  Special  Meeting") in accordance  with
the DGCL and shall solicit proxies from its stockholders to vote in favor of the
adoption of this Agreement and the approval of the Merger at the Company Special
Meeting.  In lieu of the  Company  calling  a  Special  Meeting  of the  Company
Stockholders,  the  Company may  circulate  for  execution a written  consent of
stockholders in lieu of special  meeting;  provided,  however,  that the Company
shall  obtain the  consent of the  holders of no fewer than 90% the  outstanding
shares of Common Stock and Preferred Stock entitled to vote on the Merger.

                  (b) The Company shall comply with all applicable provisions of
the DGCL in the preparation, filing and distribution of any proxy materials, the
solicitation of proxies  thereunder,  and the calling and holding of the Company
Special Meeting.  Without limiting the foregoing,  the Company shall ensure that
the proxy materials do not, as of the date on which it is distributed to Company
Stockholders,  and as of the date of the Company  Special  Meeting,  contain any
untrue  statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact  necessary
in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances  under which
they  were  made,  not  misleading  (provided  that the  Company  shall  only be
responsible  for the accuracy and  completeness  of information  relating to the
Company or furnished  by the Company in writing for  inclusion in any such proxy
materials).

                  (c) The Buyer shall comply with all  applicable  provisions of
and rules under the  Securities  Act and the Exchange  Act and state  securities
laws in the offering and issuance of the Merger Shares.  As soon as commercially
practicable  after the  Closing  but not later than one month  after the Closing
Date, the Buyer shall prepare and file with the SEC a Registration  Statement on
Form S-3 (the  "Registration  Statement") with respect to the sale of the Merger
Shares by the Company  Stockholders.  The Buyer shall take all reasonable  steps
necessary  to  ensure  that  the  Registration  Statement  does  not,  as of its
effective date,  contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
a  material  fact  required  to be  stated  therein  or  necessary  to make  the
statements  therein  not  misleading  (provided  that  the  Buyer  shall  not be
responsible  for the accuracy and  completeness  of information  relating to the
Company, any other information furnished by the Company in writing for inclusion
in the Registration  Statement,  or the Company  Stockholders).  The Buyer shall
keep the  Registration  Statement  effective  for a period of one year after the
Closing Date.

                  (d) The Company, acting through its Board of Directors,  shall
include in any proxy materials the recommendation of its Board of Directors that
the Company Stockholders vote in favor of the adoption of this Agreement and the
approval of the Merger,  and shall  otherwise use its best efforts to obtain the
Requisite Stockholder Approval.

                                       32
<PAGE>

     4.4 Securities Laws.

                  (a)  Prior to the  Closing,  the  Company  shall  not take any
action,  including the granting of employee stock options,  that would cause the
number of Company  Stockholders who are not "accredited  investors"  pursuant to
Regulation D promulgated  under the  Securities  Act to increase to more than 35
during the term of this  Agreement  or that would  cause any person who does not
meet the standards of Regulation D required for "purchasers"  under Regulation D
to become a stockholder or option holder.

                  (b) The Buyer  shall take all steps  necessary  to comply with
the  securities and blue sky laws of all  jurisdictions  which are applicable to
the  issuance of the Buyer  Common  Stock in  connection  with the  Merger.  The
Company  shall use its best  efforts to assist the Buyer as may be  necessary to
comply with such securities and blue sky laws.

     4.5 Operation of Business.  Except as  contemplated  by this  Agreement and
except as set forth on  Schedule  2.7,  during the period  from the date of this
Agreement to the Effective Time, the Company shall conduct its operations in the
Ordinary  Course of Business  and in  compliance  with all  applicable  laws and
regulations and, to the extent consistent therewith,  use all reasonable efforts
to preserve intact its current business  organization,  keep its physical assets
in good working  condition,  keep available the services of its current officers
and  employees  and preserve its  relationships  with  customers,  suppliers and
others having business dealings with it to the end that its goodwill and ongoing
business  shall not be impaired in any material  respect.  Without  limiting the
generality of the foregoing, prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall not,
without the written consent of the Buyer:

     (a)  issue,  sell,  deliver  or agree or commit to issue,  sell or  deliver
(whether  through the  issuance or granting of options,  warrants,  commitments,
subscriptions,  rights to purchase or otherwise) or authorize the issuance, sale
or  delivery  of, or redeem or  repurchase,  any stock of any class or any other
securities or any rights, warrants or options to acquire any such stock or other
securities  (except  pursuant  to the  conversion  or  exercise  of  convertible
securities, Options or Warrants outstanding on the date hereof), or amend any of
the terms of any such convertible securities, Options or Warrants;

     (b) split, combine or reclassify any shares of its capital stock;  declare,
set aside or pay any dividend or other  distribution  (whether in cash, stock or
property or any combination thereof) in respect of its capital stock;

     (c) except in the Ordinary Course of Business,  create, incur or assume any
debt not  currently  outstanding  (including  obligations  in respect of capital
leases);  assume,  guarantee,  endorse or otherwise become liable or responsible
(whether  directly,  contingently or otherwise) for the obligations of any other
person or entity;  or make any loans,  advances or capital  contributions to, or
investments in, any other person or entity;

                                       33
<PAGE>

     (d) enter into,  adopt or amend any Employee Benefit Plan or any employment
or severance  agreement or arrangement of the type described in Section  2.19(j)
or increase in any manner the  compensation or fringe benefits of, or modify the
employment  terms  of,  its  directors,  officers  or  employees,  generally  or
individually, except in the Ordinary Course of Business and consistent with past
practices,  or pay any benefit  not  required by the terms in effect on the date
hereof of any existing Employee Benefit Plan;

     (e)  acquire,  sell,  lease,  encumber or dispose of any assets or property
(including  without  limitation  any  shares  or other  equity  interests  in or
securities of any  Subsidiary or any  corporation,  partnership,  association or
other business organization or division thereof), other than purchases and sales
of assets in the Ordinary Course of Business;

     (f) amend the Company Charter or the Company By-laws, except as required by
this Agreement;

     (g) change in any material  respect its accounting  methods,  principles or
practices, except insofar as may be required by a generally applicable change in
GAAP;

     (h)  discharge or satisfy any Security  Interest or pay any  obligation  or
liability other than in the Ordinary Course of Business;

     (i)  mortgage  or pledge any of its  property or assets or subject any such
assets to any Security Interest;

     (j) sell, assign, transfer or license any Intellectual Property, other than
in the Ordinary Course of Business;

     (k) enter  into,  amend,  terminate,  take or omit to take any action  that
would  constitute a violation of or default under,  or waive,  release or assign
any rights under, any material contract or agreement;

     (l) make or commit to make any capital expenditure in excess of $10,000 per
item;

     (m) take any action or fail to take any action  permitted by this Agreement
with the  knowledge  that such action or failure to take action  would result in
(i) any of the  representations  and warranties of the Company set forth in this
Agreement  becoming untrue or (ii) any of the conditions to the Merger set forth
in Article V not being satisfied;

     (n) hire,  terminate  or discharge  any employee or engage any  consultant,
provided,  however,  that any employee or  consultant  may  terminate his or her
relationship with the Company;

                                       34
<PAGE>

     (o) take any action,  which  would  interfere  with the Buyer's  ability to
account for the Merger as a pooling of interests; or

     (p) agree in writing or otherwise to take any of the foregoing actions.

