SOFTWORKS INC
S-8, 1999-05-04
PREPACKAGED SOFTWARE
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                                                Registration No. 333-

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                Washington, D.C.


                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     under
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933


                                 SOFTWORKS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          Delaware                                  52-1092916
(State or other jurisdiction of          (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 incorporation or organization)

             5845 Richmond Highway, Suite 400, Alexandria,  VA 22303 (Address of
               principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

                 SOFTWORKS, INC. 1998 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN, AS AMENDED
                     SOFTWORKS, INC. 1999 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                           Judy G. Carter, President
                                SOFTWORKS, INC.
                             5845 Richmond Highway
                                   Suite 400
                              Alexandria, VA 22303
                    (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (703) 317-2424
         (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                                    copy to:
                            Nancy D. Lieberman, Esq.
                    Blau, Kramer, Wactlar & Lieberman, P.C.
                             100 Jericho Quadrangle
                            Jericho, New York 11753
                                 (516) 822-4820

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

    Title of Each                        Proposed Minimum      Proposed Maximum 
 Class of Securities    Amount to be    Offering Price Per    Aggregate Offering       Amount of
  To be Registered     Registered (1)      Security (2)            Price (2)        Registration Fee  
- --------------------   --------------   -------------------   -------------------   -----------------

  <S>                  <C>                    <C>                 <C>                   <C>
  Common Stock,
  par value $.001
  per share            3,727,000 shs.(3)      $12.44               $46,363,880          $12,890

  Common Stock,
  par value $.001
  per share            1,250,000 shs.(4)      $12.44               $15,550,000           $4,232

<FN>
(1)  The  Registration   Statement  also  covers  an  indeterminate   number  of
     additional  shares of Common  Stock which may become  issuable  pursuant to
     anti-dilution and adjustment provisions of the Plan.
(2)  Estimated  solely  for the  purpose of  calculating  the  registration  fee
     pursuant to Rule 457(c).
(3)  Represents shares issuable under the 1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan.
(4)  Represents shares issuable under the 1999 Stock Option Plan.

</FN>
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

     Softworks hereby incorporates by reference into this Registration Statement
the documents listed in (a) and (b) below:

     (a)  Softworks  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K  for the  fiscal  year  ended
          December 31, 1998;

     (b)  The  description  of the class of  securities  to be offered  which is
          contained in a  registration  statement  filed under Section 12 of the
          Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934 (File No. 0- 24719),  including  any
          amendment   or  report   filed  for  the  purpose  of  updating   such
          description.

     All documents  subsequently  filed by Softworks pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, prior to the filing
of a post-effective  amendment which indicates that all securities  offered have
been sold or which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which
deregisters  all such securities  then remaining  unsold,  shall be deemed to be
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof
from the date of filing of such documents.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

     Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

     Members of the law firm of Blau, Kramer,  Wactlar & Lieberman,  P.C. own an
aggregate 20,000 shares of Common Stock.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

     Softworks,  a Delaware  corporation,  is  empowered  by Section  145 of the
Delaware General  Corporation Law (the Delaware Act),  subject to the procedures
and limitations stated therein, to indemnify certain parties. Section 145 of the
Delaware  Act  provides  in part  that a  corporation  shall  have the  power to
indemnify  any person who was or is a party or is  threatened to be made a party
to any threatened,  pending or completed action,  suit or proceeding (other than
an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that such
person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation or is
or was  serving  at the  request  of the  corporation  as a  director,  officer,
employee or agent of another  corporation or other enterprise,  against expenses
(including  attorneys  fees),  judgments,  fines and amounts paid in  settlement
actually and reasonably  incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or
proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he  reasonably  believed to
be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation,  and with respect


<PAGE>

to any criminal  action or  proceeding  had no  reasonable  cause to believe his
conduct was unlawful.  Similar  indemnity is authorized for such persons against
expenses (including  attorneys fees) actually and reasonably incurred in defense
or settlement of any  threatened,  pending or completed  action or suit by or in
the right of the corporation, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner
he  reasonably  believed  to be in or not opposed to the best  interests  of the
corporation, and provided further that (unless a court of competent jurisdiction
otherwise  provides)  such  person  shall not have been  adjudged  liable to the
corporation.  Any such  indemnification  may be made only as  authorized in each
specific  case  upon  a  determination  by  the  stockholders  or  disinterested
directors  that  indemnification  is proper  because the  indemnitee has met the
applicable standard of conduct.  Where an officer or a director is successful on
the merits or  otherwise  in the defense of any action  referred  to above,  the
corporation  must  indemnify  him against  the  expenses  which such  officer or
director  actually or  reasonably  incurred.  Section 145 provides  further that
indemnification  pursuant to its  provisions is not exclusive of other rights of
indemnification to which a person may be entitled under any law, agreement, vote
of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

     Softworks  Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws contain provisions that
limit the potential personal liability of directors for certain monetary damages
and provide  for  indemnity  of  directors  and other  persons.  Softworks  also
maintains officers and directors liability insurance. The policy coverage is $10
million,  which  includes  reimbursement  for  costs  and  fees,  with a maximum
deductible  for officers and  directors of $200,000 for each  securities-related
claim and $75,000 for each non-securities-related claim.  Softworks is unaware
of any pending or threatened  litigation against Softworks or its directors that
would result in any liability for which such director would seek indemnification
or similar  protection.  

     The  provisions  affecting  personal  liability do not abrogate a directors
fiduciary  duty  to  Softworks  and its  stockholders,  but  eliminate  personal
liability for monetary  damages for breach of that duty.  The provisions do not,
however,  eliminate  or limit the  liability of a director for failing to act in
good faith, for engaging in intentional misconduct or knowingly violating a law,
for authorizing  the illegal  payment of a dividend or repurchase of stock,  for
obtaining  an improper  personal  benefit,  for  breaching  a directors  duty of
loyalty  (which  is  generally  described  as  the  duty  not to  engage  in any
transaction  that  involves a conflict  between the  interests of Softworks  and
those of the director) or for  violations of the federal  securities  laws.  The
provisions  also limit or indemnify  against  liability  resulting  from grossly
negligent decisions,  including grossly negligent business decisions relating to
attempts to change control of Softworks.

     The  provisions  regarding   indemnification   provide,  in  essence,  that
Softworks will indemnify its directors  against  expenses  (including  attorneys
fees),  judgments,  fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably
incurred in connection  with any action,  suit or proceeding  arising out of the
directors status as a director of Softworks,  including actions brought by or on
behalf of Softworks  (shareholder  derivative  actions).  The  provisions do not
require a showing of good faith. Moreover,  they do not provide  indemnification
for liability  arising out of willful  misconduct,  fraud,  or  dishonesty,  for
short-swing  profits  violations  under the federal  securities laws, or for the
receipt  of  illegal   remuneration.   The   provisions   also  do  not  provide
indemnification  for any  liability  to the extent such  liability is covered by
insurance.  One purpose of the provisions is to supplement the coverage provided
by such insurance. 

     These  provisions  diminish  the  potential  rights  of action  that  might
otherwise be available to stockholders by limiting the liability of officers and
directors to the maximum  extent  allowable  under Delaware law and by affording
indemnification  against most damages and settlement  amounts paid by a director
of Softworks in connection with any stockholders derivative action. However, the
provisions  do not have the effect of  limiting  the right of a  stockholder  to
enjoin a director from taking actions in breach of the directors fiduciary duty,
or to cause Softworks to rescind actions already taken,  although as a practical
matter courts may be unwilling to grant such equitable remedies in circumstances
in which such  actions  have  already  been taken.  