     4.6 Full Access.  The Company shall permit  representatives of the Buyer to
have  full  access  (at  all  reasonable  times,  and in a  manner  so as not to
interfere with the normal  business  operations of the Company) to all premises,
properties,  financial  and  accounting  records,  contracts,  other records and
documents, and personnel, of or pertaining to the Company, subject to compliance
with applicable confidentiality obligations and requirements of the Company.

     4.7 Notice of Breaches.  The Company  shall  promptly  deliver to the Buyer
written notice of any event or development  that would (a) render any statement,
representation  or  warranty  of the Company in this  Agreement  (including  the
Disclosure  Schedule)  inaccurate or incomplete in any material respect,  or (b)
constitute  or  result  in a  material  breach  by  the  Company  or  any of its
Affiliates  of, or a failure by the Company or any of its  Affiliates  to comply
with, any agreement or covenant in this Agreement  applicable to such party. The
Buyer or the Merger Sub shall promptly  deliver to the Company written notice of
any event or development that would (i) render any statement,  representation or
warranty  of the  Buyer  or the  Merger  Sub in  this  Agreement  inaccurate  or
incomplete in any material respect,  or (ii) constitute or result in a breach by
the Buyer or the  Merger  Sub of, or a failure by the Buyer or the Merger Sub to
comply with,  any  agreement or covenant in this  Agreement  applicable  to such
party.  No  such  disclosure   shall  be  deemed  to  avoid  or  cure  any  such
misrepresentation or breach.

     4.8 Exclusivity.  The Company shall not, and the Company shall use its best
efforts to cause its Affiliates and each of its officers, directors,  employees,
representatives and agents not to, directly or indirectly,  except to the extent
required by fiduciary  obligations under applicable law, (a) solicit,  initiate,
engage or participate in or knowingly encourage discussions or negotiations with
any  person  or  entity   (other   than  the  Buyer)   concerning   any  merger,
consolidation,   sale  of  material  assets,  tender  offer,   recapitalization,
accumulation of Company Shares, proxy solicitation or other business combination
involving  the  Company  or any  division  of the  Company  or (b)  provide  any
non-public  information  concerning  the  business,  properties or assets of the
Company  to any person or entity  (other  than the  Buyer).  The  Company  shall
immediately notify the Buyer of, and shall disclose to the Buyer all details of,
any material  inquiries,  discussions or negotiations of the nature described in
the first sentence of this Section 4.8.

     4.9 Agreements From Certain Affiliates of the Company.

                  (a)  Schedule 4.9 sets forth a list of all persons or entities
who are at such time Affiliates of the Company (the "Company  Affiliates").  The
Company  shall  provide the Buyer such  information  and  documents as the Buyer
shall reasonably  request for purposes of reviewing such list. The Company shall
use its best efforts or cause to be delivered  to the Buyer,  concurrently  with
the execution of this Agreement (and in each case prior to the Effective  Time),
from each of the Company Affiliates an executed Affiliate  Agreement in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit B (the "Affiliate Agreements").  The Buyer and Merger
Sub  shall  be  entitled  to  place  appropriate  legends  on  the  certificates
evidencing  any Buyer  Common  Stock to be received  by the  Company  Affiliates
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and to issue  appropriate stock transfer
instructions  to the transfer agent for Buyer Common Stock,  consistent with the
terms of such Affiliate Agreement.

                                       35
<PAGE>

                  (b) The Company shall use its best  efforts,  on behalf of the
Buyer and  pursuant to the request of the Buyer,  to cause  holders of more than
90% of  the  sum  of:  (i)  all  shares  of  Company  Common  Stock  issued  and
outstanding;  (ii) all shares of the Company's  Series A  Convertible  Preferred
Stock issued and  outstanding;  and (iii) all shares of the  Company's  Series B
Convertible Preferred Stock issued and outstanding to execute and deliver to the
Buyer the Target Stockholder  Agreements  substantially in the form of Exhibit C
hereto (the  "Stockholder  Agreements")  concurrently  with the execution of the
Agreement if such holders have not otherwise executed an Affiliate Agreement.

     4.10 Listing of Merger Shares. As soon as reasonably  practicable after the
Closing,  the Buyer shall use its best efforts to list the Merger  Shares on the
Nasdaq National Market.

     4.11 Confidentiality.  Each of the parties hereto agrees that it shall, and
shall  cause  its  subsidiaries  and  the  officers,  employees  and  authorized
representatives  of each of them  to,  hold in  strict  confidence  all data and
information  obtained  by them  from  the  other  parties  hereto  (unless  such
information  is or  becomes  readily  ascertainable  from  public  or  published
information)  and shall not,  and shall use its best efforts to ensure that such
subsidiaries,  directors,  officers, employees and authorized representatives do
not,  disclose such  information to others without the prior written  consent of
the party from which such data or information  was obtained,  except as required
by law after  consultation  with  counsel  (provided  that any such party  shall
consult with the other party prior to making such  disclosure).  In the event of
the  termination of this  Agreement,  each of the parties will return or destroy
all  documents,  work  papers and other  materials  (including  all copies  made
thereof) obtained pursuant hereto.

     4.12 Piggy-Back Registration Rights.

                  (a)  Whenever  the  Buyer  proposes  to  file  a  registration
statement at any time and from time to time, it will, prior to such filing, give
written notice to all of the Company Stockholders of its intention to do so and,
upon the written  request of a Company  Stockholder  (or  Company  Stockholders)
holding  Merger  Shares given within  twenty (20) days after the Buyer  provides
such notice (which  request shall state the intended  method of  disposition  of
such Merger  Shares),  the Buyer shall use its best  efforts to cause all Merger
Shares  (including  any and all shares of the  Buyer's  Common  Stock  issued in
respect of the Merger  Share  because of a stock split,  stock  dividend or like
event) that the Buyer has been requested by such Company Stockholder (or Company
Stockholders)  to  register to be  registered  under the  Securities  Act to the
extent  necessary to permit their sale or other  disposition in accordance  with
the intended  methods of  distribution  specified in the request of such Company
Stockholder  or Company  Stockholders;  provided  that the Buyer  shall have the
right to postpone or withdraw any registration effected pursuant to this Section
4.12 without obligation to any Company Stockholder.

                                       36
<PAGE>

                  (b) In  connection  with any offering  under this Section 4.12
involving an underwriting, the Buyer shall not be required to include any Merger
Shares in such  underwriting  unless the holders thereof accept the terms of the
underwriting as agreed upon between the Buyer and the  underwriters  selected by
it,  and  then  only in  such  quantity  as  will  not,  in the  opinion  of the
underwriters,  jeopardize  the success of the  offering by the Buyer.  If in the
opinion of the managing  underwriter  the  registration  of all, or part of, the
Merger Shares which the holders have requested to be included  would  materially
and  adversely  affect such public  offering,  then,  then the holders of Merger
Shares  who have  requested  registration  and other  holders of shares of Buyer
Common  Stock  entitled  to  include  shares  of  Buyer  Common  Stock  in  such
registration  shall  participate  in the  underwriting  pro rata  based upon the
number of shares each such  holder is entitled to include in such  underwriting;
provided, however, that if the Buyer is issuing and selling shares of its Common
Stock in such offering, no reduction will occur in the number of shares that the
Buyer is seeking to issue and sell shall occur until the number of shares of the
Buyer Common Stock to be included in the offering by the  foregoing  individuals
has been reduced to zero.