     Softworks has entered into  indemnification  agreements with certain of its
officers.  The  indemnification  agreements  provide for  reimbursement  for all
direct and indirect costs of any type or nature whatsoever  (including attorneys
fees and related  disbursements)  actually and reasonably incurred in connection
with  either  the  investigation,  defense  or  appeal  of a  legal  proceeding,
including  amounts  paid  in  settlement  by  or  on  behalf  of  an  indemnitee
thereunder.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

        Not applicable.

<PAGE>

Item 8. Exhibits.

4.1    1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended
4.2    1999 Stock Option Plan
5      Opinion and consent of Blau, Kramer, Wactlar & Lieberman, P.C.
23.1   Consent of Blau, Kramer, Wactlar & Lieberman, P.C. - included in their 
       opinion filed as Exhibit 5.
23.2   Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP
24     Powers of Attorney - included on signature page.

Item 9.Undertakings.

 (a)    The undersigned hereby undertakes:

        (1) To file,  during  any  period  in which  offers or sales are
being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

            (i)  To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of 
the Securities Act of 1933;

            (ii) To  reflect in the  prospectus  any facts or events arising 
after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent 
post-effective amendment thereof) which,  individually or in the aggregate,  
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration
Statement;

            (iii) To include any material  information  with respect to the 
plan of distribution not previously  disclosed in the  Registration  Statement 
or any material  change to such  information  in  the  Registration  Statement;
provided,  however,  that paragraphs  (a)(l)(i) and (a)(l)(ii) do not apply if 
the information required to be included in a  post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to
section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are 
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

        (2) That,  for the purposes of determining  any liability  under
the Securities Act of 1933, each such  post-effective  amendment shall be deemed
to be a new Registration  Statement  relating to the securities offered therein,
and the  offering  of such  securities  at that  time  shall be deemed to be the
initial bona fide offering thereof.

        (3) To remove  from  registration  by means of a  post-effective
amendment  any of the  securities  being  registered  which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

     (b) The  undersigned  Registrant  hereby  undertakes  that, for purposes of
determining  any liability  under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's  annual  report  pursuant to Section  13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934  (and,  where  applicable,  each  filing of an
employee  benefit  plan's  annual  report  pursuant  to  Section  15(d)  of  the
Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934)  that is  incorporated  by  reference  in the
Registration  Statement  shall  be  deemed  to be a new  registration  statement
relating to the securities offered therein,  and the offering of such securities
at the time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

     (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors,  officers and controlling  persons of
the  Registrant  pursuant  to  the  foregoing  provisions,   or  otherwise,  the
Registrant  has been advised that in the opinion of the  Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act
and is, therefore,  unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such  liabilities  (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director,  officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director,  officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been  settled by  controlling  precedent,  submit to a court of  appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such  indemnification  by it is against policy
as  expressed  in the Act and will be  governed  by final  adjudication  of such
issue.

<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
certifies  that  it  has  reasonable  grounds  to  believe  that  it  meets  all
requirements  for  filing  on Form S-8 and has  duly  caused  this  Registration
Statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized, in Alexandria, Virginia on the 3rd day of May, 1999.

                                      SOFTWORKS, INC.
                                        
                                        /s/ Judy G. Carter
                                      ------------------------------  
                                      By: Judy G. Carter, 
                                          President and Director 
                                          (Chief Executive Officer)

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of 1933, as amended,
this  Registration  Statement  has been  signed on May 3, 1999 by the  following
persons in the capacities  indicated.  Each person whose signature appears below
constitutes and appoints Judy G. Carter and Robert McLaughlin,  and each of them
acting  individually,  with  full  power of  substitution,  our true and  lawful
attorneys-in-fact  and  agents to do any and all acts and things in our name and
on our behalf in our capacities indicated below which they or either of them may
deem  necessary  or  advisable  to enable  Softworks,  Inc.  to comply  with the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules,  regulations and requirements
of the Securities and Exchange Commission,  in connection with this Registration
Statement  including  specifically,  but not limited to, power and  authority to
sign for us or any of us in our names in the  capacities  stated below,  any and
all amendments (including post-effective amendments) thereto, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing  requisite and necessary to be done in such  connection,  as
fully to all  intents  and  purposes  as we might or could do in person,  hereby
ratifying and  confirming  all that said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents,  or his
substitute  or  substitutes,  may  lawfully  do or  cause  to be done by  virtue
thereof.

     Signature                                       Title
     ---------                                       -----

/s/ James A. Cannavino
- ---------------------------          Chairman of the Board and Director
James A. Cannavino              

/s/ Judy G. Carter
- ---------------------------          President, Chief Executive Officer and
Judy G. Carter                       a Director 


- ---------------------------          Vice President and Secretary
C. R. Kinsey, III       

/s/ Robert C. McLaughlin
- ---------------------------          Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
Robert C. McLaughlin

/s/ Robert Devine
- ---------------------------          Director
Robert Devine

/s/ Charles Feld
- ---------------------------          Director
Charles Feld    

<PAGE>



                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                SOFTWORKS, INC.



                        Form S-8 Registration Statement



                            E X H I B I T I N D E X



                                                    Page No. in Sequential
Exhibit                                             Numbering of all Pages,
Number         Exhibit Description                  including Exhibit Pages
- --------       -------------------                  ------------------------


4.1           1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan, 
              as amended       

4.2           1999 Stock Option Plan

5             Opinion and Consent of Counsel  
 
23.1          Consent of Counsel                        See Exhibit 5

23.2          Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP  

24            Powers of Attorney                        See signature page




                                                                   Exhibit 4.1

                                SOFTWORKS, Inc.

                         1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan
                                  (as amended)

     1.   PURPOSE. 

     The purpose of the 1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the "Plan") is to advance
the interests of SOFTWORKS, Inc. a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and its
shareholders by providing incentives to certain key employees of the Company and
its affiliates  and to certain other key  individuals  who perform  services for
these entities,  including those who contribute  significantly  to the strategic
and  long-term  performance  objectives  and  growth  of  the  Company  and  its
affiliates.

     2.   ADMINISTRATION.

     (a) The Plan shall be  determined  solely by the Long-Term  Incentive  Plan
Administrative  Committee  (the  "Committee")  of the  Board of  Directors  (the
"Board") of the Company, as such Committee is from time to time constituted,  or
any successor committee the Board may designate to administer the Plan; provided
that if at any time Rule 16b-3 or any  successor  rule ("Rule  16b-3") under the
Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the  "Exchange  Act"),  so permits
without  adversely  affecting  the  ability  of the  Plan  to  comply  with  the
conditions  for exemption  from Section 16 of the Exchange Act (or any successor
provision) provided by Rule 16b-3, the Committee may delegate the administration
of the Plan in  whole or in part,  on such  terms  and  conditions,  and to such
person or persons as it may determine in its  discretion.  The membership of the
Committee or such  successor  committee  shall be constituted so as to comply at
all times  with the  applicable  requirements  of Rule  16b-3.  No member of the
Committee  shall be eligible or have been eligible  within one year prior to his
appointment  to receive  awards under the Plan  ("Awards") or to receive  awards
under any other  plan,  program  or  arrangement  of the  Company  or any of its
affiliates  if such  eligibility  would  cause  such  member  to  cease  to be a
"Non-employee  director"  under Rule  16b-3;  provided  that if at any time Rule
16b-3 so permits without  adversely  affecting the ability of the Plan to comply
with the  conditions  for exemption  from Section 16 of the Exchange Act (or any
successor  provision)  provided  by  Rule  16b-3,  one or  more  members  of the
Committee may cease to be "Non-employee directors."

    (b) The  Committee  has all the powers  vested in it by the terms of the
Plan set forth herein, such powers to include exclusive authority (except as may
be  delegated  as permitted  herein) to select the key  employees  and other key
individuals to be granted Awards under the Plan, to determine the type, size and
terms of the Award to be made to each individual  selected,  to modify the terms
of any Award that has been  granted,  to determine  the time when awards will be
granted, to establish performance objectives,  to make any adjustments necessary
or  desirable  as a result of the  granting  of Awards to  eligible  individuals
located  outside the United States and to prescribe the form of the  instruments
embodying  Awards made under the Plan.  The Committee is authorized to interpret
the Plan and the Awards granted under the Plan, to establish,  amend and rescind
any  rules  and  regulations  relating  to the  Plan,  and  to  make  any  other
determination,  which it deems necessary or desirable for the  administration of
the Plan.  The Committee  (or its delegate as permitted  herein) may correct any
defect or supply any omission or reconcile any  inconsistency  in the Plan or in
any Award in the  manner  and to the extent the  Committee  deems  necessary  or

<PAGE>

desirable  to  carry it into  effect.  any  decision  of the  Committee  (or its
delegate as permitted herein) in the  interpretation  and  administration of the
Plan, as described herein, shall lie within its sole and absolute discretion and
shall be final,  conclusive and binding on all parties concerned.  The Committee
may act only by a majority  of its  members in office,  except  that the members
thereof  may  authorize  any one or more of their  members or any officer of the
Company to execute and deliver documents or to take any other ministerial action
on behalf of the  Committee  with  respect to Awards  made or to be made to Plan
participants.  No member of the Committee and no officer of the Company shall be
liable for  anything  done or omitted to be done by him, by any other  member of
the  Committee  or by  any  officer  of  the  Company  in  connection  with  the
performance of duties under the Plan,  except for his own willful  misconduct or
as expressly  provided by statute.  Determinations  to be made by the  Committee
under the Plan may be made by its delegates.

     3.      PARTICIPATION.

     (a)  Affiliates.  If an Affiliate (as  hereinafter  defined) of the Company
wishes to participate in the Plan and its participation shall have been approved
by the Board upon the recommendation of the Committee, the board of directors or
other  governing  body of the  Affiliate  shall adopt a  resolution  in form and
substance  satisfactory  to  the  Committee  authorizing  participation  by  the
Affiliate in the Plan with respect to its key employees or other key individuals
performing  services  for it. As used  herein,  the term  "Affiliate"  means any
entity in which the Company has a substantial direct or indirect equity interest
or which has a substantial direct or indirect equity interest in the Company, as
determined by the Committee in its discretion.

     An  Affiliate  participating  in the Plan may  cease to be a  participating
company  at any  time by  action  of the  Board  or by  action  of the  board of
directors or other governing body of such  Affiliate,  which latter action shall
be  effective  not earlier  than the date of delivery  to the  Secretary  of the
Company  of a  certified  copy  of a  resolution  of the  Affiliate's  board  of
directors or other governing body taking such action.  If the  participation  in
the Plan of an Affiliate shall terminate,  such termination shall not relieve it
of any obligations  theretofore incurred by it, except as may be approved by the
Committee in its discretion.

     (b)  Participants.  Consistent with the purposes of the Plan, the Committee
shall have exclusive  power (except as may be delegated as permitted  herein) to
select the key employees and other key individuals  performing  services for the
Company, including consultants or independent contractors and others who perform
services for the Company and its Affiliates who may  participate in the Plan and
be  granted  Awards  under  the  Plan.  Eligible  individuals  may  be  selected
individually  or by groups or categories,  as determined by the Committee in its
discretion.  In no event may a  corporation  be  eligible to receive an Award of
incentive stock options under the Plan.

     4.      AWARDS UNDER THE PLAN.

     (a) Types of Awards.  Awards  under the Plan may  include,  but need not be
limited  to,  one or  more  of  the  following  types,  either  alone  or in any
combination  thereof:  (i) "Stock  Options," (ii) "Stock  Appreciation  Rights,"
(iii) "Restricted  Stock," (iv)  "Performance  Grants" and (v) any other type of
Award  deemed by the  Committee  in its  discretion  to be  consistent  with the
purposes of the Plan  (including  but not  limited  to,  Awards of or options or
similar  rights  granted  with respect to  unbundled  stock units or  components
thereof,  and Awards to be made to participants who are foreign nationals or are
employed or performing services outside the United States). Stock Options, which
include   "Non-Qualified   Stock  Options"  and  "Incentive  Stock  Options"  or
combinations  thereof,  are rights to purchase  common shares of the Company and
stock of any other class into which such shares may  thereafter  be changed (the
"Common  Shares").  Non-Qualified  Stock Options and Incentive Stock Options are
subject to the terms,  conditions  and  restrictions  specified  in Paragraph 5.
Stock Appreciation Rights are rights to receive (without payment to the Company)
cash, Common Shares,  other Company securities (which may include,  but need not
be  limited  to,  unbundled  stock  units  or  components  thereof,  debentures,
preferred stock,  warrants,  securities  convertible into Common Shares or other
property, and other types of securities including,  but not limited to, those of
the  Company  or an  Affiliate,  or  any  combination  thereof  ("Other  Company
Securities") or property, or other forms of payment, or any combination thereof,
as determined by the Committee, based on the increase in the value of the number


<PAGE>

of Common Shares specified in the Stock  Appreciation  Right. Stock Appreciation
Rights are  subject to the  terms,  conditions  and  restrictions  specified  in
Paragraph  6.  Shares of  Restricted  Stock are Common  Shares  which are issued
subject to certain restrictions  pursuant to Paragraph 7. Performance Grants are
contingent awards subject to the terms, conditions and restrictions described in
Paragraph 8, pursuant to which the  participant  may become  entitled to receive
cash,  Common Shares,  Other Company  Securities or property,  or other forms of
payment, or any combination thereof, as determined by the Committee.

     (b) Maximum Number of Shares that May Be Issued.  There may be issued under
the Plan (as Restricted Stock, in payment of Performance Grants, pursuant to the
exercise  of Stock  Options or Stock  Appreciation  Rights,  or in payment of or
pursuant  to  the  exercise  of  such  other  Awards  as the  Committee,  in its
discretion,  may  determine)  an  aggregate  of not more than  4,000,000  Common
Shares,  subject to adjustment as provided in Paragraph 15. Common Shares issued
pursuant to the Plan may be either  authorized  but  unissued  shares,  treasury
shares,  reacquired  shares,  or any combination  thereof.  If any Common Shares
issued as  Restricted  Stock or otherwise  subject to  repurchase  or forfeiture
rights are reacquired by the Company pursuant to such rights, or if any Award is
cancelled,  terminates  or expires  unexercised,  any Common  Shares  that would
otherwise  have been  issuable  pursuant  thereto will be available for issuance
under new Awards.

     (c)  Rights with Respect to Common Shares and Other Securities.