     4.13  Pooling  Accounting.  The  Buyer  and  the  Company  shall  each  use
reasonable  commercial efforts to cause the business  combination to be effected
by the Merger to be accounted for as a pooling of interests. Each of the Company
and the Buyer shall use its best efforts to cause its respective  Affiliates not
to take any action  that  would  adversely  affect  the  ability of the Buyer to
account of the business combination to be effected by the Merger as a pooling of
interests.

     4.14 Escrow  Agreement.  On or before the Effective  Time, the Escrow Agent
and the Stockholders'  Agent (as defined in Article VII hereto) will execute the
Escrow  Agreement  contemplated  by Article VII in the form  attached  hereto as
Exhibit D (the "Escrow Agreement").

     4.15 [Intentionally omitted.]

     4.16  Reorganization.  The Buyer and the  Company  shall  each use its best
efforts to cause the  business  combination  to be  effected by the Merger to be
qualified as a "reorganization" described in Section 368(a) of the Code.

     4.17 Best  Efforts and Further  Assurances.  Each of the Parties  shall use
best efforts to effectuate the transactions  contemplated hereby and to fill and
cause to be fulfilled  the  conditions  to Closing  under this  Agreement.  Each
Party,  at the reasonable  request of another  Party,  shall execute and deliver
such other  instruments  and do and perform such other acts and things as may be
necessary  or  desirable  for  effecting  completely  the  consummation  of this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

                                       37
<PAGE>

     4.18 Payments by Buyer at Closing.

                  (a)  Company  Bridge  Loans.  The Buyer  agrees to provide the
Company  with the  necessary  funds to pay in full,  and  thereafter  cause  the
Company  to  pay  in  full,  immediately  following  the  Closing,  all  amounts
(including principal and any interest,  late fees or penalties accrued as of the
date of the  Closing)  owed by the  Company  under those  certain  notes held by
Imperial Bank,  Venrock  Associates and Venrock Associates II, L.P. as listed on
Schedule 4.18(a).

                  (b)  Transaction  Costs.  The  Buyer  agrees  to  pay,  at the
Closing, all of the Transaction Costs of the Company,  other than the Transition
Costs,  up to the  amount of  $1,000,000.  At least  three (3) days prior to the
Closing,  the Company  shall  deliver to the Buyer a schedule  of the  Company's
actual Transaction Costs (the "Transaction Cost Schedule").  At the Closing, the
Buyer shall deliver checks payable to the parties listed on the Transaction Cost
Schedule.  The  Buyer  will have no  responsibility  for  payment  of any of the
Company's Transaction Costs in excess of $1,000,000.

                                       38
<PAGE>


                                    ARTICLE V
                      CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF MERGER

     5.1 Conditions to Each Party's Obligations.  The respective  obligations of
each  Party to  consummate  the Merger are  subject to the  satisfaction  of the
following conditions:

     (a) this  Agreement  and the  Merger  shall  have  received  the  Requisite
Stockholder Approval by the Company Stockholders;

     (b) the Buyer and the Company  shall be  satisfied  that the  issuances  of
Buyer Common Stock in the transaction  shall be exempt under Section 4(2) of the
Securities Act;

     (c) no temporary restraining order,  preliminary or permanent injunction or
other  order  issued by any court of  competent  jurisdiction  or other legal or
regulatory restraint or prohibition preventing the consummation of the Merger or
limiting or restricting  the Buyer's conduct or operation of the business of the
Buyer or the Surviving  Corporation after the Merger shall have been issued, nor
shall any  proceeding  brought by any  Governmental  Entity,  seeking any of the
foregoing be pending; nor shall there be any action taken, or any statute, rule,
regulation  or order  enacted,  entered,  enforced or deemed  applicable  to the
Merger which makes the consummation of the Merger illegal;

     (d) the Buyer shall have  received  all  permits  and other  authorizations
required under  applicable  state securities laws for the issuance of the Merger
Shares;

     (e) the Company,  the Buyer, the Escrow Agent and the  Stockholders'  Agent
(as defined in Article VII hereto) shall have entered into the Escrow Agreement;
and

     (f) the Buyer and the Company shall each have received the written  opinion
of their  respective  counsel  in form  reasonably  satisfactory  to each of the
opposing  counsel to the  effect  that the Merger  will be treated  for  federal
income tax purposes as a reorganization  within the meaning of Section 368(a) of
the  Code.  In  preparing  the tax  opinions,  counsel  may  rely on  reasonable
assumptions  and may also rely on (and to the extent  reasonably  required,  the
parties and Company Stockholders shall make) reasonable  representations related
thereto.

         5.2  Conditions  to  Obligations  of the Buyer and the Merger Sub.  The
obligation of each of the Buyer and the Merger Sub to  consummate  the Merger is
subject to the satisfaction of the following additional conditions:

     (a) the  Agreement and the Merger shall have been approved and adopted with
the Requisite Stockholder Approval and the number of Dissenting Shares shall not
exceed 10% of the number of outstanding Company Shares as of the Effective Time;

                                       39
<PAGE>

     (b) the Company shall have obtained all of the waivers, permits,  consents,
approvals  or  other  authorizations,  and  effected  all of the  registrations,
filings and  notices,  referred to in Section  4.2,  except for any which if not
obtained or  effected  would not have a material  adverse  effect on the assets,
business,  financial condition, results of operations or future prospects of the
Company  or on the  ability  of  the  Parties  to  consummate  the  transactions
contemplated by this Agreement;

     (c) the  representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Article
II shall be true and correct  when made on the date hereof and shall be true and
correct in all material  respects as of the Effective  Time as if made as of the
Effective Time, except for  representations and warranties made as of a specific
date, which shall be true and correct as of such date;

     (d) the  Company  shall have  performed  or complied  with in all  material
respects its agreements and covenants  required to be performed or complied with
under this Agreement as of or prior to the Effective Time;

     (e) the  Company  shall  have  delivered  to the Buyer and the Merger Sub a
certificate (without  qualification as to knowledge or materiality or otherwise)
to the effect that each of the conditions  specified in clauses (a), (b) and (c)
(to the extent the  Company is a party or is named  therein)  of Section 5.1 and
clauses (a) through (d) of this Section 5.2 is satisfied in all respects;

     (f) the Buyer and the Merger Sub shall have received from Gunderson Dettmer
Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian,  LLP, counsel to the Company, an opinion
substantially in the form set forth as Exhibit E attached  hereto,  addressed to
the Buyer and the Merger Sub and dated as of the Closing Date;

     (g) the Buyer and the  Merger  Sub shall have  received  the  resignations,
effective as of the Effective Time, of each director of the Company;

     (h) (i)  all of the  employees  identified  on  Schedule  2.18  hereof  are
available for continued  employment (subject to the parties' mutual agreement as
to salary and option levels) and (ii) the Company Affiliates shall have executed
and delivered non-disclosure  developments and non-competition agreements to the
Buyer  in  substantially  the  form of  Exhibit  F  attached  hereto  or  others
reasonably acceptable to the Buyer;

     (i) each Company  Affiliate  shall have executed and delivered an Affiliate
Agreement and each Company Stockholder who is not a Company Affiliate shall have
executed and delivered a Stockholder Agreement;

     (j) the Buyer shall have received a written  memorandum from Ernst & Young,
LLP,  dated as of the Closing  Date,  stating  that the Merger will qualify as a
"pooling of interests" transaction under Accounting Principles Board Opinion No.
16 and  applicable SEC  regulations,  if the Merger is consummated in accordance
with this Agreement;

                                       40
<PAGE>

     (k)  all  actions  to be  taken  by the  Company  in  connection  with  the
consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby  and all  certificates,
opinions,  instruments and other documents  required to effect the  transactions
contemplated  hereby shall be reasonably  satisfactory  in form and substance to
the Buyer and the Merger Sub; and

     (l) there  shall  not have  occurred  any  material  adverse  change in the
official   condition,   properties,   assets  (including   intangible   assets),
liabilities,  business,  operations or results of operations of the Company, the
Company's  Transaction Costs shall not have exceeded  $1,000,000 and the Company
shall have a net worth  (assets  less  liabilities)  of at least  $74,000  and a
non-negative balance of cash and cash equivalents.

     5.3 Conditions to Obligations of the Company. The obligation of the Company
to  consummate  the  Merger is  subject  to the  satisfaction  of the  following
additional conditions:

                  (a) the  representations  and  warranties of the Buyer and the
Merger Sub set forth in Article III shall be true and  correct  when made on the
date  hereof and shall be true and  correct in all  material  respects as of the
Effective Time as if made as of the Effective Time,  except for  representations
and warranties made as of a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of
such date;

                  (b) each of the Buyer and the Merger Sub shall have  performed
or complied with in all material respects its agreements and covenants  required
to be  performed  or complied  with under this  Agreement  as of or prior to the
Effective Time;

                  (c) each of the Buyer and the Merger Sub shall have  delivered
to  the  Company  a  certificate  (without  qualification  as  to  knowledge  or
materiality or otherwise) to the effect that each of the conditions specified in
clauses  (b),  (c) (to the extent the Buyer or Merger Sub is a party or is named
therein)  and (d) of Section 5.1 and clauses (a) and (b) of this  Section 5.3 is
satisfied in all respects;

                  (d) the Company  Stockholders shall have received from Piper &
Marbury   L.L.P.,   counsel  to  the  Buyer  and  the  Merger  Sub,  an  opinion
substantially in the form set forth as Exhibit G attached  hereto,  addressed to
the Company and dated as of the Closing Date; and

                  (e) all actions to be taken by the Buyer and the Merger Sub in
connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and all
certificates,  opinions,  instruments and other documents required to effect the
transactions  contemplated  hereby shall be reasonably  satisfactory in form and
substance to the Company.



                                       41
<PAGE>


                                   ARTICLE VI
                                   TERMINATION

         6.1 Termination of Agreement.  The Parties may terminate this Agreement
prior to the  Effective  Time  (whether  before or after  Requisite  Stockholder
Approval) as provided below:

                  (a)      the Parties may terminate this Agreement by mutual 
written consent;

                  (b) the Buyer may terminate  this  Agreement by giving written
notice to the Company in the event the Company is in  material  breach,  and the
Company may terminate  this  Agreement by giving written notice to the Buyer and
the Merger  Sub in the event the Buyer or the  Merger  Sub is in breach,  of any
representation,  warranty  or covenant  contained  in this  Agreement,  and such
breach is not remedied within 10 days of delivery of written notice thereof;

                  (c) any Party may terminate  this  Agreement by giving written
notice to the other Parties (i) at any time after the Company  Stockholders have
voted on  whether  to approve  this  Agreement  and the Merger in the event this
Agreement and the Merger failed to receive the Requisite Stockholder Approval or
(ii) upon the entry of any  permanent  injunction  or other  order of a court or
other  competent  authority  preventing the  consummation of the Merger that has
become final and nonappealable;

                  (d) the Buyer may terminate  this  Agreement by giving written
notice  to the  Company  if the  Closing  shall not have  occurred  on or before
October 16,  1997,  by reason of the failure of any  condition  precedent  under
Section 5.1 or 5.2 hereof (unless the failure results from a breach by the Buyer
or the Merger Sub of any representation,  warranty or covenant contained in this
Agreement); and

                  (e) the Company may terminate this Agreement by giving written
notice to the Buyer and the Merger Sub if the Closing shall not have occurred on
or before October 16, 1997, by reason of the failure of any condition  precedent
under Section 5.1 or 5.3 hereof  (unless the failure  results  primarily  from a
breach by the Company of any  representation,  warranty or covenant contained in
this Agreement).

         6.2  Effect of  Termination.  If any Party  terminates  this  Agreement
pursuant  to  Section  6.1,  all  obligations  of the  Parties  hereunder  shall
terminate  without any liability of any Party to any other Party (except for any
liability of any Party for breaches of this Agreement).

         6.3  Amendment.  The board of  directors  of the Parties may cause this
Agreement  to be amended at any time by execution  of an  instrument  in writing
signed  on  behalf  of each of the  Parties;  provided  that an  amendment  made
subsequent to the adoption of the Agreement by Company  Stockholders  shall not:
(a) alter or  change  the  amount or kind of  consideration  to be  received  on
conversion of the Company Shares; (b) alter or change any term of the Charter or
By-laws of the Surviving  Corporation to be effected by the merger; or (c) alter
or change any of the terms and conditions of the Agreement if such alteration or
change would adversely affect the holders of Company Shares.

                                       42
<PAGE>

          6.4 Extension;  Waiver.  At any time prior to the Effective  Time, any
Party  may,  to the  extent  legally  allowed:  (a)  extend  the  time  for  the
performance of any of the  obligations  or other acts of the other Parties;  (b)
waive any inaccuracies in the  representations and warranties made to such Party
contained herein or in any document  delivered  pursuant  hereto;  and (c) waive
compliance  with any of the  agreements  or  conditions  for the benefit of such
Party  contained  herein.  Any  agreement  on the  part of a Party  to any  such
extension or waiver shall be valid only if set forth in an instrument in writing
signed on behalf of such Party.


                                   ARTICLE VII
                           ESCROW AND INDEMNIFICATION

     7.1 Indemnification.

                  (a)      Survival of the Warranties.

     (i) The  representations,  warranties  and  covenants set forth in Sections
2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 2.10,  2.11,  2.13 and 2.28 shall  terminate and expire upon
the  date of  issuance  by the  Buyer  of its  first  annual  audited  financial
statements following the consummation of the Merger.

     (ii) Other than Sections 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 2.10, 2.11, 2.13 and 2.28, the
representations,  warranties and covenants set forth in Articles II hereof shall
terminate and expire on the first anniversary of the Closing Date.

                  (b) Subject to the  limitations set forth in this Article VII,
the Former Company  Stockholders  will indemnify and hold harmless the Buyer and
the Surviving  Corporation and its respective  officers,  directors,  agents and
employees, and each person, if any, who controls or may control the Buyer or the
Surviving  Corporation  within the meaning of the  Securities  Act  (hereinafter
referred   individually   as  an  "Indemnified   Person"  and   collectively  as
"Indemnified  Person")  from and  against any and all  losses,  costs,  damages,
liabilities  and  expenses  arising  from claims,  demands,  actions,  causes of
action,  including,  without  limitation  reasonable  legal  fees,  net  of  any
recoveries under existing insurance policies,  tax benefit received by the Buyer
or its Affiliates as a result of such damages, indemnities from third parties or
in the case of third party claims, by any amount actually recovered by the Buyer
or its  Affiliates  pursuant  to  counterclaims  made  by any of  them  directly
relating  to the facts  giving rise to such third  party  claims  (collectively,
"Damages")  arising  out of any  misrepresentation  or breach of or  default  in
connection with any of the  representations  and warranties given or made by the
Company in Article II of this Agreement, the Disclosure Schedules or any exhibit
or schedule to this  Agreement.  The Buyer and its Affiliates  shall act in good
faith and in a commercially  reasonable  manner to mitigate any Damages they may
suffer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the aggregate liability
of a Former  Company  Stockholder  exceed an amount equal to 45.38% of the Buyer
Share  Market  Value  of the  Merger  Shares  received  by such  Former  Company
Stockholder  hereunder,  as such value is  determined  as of the Closing Date in
accordance with Section 1.5(a) (the "Indemnity Value").