          (i) Unless otherwise determined by the Committee in its discretion,  a
     participant  to whom an Award of  Restricted  Stock  has been made (and any
     person  succeeding  to such a  participant's  rights  pursuant to the Plan)
     shall have,  after issuance of a certificate or copy thereof for the number
     of Common  Shares  awarded and prior to the  expiration  of the  Restricted
     Period or the earlier  repurchase of such Common Shares as herein provided,
     ownership of such Common  Shares,  including the right to vote the same and
     to receive  dividends or other  distributions  made or paid with respect to
     such  Common  Shares  (provided  that  such  Common  Shares,  and any  new,
     additional or different shares, or Other Company Securities or property, or
     other  forms of  consideration  which the  participant  may be  entitled to
     receive  with  respect to such Common  Shares as a result of a stock split,
     stock dividend or any other change in the corporate or capital structure of
     the Company, shall be subject to the restrictions  hereinafter described as
     determined by the Committee in its discretion),  subject,  however,  to the
     options, restrictions and limitations imposed thereon pursuant to the Plan.
     Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise determined by the Committee
     in its  discretion,  a participant  with whom an Award agreement is made to
     issue  Common  Shares in the future  shall have no rights as a  shareholder
     with respect to Common Shares related to such agreement until issuance of a
     certificate to him.

          (ii) Unless otherwise determined by the Committee in its discretion, a
     participant to whom a grant of Stock Options,  Stock  Appreciation  Rights,
     Performance Grants or any other Award is made (and any person succeeding to
     such a participant's rights pursuant to the Plan) shall have no rights as a
     stockholder  with respect to any Common  Shares or as a holder with respect
     to other securities,  if any, issuable pursuant to any such Award until the
     date of the issuance of a stock  certificate  to him for such Common Shares
     or other  instrument of ownership,  if any. Except as provided in Paragraph
     15,  no  adjustment  shall be made for  dividends,  distributions  or other
     rights (whether ordinary or extraordinary, and whether in cash, securities,
     other property or other forms of consideration, or any combination thereof)
     for which the record  date is prior to the date such stock  certificate  or
     other instrument of ownership, if any, is issued.

     5.   STOCK OPTIONS.

     The Committee may grant Stock Options either alone, or in conjunction  with
Stock Appreciation  Rights,  Performance  Grants or other Awards,  either at the
time of grant or by  amendment  thereafter,  provided  that an  Incentive  Stock
Option may be granted only to an eligible  employee of the Company or its parent
or subsidiary corporation. Each Stock Option (referred to herein as an "Option")
granted  under the Plan shall be evidenced by an  instrument in such form as the
Committee  shall  prescribe  from time to time in  accordance  with the Plan and
shall comply with the following terms and conditions,  and with such other terms
and conditions,  including,  but not limited to, restrictions upon the Option or
the Common Shares  issuable  upon exercise  thereof,  as the  Committee,  in its
discretion, shall establish:

<PAGE>

     (a) The option price may be less than,  equal to, or greater than, the fair
market value of the Common Shares  subject to such Option at the time the Option
is granted,  as  determined by the  Committee,  but in no event will such option
price be less than 85% of the fair market value of the underlying  Common Shares
at the time the Option is  granted;  provided,  however,  that in the case of an
Incentive  Stock Option granted to such an employee,  the option price shall not
be less than the fair market value of the Common  Shares  subject to such Option
at the time the Option is granted,  or if granted to such an  employee  who owns
stock  representing  more than ten percent of the voting power of all classes of
stock of the Company or of its parent or subsidiary (a "Ten Percent  Employee"),
such option  price shall be not less than 110% of such fair market  value at the
time the Option is granted;  provided, further that in no event will such option
price be less than the par value of such Common Shares.

     (b) The Committee shall determine the number of Common Shares to be subject
to each option. The number of Common Shares subject to an outstanding Option may
be reduced on a share-for-share or other appropriate basis, as determined by the
Committee,  to the extent  that  Common  Shares  under  such  Option are used to
calculate the cash,  Common  Shares,  Other Company  Securities or property,  or
other  forms of  payment,  or any  combination  thereof,  received  pursuant  to
exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right attached to such Option, or to the extent
that any other Award granted in conjunction with such Option is paid.

     (c)  The  Option  may  not  be  sold,   assigned,   transferred,   pledged,
hypothecated or otherwise disposed of, except by will or the laws of descent and
distribution, and shall be exercisable during the grantee's lifetime only by him
unless  the  Committee  otherwise  determines  that  the  Option  shall  also be
transferable by the grantee. Unless the Committee determines otherwise, one-half
of the Option shall not be exercisable for at least twelve months after the date
of grant, unless the grantee ceases employment or performance of services before
the  expiration  of such  twelve-month  period by reason  of his  disability  as
defined in Paragraph 12 or his death.

     (d) The Option shall not be exercisable:

          (i) in the case of any Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten Percent
     Employee,  after the  expiration of five years from the date it is granted,
     and, in the case of any other  Option,  after the  expiration  of ten years
     from the date it is granted. Any Option may be exercised during such period
     only at such time or times and in such  installments  as the  Committee may
     establish;

          (ii)  unless  payment  in full is made for the shares  being  acquired
     thereunder at the time of exercise, such payment shall be made in such form
     (including,  but not limited to, cash,  Common Shares,  promissory notes of
     which 80% of the required payment, excluding interest, may be non-recourse,
     or the  surrender  of  another  outstanding  Award  under the Plan,  or any
     combination thereof) as the Committee may determine in its discretion; and

          (iii) unless the person  exercising  the Option has been, at all times
     during  the period  beginning  with the date of the grant of the Option and
     ending on the date of such  exercise,  employed by or otherwise  performing
     services for the Company or an Affiliate, or a corporation,  or a parent or
     subsidiary  of a  corporation,  substituting  or  assuming  the Option in a
     transaction to which Section  424(a) of the Internal  Revenue Code of 1986,
     as amended, or any successor statutory  provisions thereto (the "Code"), is
     applicable, except that:

                           (A) in the case of any Non-Qualified Stock Option, if
     such person shall cease to be employed by or otherwise  performing services
     for the Company or an Affiliate  solely by reason of a period of  related  
     Employment  as  defined  in Paragraph  14, he may,  during such period of 
     Related  Employment,  exercise the Non-Qualified  Stock Option as if he 
     continued such employment or performance of service; or

                           (B) if such  person  shall cease such  employment  or
     performance of services by reason of his  disability  as defined  in  
     Paragraph  12 or early,  normal or deferred  retirement under an approved  
     retirement  program of the Company or an Affiliate  (or  such  other  plan
     or  arrangement  as  may be  approved  by the Committee,  in its  
     discretion,  for this purpose) while holding an option whichhas not 
     expired  and has not been fully  exercised,  such  person,  at any time
     within three months (or such other period determined by the Committee) 
     after the date he ceased such employment or performance of services (but 
     in no event after the Option has  expired),  may exercise the Option with 
     respect to any shares as to which  he  could  have  exercised  the  Option
     on the  date he  ceased  such employment or performance of services, or 
     with respect to such greater number of shares as determined by the 
     Committee; or
<PAGE>

                           (C) if such  person  shall cease such  employment  or
     performance of services for reasons other than Related Employment, 
     disability, early, normal or deferred retirement  or death (as provided  
     elsewhere)  while holding an Option which has not  expired and has not 
     been fully  exercised,  such  person may  exercise  the Option at any time
     within three months (or such other period  determined  by the Committee)  
     after the date he ceased such  employment or performance of services (but 
     in no event  after the Option  has  expired),  but only to the extent such
     Option is exercisable on the date of such  termination,  or with respect to
     such greater number of shares as determined by the Committee; or

                           (D) if any person to whom an Option has been  granted
     shall die holding an Option which has not expired and has not been fully  
     exercised,  his  executors, administrators,  heirs or  distributees,  as 
     the case may be,  may,  at any time within one year (or such other period  
     determined  by the  Committee)  after the date of death  (but in no event  
     after the  Option has  expired),  exercise  the Option with respect to any 
     shares as to which the decedent  could have exercised the Option at the 
     time of his death,  or with respect to such greater  number of shares as 
     determined by the Committee.

                           (E) In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, the 
     amount of aggregate fair market  value of Common  Shares  (determined  at 
     the time of grant of the Option pursuant to subparagraph 5(a) of the Plan) 
     with respect to which incentive stock options are  exercisable  for the 
     first time by an employee  during any calendar year (under all such plans 
     of his employer  corporation any calendar year (under all such  plans of 
     his  employer  corporation  and its parent and its parent and subsidiary 
     corporations) shall not exceed $100,000.

                             (F) It is the intent of the Company that Non-
     Qualified Stock Options  granted under the Plan not be classified  as 
     Incentive  Stock  Options, that the Incentive  Stock Options granted under 
     the Plan be consistent with and contain or be deemed to contain all 
     provisions required under Section 422(b) and other appropriate provisions 
     of the Code and any implementing  regulations (and any successor  
     provisions  thereof),  and that any  ambiguities in  construction shall  
     be  interpreted  in order  to  effectuate  such  intent.  The  Agreements
     providing  Non-Qualified  Stock  Options shall provide that such Options 
     are not "incentive stock options" for the purposes of Section 422(b) of 
     the Code.


     6. STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS.

     The Committee  may grant Stock  Appreciation  Rights  either  alone,  or in
conjunction with Stock Options,  Performance  Grants or other Awards,  either at
the time of grant or by amendment  thereafter.  Each Award of Stock Appreciation
Rights  granted  under the Plan shall be evidenced by an instrument in such form
as the Committee  shall  prescribe from time to time in accordance with the Plan
and shall comply with the following  terms and  conditions,  and with such other
terms and conditions, including, but not limited to, restrictions upon the Award
of Stock  Appreciation  Rights  or the  Common  Shares  issuable  upon  exercise
thereof, as the Committee in its discretion shall establish:
<PAGE>

     (a) The Committee shall determine the number of Common Shares to be subject
to each Award of Stock Appreciation  Rights. The number of Common Shares subject
to an  outstanding  Award of  Stock  Appreciation  Rights  may be  reduced  on a
share-for-share or other appropriate  basis, as determined by the Committee,  to
the extent that Common Shares under such Award of Stock Appreciation  Rights are
used to calculate the cash, Common Shares, Other Company Securities or property,
or other forms of payment,  or any  combination  thereof,  received  pursuant to
exercise of an Option attached to such Award of Stock Appreciation Rights, or to
the extent that any other Award granted in conjunction  with such Award of Stock
Appreciation Rights is paid.

     (b) The  Award  of Stock  Appreciation  Rights  may not be sold,  assigned,
transferred,  pledged,  hypothecated or otherwise disposed of, except by will or
the laws of the descent and  distribution,  and shall be exercisable  during the
grantee's lifetime only by him. Unless the Committee determines  otherwise,  the
Award of Stock  Appreciation  Rights shall not be  exercisable  for at least six
months  after  the date of  grant,  unless  the  grantee  ceases  employment  or
performance of services before the expiration of such six-month period by reason
of his disability as defined in Paragraph 12 or his death.

     (c) The Award of Stock Appreciation Rights shall not be exercisable:

       (i) in the case of any Award of Stock Appreciation Rights that are 
     attached to an Incentive  Stock Option  granted to a Ten Percent  Employee,
     after the expiration of five years from the date it is granted, and, in the
     case of any other award of Stock Appreciation  Rights, after the expiration
     of ten years from the date it is granted.  Any Award of Stock  Appreciation
     Rights may be  exercised  during such period only at such time or times and
     in such installments as the Committee may establish;

       (ii)  unless the Option or other Award to which the Award of Stock 
     Appreciation Rights is attached is at the time exercisable; and

       (iii)  unless the person  exercising  the Award of Stock Appreciation 
     Rights has been, at all times during the period  beginning with the date 
     of the grant thereof and ending  on the  date of  such  exercise, employed
     by or  otherwise  performing services for the Company or an Affiliate, 
     except that

                           (A) in the case of any  Award  of Stock  Appreciation
          Rights (other than those attached  to an  Incentive  Stock  Option),  
          if such  person  shall  cease to be employed by or  otherwise  
          performing  services  for the Company or an Affiliate solely by 
          reason of a period of Related  Employment  as defined in Paragraph 14,
          he may, during such period of Related  Employment, exercise the Award
          of Stock Appreciation  Rights  as if he  continued  such  employment
          or  performance  of services; or

                           (B) if such  person  shall cease such  employment  or
          performance of services by reason of his  disability  as defined  in  
          Paragraph  12 or early,  normal or deferred  retirement under an 
<PAGE>

          approved  retirement  program of the Company or an Affiliate  (or  
          such  other  plan  or  arrangement  as  may be  approved  by the
          Committee, in its discretion,  for this purpose) while holding an 
          Award of Stock Appreciation Rights which has not expired and has not
          been fully exercised, such person may, at any time within three years
          (or such other period  determined  by the  Committee)  after the 
          date he ceased  such  employment  or  performance  of services  
          (but in no event after the  Award of Stock  Appreciation  Rights has
          expired),  exercise the Award of Stock  Appreciation  Rights with 
          respect to any shares  as to which he could  have  exercised  the  
          Award of Stock  Appreciation Rights on the date he ceased such 
          employment or performance of services, or with respect to such 
          greater number of shares as determined by the Committee; or

                         (C) if such  person  shall cease such  employment or
          performance of services for reasons other than Related Employment, 
          disability, early, normal or deferred retirement  or death (as  
          provided  elsewhere)  while  holding an Award of Stock Appreciation 
          Rights which has not expired and has not been fully exercised, such
          person may exercise the Award of Stock  Appreciation  Rights at any 
          time during the period,  if any,  which the  Committee  approves  
          (but in no event after the Award of Stock  Appreciation  Rights 
          expires)  following the date he ceased such employment or performance 
          of services with respect to any shares as to which he could  have  
          exercised  the  Award of Stock  Appreciation  Rights on the date he 
          ceased such  employment or performance of services or as otherwise  
          permitted in the Committee's discretion; or

                         (D)  if  any   person  to  whom  an  Award  of  Stock
          Appreciation Rights has been granted  shall die holding an Award of 
          Stock  Appreciation  Rights which has not expired and has not been 
          fully exercised, his executors,  administrators,  heirs or  
          distributees,  as the case may be, may, at any time within one year 
          (or such other period  determined  by the  Committee)  after the 
          date of death (but in no event after the Award of Stock  Appreciation
          Rights has expired),  exercise the Award of Stock  Appreciation  
          Rights with  respect to any shares as to which the decedent could 
          have exercised the Award of Stock Appreciation Rights at the time
          of his death,  or with respect to such greater number of shares as 
          determined by the Committee.

        (d) An Award of Stock  Appreciation  Rights shall entitle the holder (or
any person  entitled to act under the  provisions of  subparagraph  6(c)(iii)(D)
hereof) to exercise such Award or to surrender  unexercised the option (or other
Award) to which the Stock  Appreciation  Rights is  attached  (or any portion of
such Option or other  Award) to the  Company and to receive  from the Company in
exchange therefor,  without payment to the Company, that number of Common Shares
having an  aggregate  value equal to the excess of the fair market  value of one
share,  at the time of such exercise,  over the exercise price (or Option Price,
as the case may be) per share,  times the number of shares  subject to the Award
or the Option (or other  Award),  or portion  thereof,  which is so exercised or
surrendered,  as the  case  may be.  The  Committee  shall  be  entitled  in its
discretion  to elect to settle the  obligation  arising out of the exercise of a
Stock  Appreciation  Right by the payment of cash or Other Company Securities or
property,  or other forms of payment, or any combination  thereof, as determined
by the  Committee,  equal to the  aggregate  value of the Common Shares it would
otherwise be obligated to deliver.  Any such election by the Committee  shall be
made as soon as practicable after the receipt by the Committee of written notice
of the exercise of the Stock  Appreciation  Right.  The value of a Common Share,
Other Company  Securities or property,  or other forms of payment  determined by
the  Committee  for this purpose  shall be the fair market value  thereof on the
last business day next  preceding the date of the election to exercise the Stock
Appreciation  Right,  unless  the  Committee,  in  its  discretion,   determines
otherwise.