                                       43
<PAGE>

                  (c) Nothing in this Agreement shall limit the liability of the
Company for any breach of any representation, warranty or covenant if the Merger
does not close.

     7.2 Holdbacks.

                  (a) Escrow Fund.  Notwithstanding the provisions of Article I,
upon  the  Closing  of the  Merger,  the  Buyer  shall  issue  to  each  Company
Stockholder 90% of the Buyer Common Stock otherwise issuable to such stockholder
pursuant to Article I (rounded upward to the nearest whole share). The remaining
10% of the Buyer Common Stock  issuable to a Company  Stockholder  in connection
with the Merger  shall be  referred  to as "Escrow  Shares,"  collectively,  the
Escrow Shares shall be referred to as the "Escrow  Fund." The  obligation of the
Buyer to issue the Escrow Shares otherwise  issuable upon the Merger or any such
exercise  shall be subject to  reduction  to satisfy the  Company's  obligations
under  this  Article  VII.  Damages  that:  (i) are  accepted  as  valid  by the
Stockholders'  Agents (as defined below);  or (ii) are determined to be valid by
arbitration  as described in this Article VII, shall reduce the number of Escrow
Shares  issuable  to the  Company  Stockholders  by the number of Escrow  Shares
(rounded to the closest whole number) equal to such Damages divided by the Buyer
Share Market Value. As soon as practicable  after the Effective Date, the Escrow
Shares shall be  registered  in the name of, and be deposited  with,  Mercantile
Bank (or other institution  selected by the Buyer with the reasonable consent of
the Company) as escrow agent (the "Escrow  Agent"),  such deposit to  constitute
the  Escrow  Fund and to be  governed  by the terms set forth  herein and in the
Escrow  Agreement  attached  hereto as  Exhibit D. The  Escrow  Shares  shall be
beneficially  owned by the  Company  Stockholders  and the Escrow  Fund shall be
available  to partially  compensate  the Buyer  pursuant to the  indemnification
obligations of the Former Company Stockholders.  With respect to the claims made
prior to the termination of the "Escrow Period" (as defined below),  arising out
of breaches of the representations and warranties set forth in Section 2.12 and,
with respect only to Intellectual Property and Third Party Intellectual Property
Rights, in Section 2.14 (collectively,  the "Intellectual Property Claims"), the
Buyer, in addition to the Escrow Fund, may seek  indemnification from the Former
Company  Stockholders  pursuant  to the  Affiliate  Agreements  and  Stockholder
Agreements.  To the  extent not used for the  foregoing  purposes,  such  Escrow
Shares shall be released as provided in this Article VII.

                  (b)  Exclusivity  of  Remedies.  The total  liability  of each
Former Company  Stockholder  under or in connection with this Agreement shall be
based on such  stockholder's  pro rata share of the Merger Shares to be received
pursuant to this Agreement,  shall be several and not joint and, with respect to
claims other than Intellectual  Property Claims,  shall be limited to the Escrow
Shares  of  such  Former  Company  Stockholder,  and  Buyer  and  the  Surviving
Corporation  (together  with the other persons  indemnified  hereunder) may look
solely to such  Escrow  Shares for the  satisfaction  of any claims  against the
Former Company Stockholder, other than with respect to the Intellectual Property
Claims.  Other than the Intellectual  Property Claims,  the Buyer agrees that no
Former  Company  Stockholder  shall be  personally  liable with  respect to such
claims, except for the interest of such Former Company Stockholder in the Escrow
Shares.  This Article VII sets forth the sole and exclusive  remedy of the Buyer
and the Surviving  Corporation  (together  with the other  Indemnified  Persons)
after the Closing  with  respect to any  representation,  warranty,  covenant or
agreement made by the Company under or in connection  with this Agreement or any
covenants or agreements contemplated by this Agreement.

                                       44
<PAGE>

     7.3 Damage Threshold.

                  (a) Notwithstanding Section 7.1, the Buyer may not receive any
shares  from the  Escrow  Fund  unless  and until an  Officer's  Certificate  or
Certificates  (as defined in Section 7.5 below) and identifying the requirements
of Section  7.5(a)(ii) and identifying  Damages has been delivered to the Escrow
Agent as provided in Section 7.5 below and such amount is determined pursuant to
this  Article VII to be payable,  in which case the Buyer shall  receive  shares
equal in value to the full amount of Damages.

                  (b) If the Damages for the Intellectual Property Claims are in
excess of the value of the Escrow Fund, the Buyer may then seek  indemnification
from the Company  Stockholders  pursuant  to the  Affiliate  Agreements  and the
Stockholder  Agreements.  In no event shall the liability of each Former Company
Stockholder  with respect to all claims  hereunder,  including the  Intellectual
Property Claims, exceed the Indemnity Value for such Former Company Stockholder.

     7.4 Escrow Period. The period commencing upon the Effective Time and ending
upon the date twelve months following the Effective Time shall be referred to as
the "Escrow  Period." The Escrow Period shall  terminate  upon the expiration of
twelve months after the Effective Time; provided, however, that a portion of the
Escrow Shares,  which, in the reasonable  judgment of the Buyer,  subject to the
objection  of the  Stockholders'  Agent and the  subsequent  arbitration  of the
matter in the manner  provided in Section 7.7 hereof,  are  necessary to satisfy
any  unsatisfied  claims  specified  in any  Officer's  Certificate  theretofore
delivered to the Escrow  Agent prior to  termination  of the Escrow  Period with
respect to claims made by the Buyer  pursuant to Section 7.5 prior to expiration
of the Escrow  Period,  shall  remain in the Escrow  Fund until such claims have
been resolved.

     7.5 Claims Upon Escrow Fund. Subject to the procedures set forth in Section
7.6:

                  (a) Upon receipt by the Escrow Agent on or before the last day
of the Escrow  Period of a  certificate  signed by any  officer of the Buyer (an
"Officer's Certificate"):

                                       45
<PAGE>

     (i) stating that with respect to the indemnification obligations of Company
Stockholders, Damages exist in an aggregate amount greater than $75,000, and

     (ii) specifying in reasonable  detail the individual  items of such Damages
included in the amount so stated,  the date each such item was paid, or properly
accrued or arose,  the nature of the  misrepresentation,  breach of  warranty or
claim to which such item is related,

the Escrow Agent shall,  subject to the provisions of this Article VII,  deliver
to the Buyer out of the Escrow Fund,  as promptly as  practicable,  Buyer Common
Stock or other  assets  held in the  Escrow  Fund  having a value  equal to such
Damages with respect to the indemnification  obligations of Company Stockholders
set forth in Section  7.1.  The Escrow  Agent shall use the Escrow Fund first to
satisfy any Damages  arising  from claims other than the  Intellectual  Property
Claims and any  remainder  in the Escrow  Fund shall then be used to satisfy the
Intellectual Property Claims to the extent possible.