        (e) A Stock  Appreciation  Right may provide  that it shall be deemed to
have been  exercised at the close of business on the business day  preceding the
expiration  date of the Stock  Appreciation  Right or of the related  Option (or
other Award), or such other date as specified by the Committee,  if at such time
such Stock  Appreciation  Right has a positive value. Such deemed exercise shall
be settled or paid in the same manner as a regular  exercise thereof as provided
in subparagraph 6(d) hereof.

<PAGE>

        (f) No fractional shares may be delivered under this Paragraph 6, but in
lieu  thereof  a cash or other  adjustment  shall be made as  determined  by the
Committee in its discretion.


     7. RESTRICTED STOCK.

     Each Award of  Restricted  Stock  under the Plan shall be  evidenced  by an
instrument in such form as the Committee  shall  prescribe  from time to time in
accordance  with  the  Plan and  shall  comply  with  the  following  terms  and
conditions,  and with such other terms and conditions as the  Committee,  in its
discretion, shall establish:

     (a) The Committee  shall determine the number of Common Shares to be issued
to a participant  pursuant to the Award,  and the extent,  if any, to which they
shall be issued in exchange for cash, other consideration, or both.

     (b) Common Shares issued to a participant in accordance  with the Award may
not be sold, assigned, transferred,  pledged, hypothecated or otherwise disposed
of,  except by will or the laws of descent  and  distribution,  or as  otherwise
determined by the Committee,  for such period as the Committee shall  determine,
from the date on which the  Award is  granted  (the  "Restricted  Period").  The
Company will have the option, at the Committee's  discretion,  to repurchase the
shares  subject to the Award at such price as the Committee  shall have fixed or
to provide for  forfeiture  to the  Company of the shares  subject to the Award,
which  option  or  forfeiture  may  be  exercisable  (i)  if  the  participant's
continuous  employment  or  performance  of  services  for the  Company  and its
Affiliates  shall terminate for any reason,  except solely by reason of a period
of  Related  Employment  as  defined  in  Paragraph  14, or except as  otherwise
provided in subparagraph 7(c), prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period,
(ii) if, on or prior to the expiration of the  Restricted  Period or the earlier
lapse of such forfeiture  option, the participant has not paid to the Company an
amount equal to any federal, state, local or foreign income or other taxes which
the Company  determines is required to be withheld in respect of such shares, or
(iii) under such other  circumstances  as  determined  by the  Committee  in its
discretion.  Such repurchase  option or forfeiture  shall be exercisable on such
terms,  in such  manner and during  such  period as shall be  determined  by the
Committee when the Award is made or as amended  thereafter,  except as otherwise
determined in the  Committee's  discretion.  Each  certificate for Common Shares
issued  pursuant to a Restricted  Stock Award shall bear an  appropriate  legend
referring  to  the  foregoing   repurchase   option  or  forfeiture   and  other
restrictions and to the fact that the shares are partly paid, shall be deposited
by the award holder with the Company,  together  with a stock power  endorsed in
blank, or shall be evidenced in such other manner permitted by applicable law as
determined  by the  Committee in its  discretion.  Any attempt to dispose of any
such Common Shares in contravention  of the foregoing  repurchase and forfeiture
options and other  restrictions  shall be null and void and without  effect.  If
Common Shares issued  pursuant to a Restricted  Stock Award shall be repurchased
or forfeited pursuant to the repurchase option described above, the participant,
or in the event of his  death,  his  personal  representative,  shall  forthwith
deliver to the Secretary of the Company the  certificates  for the Common Shares
awarded to the participant,  accompanied by such instrument of transfer, if any,
as may reasonably be required by the Secretary of the Company.

     (c) If a participant  who has been in continuous  employment or performance
of services for the Company or an Affiliate since the date on which a Restricted
Stock Award was granted to him shall, while in such employment or performance of
services, die, or terminate such employment or performance of services by reason
of  disability  as  defined  in  Paragraph  12 or by reason  of early  normal or
deferred  retirement under an approved  retirement  program of the Company or an
Affiliate (or such other plan or arrangement as may be approved by the Committee
in its  discretion,  for this  purpose) and any of such events shall occur after
the date on which  the  Award  was  granted  to him and  prior to the end of the
Restricted  Period of such Award,  the  Committee  may  determine  to cancel the
repurchase  option or forfeiture (and any and all other  restrictions) on any or
all of the Common Shares  subject to such Award;  and the  repurchase  option or
forfeiture shall become  exercisable at such time as to the remaining shares, if
any.

     8. PERFORMANCE GRANTS.

     The Award of a  Performance  Grant  ("Performance  Grant") to a participant
will entitle him to receive a specified amount  determined by the Committee (the
"Actual Value"),  if the terms and conditions  specified herein and in the Award
are  satisfied.  Each  Award of a  Performance  Grant  shall be  subject  to the
following  terms  and  conditions,  and to  such  other  terms  and  conditions,
including but not limited to,  restrictions upon any cash, Common Shares,  Other
Company  Securities or property,  or other forms of payment,  or any combination
thereof,  issued in respect of the Performance  Grant, as the Committee,  in its
discretion, shall establish, and shall be embodied in an instrument in such form
and substance as is determined by the Committee.

<PAGE>

     (a) The  Committee  shall  determine  the  value or range  of  values  of a
Performance  Grant to be awarded to each  participant  selected for an award and
whether or not such a Performance  Grant is granted in conjunction with an Award
of Options,  Stock Appreciation Rights,  Restricted Stock or other Award, or any
combination thereof,  under the Plan (which may include, but need not be limited
to, deferred  Awards)  concurrently  or subsequently  granted to the participant
(the "Associated  Award"). As determined by the Committee,  the maximum value of
each  Performance  Grant (the "Maximum  Value") shall be: (i) an amount fixed by
the  Committee  at the time the  award is made or  amended  thereafter,  (ii) an
amount  which  varies  from  time to time  based in whole or in part on the then
current value of a Common Share, Other Company Securities or property,  or other
securities or property,  or any combination  thereof, or (iii) an amount that is
determinable from criteria specified by the Committee. Performance Grants may be
issued  in  different  classes  or  series  having  different  names,  terms and
conditions.  In the case of a Performance  Grant awarded in conjunction  with an
Associated  Award, the Performance  Grant may be reduced on an appropriate basis
to the extent that the Associated Award has been exercised, paid to or otherwise
received by the participant, as determined by the Committee.

     (b) The award period ("Award  Period") in respect of any Performance  Grant
shall be a period  determined by the Committee.  At the time each Award is made,
the Committee shall establish  performance  objectives to be attained within the
Award Period as the means of determining  the Actual Value of such a Performance
Grant. The performance  objectives shall be based on such measure or measures of
performance,  which may include,  but need not be limited to, the performance of
the participant,  the Company, one or more of its subsidiaries or one or more of
their divisions or units, or any combination of the foregoing,  as the Committee
shall  determine,  and may be applied on an  absolute  basis or be  relative  to
industry or other indices,  or any  combination  thereof.  The Actual Value of a
Performance  Grant shall be equal to its Maximum  Value only if the  performance
objectives are attained in full,  but the Committee  shall specify the manner in
which  the  Actual  Value  of  Performance  Grants  shall be  determined  if the
performance  objectives are met in part. Such performance  measures,  the Actual
Value or the Maximum Value, or any combination  thereof,  may be adjusted in any
manner  by the  Committee  in its  discretion  at any time and from time to time
during or as soon as practicable  after the Award Period,  if it determines that
such  performance  measures,  the  Actual  Value or the  Maximum  Value,  or any
combination thereof, are not appropriate under the circumstances.

     (c) The rights of a participant in Performance  Grants awarded to him shall
be  provisional  and may be  cancelled  or  paid in  whole  or in  part,  all as
determined  by the  Committee,  if the  participant's  continuous  employment or
performance of services for the Company and its Affiliates  shall  terminate for
any reason prior to the end of the Award  Period,  except  solely by reason of a
period of Related Employment as defined in Paragraph 14.

     (d) The Committee  shall  determine  whether the conditions of subparagraph
8(b) or 8(c) hereof have been met and, if so, shall  ascertain  the Actual Value
of the Performance  Grants. If the Performance  Grants have no Actual Value, the
Award and such Performance Grants shall be deemed to have been cancelled and the
Associated Award, if any, may be cancelled or permitted to continue in effect in
accordance with its terms. If the Performance Grants have any Actual Value and:

          (i) were not awarded in  conjunction  with an  Associated  Award,  the
     Committee  shall  cause  an  amount  equal  to  the  actual  Value  of  the
     Performance  Grants  earned  by the  participant  to be  paid to him or his
     beneficiary as provided below; or

<PAGE>

          (ii)  were  awarded  in  conjunction  with an  Associated  Award,  the
     Committee shall  determine,  in accordance  with criteria  specified by the
     Committee (A) to cancel the Performance Grants, in which event no amount in
     respect  thereof shall be paid to the participant or his  beneficiary,  and
     the  Associated  Award may be permitted to continue in effect in accordance
     with its terms,  (B) to pay the Actual Value of the  Performance  Grants to
     the  participant or his  beneficiary as provided  below, in which event the
     Associated  Award may be cancelled or (C) to pay to the  participant or his
     beneficiary  as provided  below,  the Actual Value of only a portion of the
     Performance  Grants,  in which a  complimentary  portion of the  Associated
     Award may be permitted to continue in effect in  accordance  with its terms
     or be cancelled, as determined by the Committee.

     Such   determination  by  the  Committee  shall  be  made  as  promptly  as
practicable  following  the  end  of  the  Award  Period  or  upon  the  earlier
termination of employment or  performance of services,  or at such other time or
times as the Committee shall  determine,  and shall be made pursuant to criteria
specified by the Committee.

     Payment  of any  amount in  respect  of the  Performance  Grants  which the
Committee  determines  to pay as provided  above shall be made by the Company as
promptly as practicable  after the end of the Award Period or at such other time
or times  as the  Committee  shall  determine,  and may be made in cash,  Common
Shares, Other Company Securities or property,  or other forms of payment, or any
combination  thereof or in such other manner,  as determined by the Committee in
its  discretion.  Notwithstanding  anything in this Paragraph 8 to the contrary,
the Committee may, in its discretion,  determine and pay out the Actual Value of
the Performance Grants at any time during the Award Period.

     9. DEFERRAL OF COMPENSATION.

     The  Committee  shall  determine  whether or not an Award  shall be made in
conjunction  with  deferral  of  the  participant's   salary,   bonus  or  other
compensation,  or any  combination  thereof,  and  whether or not such  deferred
amounts may be

          (i)  forfeited  to  the  Company  or to  other  participants,  or  any
     combination  thereof,  under certain  circumstances (which may include, but
     need not be limited to,  certain  types of  termination  of  employment  or
     performance of services for the Company and its Affiliates),

          (ii)  subject  to  increase  or  decrease  in  value  based  upon  the
     attainment  of or  failure  to attain,  respectively,  certain  performance
     measures and/or

          (iii) credited with income  equivalents  (which may include,  but need
     not be limited to, interest,  dividends or other rates of return) until the
     date or dates of payment of the Award, if any.


     10. DEFERRED PAYMENT OF AWARDS.

     The  Committee  may specify that the payment of all or any portion of cash,
Common  Shares,  Other  Company  Securities  or  property,  or any other form of
payment,  or any combination  thereof,  under an Award shall be deferred until a
later date.  Deferrals shall be for such periods or until the occurrence of such
events, and upon such terms, as the Committee shall determine in its discretion.
Deferred  payments of Awards may be made by  undertaking  to make payment in the
future based upon the performance of certain  investment  equivalents (which may
include, but need not be limited to, government securities, Common Shares, other
securities,  property or consideration,  or any combination  thereof),  together
with such additional  amounts of income equivalents (which may be compounded and
may include,  but need not be limited to, interest,  dividends or other rates of
return,  or any  combination  thereof) as may accrue  thereon  until the date or
dates of payment,  such investment  equivalents  and such additional  amounts of
income equivalents to be determined by the Committee in its discretion.

     11. AMENDMENT OR SUBSTITUTION OF AWARDS UNDER THE PLAN.

     The terms of any outstanding  Award under the Plan may be amended from time
to  time  by the  Committee  in its  discretion  in any  manner  that  it  deems
appropriate (including, but not limited to, acceleration of the date of exercise
of any Award and/or payments thereunder,  or reduction of the Option Price of an
Option or exercise price of an Award of Stock  Appreciation  Rights);  provided,
that no such amendment shall adversely  affect in a material manner any right of

<PAGE>

a participant under the Award without his written consent,  unless the Committee
determines  in its  discretion  that there have  occurred  or are about to occur
significant changes in the participant's  position,  duties or responsibilities,
or significant changes in economic, legislative,  regulatory, tax, accounting or
cost/benefit  conditions which are determined by the Committee in its discretion
to have or to be expected to have a substantial effect on the performance of the
Company,  or any subsidiary,  affiliate,  division or department thereof, on the
Plan or an any Award  under the Plan.  The  Committee  may,  in its  discretion,
permit  holders  of  Awards  to  surrender  outstanding  Awards  as a  condition
precedent to the grant of new Awards under the Plan.

     12. DISABILITY.

     For the  purposes  of this  Plan,  a  participant  shall be  deemed to have
terminated  his  employment or  performance  of services for the Company and its
Affiliates by reason of disability if the  Committee  shall  determine  that the
physical  or  mental  condition  of the  participant  by  reason  of which  such
employment or performance of services  terminated was such at that time as would
entitle him to payment of monthly disability  benefits under any disability plan
of the Company or an Affiliate in which he is a participant.  If the participant
is not  eligible  for benefits  under any  disability  plan of the Company or an
Affiliate,  he shall be deemed to have terminated such employment or performance
of services by reason of disability if the Committee  shall determine that he is
permanently and totally  disabled within the meaning of Section  22(e)(3) of the
Code.

     13. TERMINATION OF A PARTICIPANT.

     For all purposes under the Plan, the Committee  shall  determine  whether a
participant has terminated  employment by or the performance of services for the
Company or an  Affiliate,  provided  that  transfers  between the Company and an
Affiliate or between  Affiliates,  and approved  leaves of absence  shall not be
deemed such a termination.