                  (b) For the purpose of compensating  the Buyer for its Damages
pursuant  to this  Agreement,  Buyer  Common  Stock in the Escrow  Fund shall be
valued  at the  Buyer  Share  Market  Value  as of  the  date  of the  Officer's
Certificate delivered to the Escrow Agent.

     7.6  Objections  to  Claims.  At the  time  of  delivery  of any  Officer's
Certificate to the Escrow Agent, a duplicate copy of such Officer's  Certificate
shall be delivered to the Stockholders' Agent (defined in Section 7.8 below) and
for a period of forty-five (45) days after such delivery, the Escrow Agent shall
make no delivery of Buyer Common Stock or other property pursuant to Section 7.5
hereof unless the Escrow Agent shall have received  written  authorization  from
the  Stockholders'  Agent to make such  delivery.  After the  expiration of such
forty-five  (45) days  period,  the Escrow  Agent  shall make  delivery of Buyer
Common Stock or other property in the Escrow Fund in accordance with Section 7.5
hereof,  provided  that  no  such  payment  or  delivery  may  be  made  if  the
Stockholders' Agent shall object in a written statement to the claim made in the
Officer's  certificate,  and such  statement  shall have been  delivered  to the
Escrow Agent and to the Buyer prior to the  expiration of such  forty-five  (45)
day period.

     7.7 Resolution of Conflicts and Arbitration.

                  (a) In case the Stockholders' Agent shall so object in writing
to any claim or claims by the Buyer made in any Officer's Certificate, the Buyer
shall  have  forty-five  (45)  days to  respond  in a written  statement  to the
objection of the  Stockholders'  Agent. If after such forty-five (45) day period
there remains a dispute as to any claims, the Stockholders'  Agent and the Buyer
shall  attempt in good faith for sixty (60) days to agree upon the rights of the
respective  parties with respect to each of such  claims.  If the  Stockholders'
Agent and the Buyer should so agree,  a memorandum  setting forth such agreement
shall be  prepared  and signed by both  parties  and shall be  furnished  to the
Escrow Agent.  The Escrow Agent shall be entitled to rely on any such memorandum
and shall  distribute  Buyer Common Stock or other property from the Escrow Fund
in accordance with the terms thereof.

                                       46
<PAGE>

                  (b) If no such  agreement  can be  reached  after  good  faith
negotiation,  either the Buyer or the Stockholders' Agent may, by written notice
to the other,  demand  arbitration of the matter unless the amount of the damage
or loss is at issue in pending  litigation  with a third  party,  in which event
arbitration  shall not be  commenced  until such amount is  ascertained  or both
parties  agree to  arbitration;  and in either  such event the  matter  shall be
settled by arbitration conducted by three arbitrators.  Within fifteen (15) days
after such written notice is sent, the Buyer and the  Stockholders'  Agent shall
each selected one arbitrator, and the two arbitrators so selected shall select a
third arbitrator.  The decision of the arbitrators as to the validity and amount
of any claim in such Officer's  Certificate shall be binding and conclusive upon
the  parties to this  Agreement,  and  notwithstanding  anything  in Section 7.6
hereof,  the Escrow  Agent  shall be  entitled  to act in  accordance  with such
decision  and make or withhold  payments  out of the Escrow  Fund in  accordance
therewith.

                  (c) Judgment upon any award rendered by the arbitrators may be
entered in any court having jurisdiction.  Any such arbitration shall be held in
Montgomery  County,  Maryland under the  commercial  rules then in effect of the
American  Arbitration  Association.  For purposes of this Section 7.7(c), in any
arbitration  hereunder  in which any claim or the amount  thereof  stated in the
Officer's  Certificate  is at  issue,  the  Buyer  shall  be  deemed  to be  the
Non-Prevailing  Party unless the arbitrators award the Buyer more than one- half
(1/2) of the amount in dispute, plus any amounts not in dispute;  otherwise, the
Company Stockholders for whom shares of Buyer Common Stock otherwise issuable to
them  have  been  deposited  in  the  Escrow  Fund  shall  be  deemed  to be the
Non-Prevailing  Party. The Non-Prevailing  Party to an arbitration shall pay its
own  expenses,  the  fees  of each  arbitrator,  the  administrative  fee of the
American   Arbitration   Association,   and  the  expenses,   including  without
limitations attorneys' fees and costs, reasonably incurred by other party to the
arbitration.

     7.8 Stockholders' Agent.

                  (a) Stephen E. Smaha and Ray A. Rothrock  shall be constituted
and  appointed as agents  ("Stockholders'  Agents") for and on behalf of Company
Stockholders  to give and  receive  notices  and  communications,  to  authorize
delivery to the Buyer of Buyer  Common Stock or other  property  from the Escrow
Fund in satisfaction of claims by the Buyer,  to object to such  deliveries,  to
agree to,  negotiate,  enter into  settlements  and  compromises  of, and demand
arbitration  and comply  with  orders of courts and awards of  arbitrators  with
respect to such claims,  and to take all actions necessary or appropriate in the
judgment of the  Stockholders'  Agents for the  accomplishment of the foregoing.
Such  agency may be changed by the  holders  of a majority  in  interest  of the
Escrow Fund from time to time upon not less than 10 days' prior  written  notice
to the Buyer.  No bond shall be required of the  Stockholders'  Agents,  and the
Stockholders'  Agent shall receive no compensation for his services.  Notices or
communications to or from the Stockholders' Agents shall constitute notice to or
from each Company Stockholder.

                                       47
<PAGE>

                  (b) The  Stockholders'  Agents shall not be liable for any act
done or omitted hereunder as Stockholders' Agents while acting in good faith and
in the exercise of reasonable  judgment and any act done or omitted  pursuant to
the advice of counsel  shall be  conclusive  evidence  of such good  faith.  The
Company Stockholders shall severally indemnify the Stockholders' Agents and hold
each,  individually  harmless  against any loss,  liability or expense  incurred
without gross  negligence or bad faith on the part of the  Stockholders'  Agents
and arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of his
duties hereunder.

                  (c) The  Stockholders'  Agents shall have reasonable access to
information  about the Company and the  reasonable  assistance  of the Company's
officers and employees for purposes of performing  its duties and exercising its
rights   hereunder,   provided  that  the   Stockholders'   Agents  shall  treat
confidentially  and not disclose  any  nonpublic  information  from or about the
Company to anyone  (except on a need to know basis to  individuals  who agree to
treat such information confidentially).

                  (d) The Buyer  acknowledges  that  Stephen E. Smaha and Ray A.
Rothrock  may each have a conflict of interest  with  respect to his  respective
duties  as  Stockholders'  Agents,  and in  such  regard  will  act in the  best
interests of the Company Stockholders.

     7.9  Actions of the  Stockholders'  Agents.  A  decision,  act,  consent or
instruction  of the  Stockholders'  Agents  shall  constitute  a decision of all
Company Stockholders for whom shares of Buyer Common Stock otherwise issuable to
them are deposited in the Escrow Fund and shall be final, binding and conclusive
upon each such Company Stockholder,  and the Escrow Agent and the Buyer may rely
upon any decision,  act, consent or instruction of the  Stockholders'  Agents as
being the decision,  act consent or  instruction  of each and every such Company
Stockholder.  The  Escrow  Agent  and the  Buyer  are  hereby  relived  from any
liability  to any  person  for any acts  done by them in  accordance  with  such
decision, act consent or instruction of the Stockholders' Agent.

     7.10  Third-Party  Claims.  In the  event  the  Buyer  becomes  aware  of a
third-party  claim which the Buyer  believes may result in a demand  against the
Escrow Fund, the Buyer shall notify the Stockholders'  Agents of such claim, and
the Stockholders'  Agents and the Company  Stockholders for whom shares of Buyer
Common Stock  otherwise  issuable to them are deposited in the Escrow Fund shall
be entitled,  at their expense, to participate in any defense of such claim. The
Buyer  shall have the right in its sole  discretion  to settle  any such  claim;
provided,  however,  that the Buyer may not  affect the  settlement  of any such
claim without the consent of the Stockholders'  Agents,  which consent shall not
be  unreasonably  withheld.  In the event  that the  Stockholders'  Agents  have
consented to any such settlements,  the Stockholders' Agents shall have no power
or authority to object under Section 7.6 or any other  provision of this Article
VII to the  amount  of any  claim  by the  Buyer  against  the  Escrow  Fund for
indemnity with respect to such settlement.

                                       48
<PAGE>

     7.11 Buyer Indemnification.  The Buyer will indemnify and hold harmless the
Former Company Stockholders from and against any and all losses, costs, damages,
liabilities  and  expenses  arising  from claims,  demands,  actions,  causes of
action,  including,  without  limitation  reasonable  legal  fees,  net  of  any
recoveries under existing insurance  policies,  tax benefit received by a Former
Company Stockholder as a result of such damages,  indemnities from third parties
or in the case of third party  claims,  by any amount  actually  recovered  by a
Former  Company  Stockholder  pursuant  to  counterclaims  made  by any of  them
directly  relating to the facts giving rise to such third party  claims  arising
out of any  misrepresentation  or breach of or default in connection with any of
the representations,  warranties,  covenants and agreements given or made by the
Buyer in this Agreement,  the Disclosure Schedules or any exhibit or schedule to
this  Agreement,  the  Disclosure  Schedules  or any exhibit or schedule to this
Agreement.


                                  ARTICLE VIII
                                   DEFINITIONS

                  (a) In this  Agreement,  any  reference to any event,  change,
condition  or effect  being  "material"  with  respect to any entity or group of
entities means any material  event,  change,  condition or effect related to the
financial   condition,   properties,   assets  (including   intangible  assets),
liabilities,  business,  operations  or results of  operations of such entity or
group of entities.  In this  Agreement,  any  reference  to a "Material  Adverse
Effect" with respect to any entity or group of entities means any event,  change
or effect that is  materially  adverse to the financial  condition,  properties,
assets,  liabilities,  business,  operations  or results of  operations  of such
entity.  In this  Agreement,  any  reference to a Party's  knowledge  means such
Party's actual  knowledge after  reasonable  inquiry of officers,  directors and
other  employees  of such Party  reasonably  believed to have  knowledge of such
matters.

                  (b) For  purposes  of this  Agreement,  each of the  following
defined terms is defined in the Section of this Agreement indicated below.

Defined Term                                               Section

1993 Option................................................1.10
1996 Option. ..............................................1.10
Affiliate..................................................2.14
Affiliate Agreement.. .....................................4.9
Agreement..................................................Preamble
Budget.....................................................2.6
Buyer .....................................................Preamble
Buyer By-Laws......... ....................................3.1
Buyer Charter..............................................3.1
Buyer Common Stock..... ...................................1.5

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<PAGE>

Buyer Share Market Value...................................1.5
Buyer Reports...........  .................................3.5
CERCLA.....................................................2.20
Certificate of Merger......................................1.1
Certificates...............................................1.7
Closing....................................................1.2
Closing Date...............................................1.2
Code.......................................................1.5
Company....................................................Preamble
Company Affiliate..........................................4.9
Company By-Laws............................................2.1
Company Charter............................................2.1
Company Common Stock.......................................1.5
Company Shares.............................................1.5
Company Special Meeting....................................4.3
Company Stockholder........................................1.5
Common Stock Conversion Ratio .............................1.5
Common Stock Equivalents...................................1.5
Continuity of Interest Agreement...........................4.9
Counted Assumed Option Merger Shares.......................1.5
Counted Assumed Option Shares..............................1.5
DGCL.......................................................1.1
Disclosure Schedule........................................Article II
Dissenting Shares..........................................1.6
Effective Time.............................................1.1
Employee Benefit Plan......................................2.19
Environmental Law..........................................2.20
ERISA......................................................2.19
ERISA Affiliate............................................2.19
Escrow Fund................................................7.2
Escrow Period..............................................7.2
Escrow Shares..............................................7.2
Exchange Act...............................................2.14
Exchange Agent.............................................1.3
Financial Statements.......................................2.6
Forecast Period............................................2.6
Former Company Stockholder.................................1.5
GAAP.......................................................2.6
Governmental Entity........................................2.4
Indemnity Value............................................7.1
Intellectual Property......................................2.12
Intellectual Property Claims...............................7.2
Material Adverse Effect....................................Article VII

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<PAGE>

Materials of Environmental Concern.........................2.20
Merger.....................................................1.1
Merger Shares..............................................1.5
Most Recent Balance Sheet..................................2.8
Most Recent Fiscal Month End...............................2.6
Options....................................................1.10
Ordinary Course of Business................................2.4
Party......................................................Preamble
Permit.....................................................2.22
Principal Stockholders.....................................1.5
Registration Statement.....................................4.3
Requisite Stockholder Approval.............................2.3
SEC........................................................3.5
Securities Act.............................................1.5
Security Interest..........................................2.4
Series A Convertible Preferred Stock.......................1.5
Series B Convertible Preferred Stock.......................1.5
Stockholder Agreement......................................4.9
Surviving Corporation......................................1.1
Taxes......................................................2.9
Tax Returns................................................2.9
Third Party Intellectual Property Rights...................2.12
Merger Sub.................................................Preamble
Merger Sub Common Stock....................................1.5
Transaction Costs..........................................2.8
Transition Costs...........................................2.8


                                   ARTICLE IX
                                  MISCELLANEOUS

     9.1  Press  Releases  and  Announcements.  No Party  shall  issue any press
release or make any public  disclosure  relating to the  subject  matter of this
Agreement  without the prior written  approval of the other  Parties;  provided,
however, that any Party may make any public disclosure it believes in good faith
is  required  by law or  regulation  (in which case the  disclosing  Party shall
advise the other Parties and provide them with a copy of the proposed disclosure
prior to making the disclosure).

     9.2 No Third  Party  Beneficiaries.  This  Agreement  shall not  confer any
rights or remedies  upon any person other than the Parties and their  respective
successors  and permitted  assigns;  provided,  however,  that the provisions in
Article I concerning  issuance of the Merger Shares are intended for the benefit
of the Former Company Stockholders.

                                       51
<PAGE>

     9.3 Entire Agreement.  This Agreement  (including the documents referred to
herein)  constitutes  the entire  agreement among the Parties and supersedes any
prior  understandings,  agreements,  or representations by or among the Parties,
written or oral, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

     9.4 Succession  and  Assignment.  This Agreement  shall be binding upon and
inure to the benefit of the Parties named herein and their respective successors
and permitted  assigns.  No Party may assign either this Agreement or any of its
rights,  interests,  or obligations hereunder without the prior written approval
of the other  Parties;  provided  that the Merger  Sub may  assign  its  rights,
interests and obligations hereunder to an Affiliate of the Buyer.

     9.5   Counterparts.   This  Agreement  may  be  executed  in  two  or  more
counterparts,  each of  which  shall  be  deemed  an  original  but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

     9.6 Headings. The section headings contained in this Agreement are inserted
for  convenience   only  and  shall  not  affect  in  any  way  the  meaning  or
interpretation of this Agreement.

     9.7  Notices.   All  notices,   requests,   demands,   claims,   and  other
communications  hereunder  shall be in  writing.  Any notice,  request,  demand,
claim,  or other  communication  hereunder  shall be deemed duly  delivered  two
business days after it is sent by registered or certified  mail,  return receipt
requested,  postage  prepaid,  one business day after it is sent via a reputable
nationwide overnight courier service, or when actually received after it is sent
via facsimile in each case to the intended recipient as set forth below:

         If to the Company:

                  Haystack Laboratories, Inc.
                  10713 RR 620 North, Suite 512
                  Austin, TX  78726
                  Attn:  Mr. Steve Smaha
                  Fax:  (512) 918-1265

         Copies to:

                  Gunderson Dettmer Stough
                  Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP
                  8911 Capital of Texas Highway, Suite 4140
                  Austin, TX 78759
                  Attn:  Brian K. Beard, Esq.
                  Fax:  (512) 342-8181

                                       52
<PAGE>

         If to the Buyer:

                  Trusted Information Systems, Inc.
                  3060 Washington Road
                  Glenwood, MD  21738
                  Attention:  Stephen T. Walker
                  Fax:  (301) 854-5755

         Copy to:

                  Piper & Marbury L.L.P.
                  1200 Nineteenth Street, N.W.
                  Washington, D.C.  20036
                  Attn:  Edwin M. Martin, Jr., Esq.
                  Fax:  (202) 861-6317

         If to the Merger Sub:

                  Trusted Acquisitions, Inc.
                  3060 Washington Road
                  Glenwood, MD  21738
                  Attn:  Stephen T. Walker
                  Fax:  (301) 854-5755

         Copy to:

                  Piper & Marbury L.L.P.
                  1200 Nineteenth Street, N.W.
                  Washington, D.C.  20036
                  Attn: Edwin M. Martin, Jr., Esq.
                  Fax:  (202) 861-6317

Any Party may give any notice,  request,  demand,  claim, or other communication
hereunder using any other means (including personal delivery, expedited courier,
messenger service,  telecopy,  telex, ordinary mail, or electronic mail), but no
such notice,  request,  demand, claim, or other communication shall be deemed to
have been duly given  unless and until it  actually is received by the party for
whom it is  intended.  Any  Party  may  change  the  address  to which  notices,
requests,  demands,  claims,  and  other  communications  hereunder  are  to  be
delivered by giving the other Parties notice in the manner herein set forth.

     9.8  Governing  Law. This  Agreement  shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the internal laws (and not the law of conflicts) of the State of
Delaware.

                                       53
<PAGE>

     9.9 Amendments and Waivers. The Parties may mutually amend any provision of
this Agreement at any time prior to the Effective Time; provided,  however, that
any amendment effected subsequent to the Requisite Stockholder Approval shall be
subject to the restrictions contained in the DGCL. No amendment of any provision
of this Agreement  shall be valid unless the same shall be in writing and signed
by all of the Parties. No waiver by any Party of any default, misrepresentation,
or breach of warranty or covenant  hereunder,  whether intentional or not, shall
be deemed to extend to any prior or subsequent  default,  misrepresentation,  or
breach of warranty or covenant hereunder or affect in any way any rights arising
by virtue of any prior or subsequent such occurrence.

     9.10 Severability.  Any term or provision of this Agreement that is invalid
or  unenforceable  in any  situation  in any  jurisdiction  shall not affect the
validity or  enforceability  of the remaining terms and provisions hereof or the
validity or  enforceability  of the  offending  term or  provision  in any other
situation  or in any other  jurisdiction.  If the final  judgment  of a court of
competent  jurisdiction declares that any term or provision hereof is invalid or
unenforceable,  the Parties  agree that the court  making the  determination  of
invalidity  or  unenforceability  shall  have the  power to  reduce  the  scope,
duration, or area of the term or provision, to delete specific words or phrases,
or to replace  any invalid or  unenforceable  term or  provision  with a term or
provision that is valid and enforceable and that comes closest to expressing the
intention of the invalid or unenforceable term or provision,  and this Agreement
shall be  enforceable  as so modified  after the  expiration  of the time within
which the judgment may be appealed.

     9.11 Specific Performance. Each of the Parties acknowledges and agrees that
one or more of the other Parties would be damaged  irreparably  in the event any
of the provisions of this  Agreement are not performed in accordance  with their
specific  terms or  otherwise  are  breached.  Accordingly,  each of the Parties
agrees that the other Parties shall be entitled to an injunction or  injunctions
to  prevent  breaches  of the  provisions  of  this  Agreement  and  to  enforce
specifically  this Agreement and the terms and  provisions  hereof in any action
instituted  in any  court of the  United  States  or any  state  thereof  having
jurisdiction over the Parties and the matter, in addition to any other remedy to
which it may be entitled,  at law or in equity. The prevailing party in any such
action  shall be entitled to recover from the other party its  attorneys'  fees,
costs and expenses incurred in connection with regard to such action.

     9.12  Construction.  The Parties agree that they have been  represented  by
counsel during the negotiation, preparation and execution of this Agreement and,
therefore,  waive the  application  of any law,  regulation,  holding or rule of
construction  providing that  ambiguities in an agreement or other document will
be  construed  against  the party  drafting  such  agreement  or  document.  Any
reference  to any  federal,  state,  local,  or foreign  statute or law shall be
deemed also to refer to all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, unless
the context requires otherwise.

     9.13  Incorporation  of Exhibits and Schedules.  The Exhibits and Schedules
identified  in this  Agreement are  incorporated  herein by reference and made a
part hereof.

                                       54
<PAGE>


     IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the Parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of
the date first above written.


                                            TRUSTED INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC.


                                            By:
                                            Name:
                                            Title:



                                          TRUSTED ACQUISITIONS, INC.


                                            By:
                                            Name:
                                            Title:



                                          HAYSTACK LABORATORIES, INC.


                                            By:
                                            Name:
                                            Title:



                                       55
<PAGE>

         The  undersigned,  being the duly elected  Secretary of the Merger Sub,
hereby certifies that this Agreement has been adopted by a majority of the votes
represented  by the  outstanding  shares  of  capital  stock of the  Merger  Sub
entitled to vote on this Agreement.


                                    --------------------------
                                    Secretary


         The  undersigned,   being  the  duly  elected  Secretary  or  Assistant
Secretary of the Company,  hereby certifies that this Agreement has been adopted
by a  majority  of the  votes  represented  by the  outstanding  Company  Shares
entitled to vote on this Agreement.


                                      ---------------------------
                                      Secretary or Assistant Secretary




                                       56
<PAGE>



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