     14. RELATED EMPLOYMENT.

     For the purposes of this Plan, Related Employment shall mean the employment
or  performance of services by an individual for an employer that is neither the
Company nor an Affiliate,  provided that (i) such  employment or  performance of
services is  undertaken  by the  individual  at the request of the Company or an
Affiliate,  (ii) immediately prior to undertaking such employment or performance
of  services,  the  individual  was employed by or  performing  services for the
Company or an Affiliate or was engaged in Related  Employment as herein defined,
and (iii) such employment or performance of services is in the best interests of
the Company and is recognized by the Committee,  in its  discretion,  as Related
Employment  for purposes of this  Paragraph  14. The death or  disability  of an
individual  during a period of Related  Employment  as herein  defined  shall be
treated,  for purposes of this Plan, as if the death or onset of disability  had
occurred  while the  individual  was employed by or performing  services for the
Company or an Affiliate.

     15. DILUTION AND OTHER ADJUSTMENTS.

     In the event of any change in the outstanding  Common Shares of the Company
by reason of any stock split,  stock dividend,  split-up,  split-off,  spin-off,
recapitalization,   merger,  consolidation,  rights  offering,  share  offering,
reorganization,  combination or exchange of shares, a sale by the Company of all
or part of its assets, any distribution to shareholders other than a normal cash
dividend,  or other  extraordinary  or unusual  event,  if the  Committee  shall
determine, in its discretion,  that such change equitably requires an adjustment
in the terms of any Award or the number of Common  Shares  available for Awards,
such adjustment may be made by the Committee and shall be final,  conclusive and
binding for all purposes of the Plan.

     16. DESIGNATION OF BENEFICIARY BY PARTICIPANT.

     A participant may name a beneficiary to receive any payment to which he may
be entitled in respect of any Award under the Plan in the event of his death, on
a written form to be provided by and filed with the  Committee,  and in a manner
determined by the Committee in its discretion.  The Committee reserves the right
to review and approve  beneficiary  designations.  A participant  may change his

<PAGE>

beneficiary  from time to time in the same manner,  unless such  participant has
made an irrevocable  designation.  Any designation of beneficiary under the Plan
(to the  extent it is valid  and  enforceable  under  applicable  law)  shall be
controlling over any other disposition, testamentary or otherwise, as determined
by the Committee in its discretion.  If no designated  beneficiary  survives the
participant  and is living on the date on which any  amount  becomes  payable to
such  participant's  beneficiary,  such  payment  will  be  made  to  the  legal
representatives of the participant's  estate, and the term "beneficiary" as used
in the Plan shall be deemed to include  such person or persons.  If there is any
question  as to the legal  right of any  beneficiary  to receive a  distribution
under the Plan, the Committee in its discretion may determine that the amount in
question be paid to the legal  representatives of the estate of the participant,
in which event the Company,  the Board and the Committee and the members thereof
will have no further liability to anyone with respect to such amount.

     17. CHANGE IN CONTROL.

     (a) Upon any Change in Control:

          (i) each Stock Option and Stock Appreciation Right that is outstanding
     on the  date of  such  Change  in  Control  shall  be  exercisable  in full
     immediately;

          (ii) all  restrictions  with respect to  Restricted  Stock shall lapse
     immediately,   and  the  Company's  right  to  repurchase  or  forfeit  any
     Restricted  Stock  outstanding  on the date of such Change in Control shall
     thereupon terminate and the certificates representing such Restricted Stock
     and  the  related   stock  powers  shall  be  promptly   delivered  to  the
     participants entitled thereto; and

          (iii) All Award Periods for the purposes of determining the amounts of
     Awards  of  Performance  Grants  shall  end as of the  end of the  calendar
     quarter immediately  preceding the date of such Change in Control,  and the
     amount of the Award  payable  shall be the portion of the maximum  possible
     Award allocable to the portion of the Award Period that had elapsed and the
     results achieved during such portion of the Award Period.

     (b) For this purpose, a Change in Control shall be deemed to occur when and
only when any of the following events first occurs:

          (i) any person who is not currently such becomes the beneficial owner,
     directly or indirectly,  of securities of the Company  representing  25% or
     more of the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding  voting
     securities; or

          (ii)  three  or more  directors,  whose  election  or  nomination  for
     election  is  not  approved  by a  majority  of  the  Incumbent  Board  (as
     hereinafter  defined),  are elected  within any single  24-month  period to
     serve on the Board of Directors; or

          (iii) members of the Incumbent Board cease to constitute a majority of
     the Board of Directors without the approval of the remaining members of the
     Incumbent Board; or

          (iv) any merger (other than a merger where the Company is the survivor
     and there is no  accompanying  Change in Control under  subparagraphs  (i),
     (ii) or  (iii)  of  this  paragraph  (b)),  consolidation,  liquidation  or
     dissolution of the Company,  or the sale of all or substantially all of the
     assets of the Company.

        Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  a Change in Control shall not be deemed
to occur pursuant to  subparagraph  (i) of this paragraph (b) solely because 25%
or more of the combined voting power of the Company's outstanding  securities is
acquired by one or more employee  benefit plans  maintained by the Company or by
any  other  employer,  the  majority  interest  in which is  held,  directly  or
indirectly,  by the Company. For purposes of this Section 17, the terms "person"
and  "beneficial  owner"  shall have the meaning set forth in Sections  3(a) and
13(d) of the Exchange Act, and in the regulations promulgated thereunder,  as in
effect on August 7,  1998;  and the term  "Incumbent  Board"  shall mean (A) the
members of the Board of  Directors  of the  Company  on August 7,  1998,  to the
extent that they continue to serve as members of the Board of Directors, and (B)
any  individual  who becomes a member of the Board of Directors  after August 7,
1998, if his election or nomination for election as a director was approved by a
vote of at least three-quarters of the then Incumbent Board.

<PAGE>

     18. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.

     (a) No employee or other person shall have any claim or right to be granted
an Award under the Plan.  Determinations  made by the  Committee  under the Plan
need not be uniform and may be made selectively among eligible individuals under
the Plan,  whether or not such  eligible  individuals  are  similarly  situated.
Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving any
employee  or other  person any right to  continue  to be  employed by or perform
services  for the  Company  or any  Affiliate,  and the right to  terminate  the
employment of or performance of services by any  participant at any time and for
any reason is specifically reserved.

     (b) No participant or other person shall have any right with respect to the
Plan,  the Common Shares  reserved for issuance  under the Plan or in any Award,
contingent  or otherwise,  until  written  evidence of the Award shall have been
delivered to the recipient and all the terms,  conditions  and provisions of the
Plan and the Award  applicable to such recipient (and each person claiming under
or through him) have been met.

     (c) Except as may be approved by the Committee  where such  approval  shall
not adversely  affect  compliance of the Plan with Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange
Act, a  participant's  rights and interest under the Plan may not be assigned or
transferred,  hypothecated  or encumbered in whole or in part either directly or
by operation of law or otherwise (except in the event of a participant's  death)
including,  but  not  by  way  of  limitation,   execution,  levy,  garnishment,
attachment,  pledge, bankruptcy or in any other manner; provided,  however, that
any Option or similar right (including, but not limited to, a Stock Appreciation
Right) offered pursuant to the Plan shall not be transferable other than by will
or the laws of descent  and  distribution  and shall be  exercisable  during the
participant's lifetime only by him.

     (d)  No  Common  Shares,  Other  Company  Securities  or  property,   other
securities or property, or other forms of payment shall be issued hereunder with
respect to any Award unless counsel for the Company shall be satisfied that such
issuance will be in compliance with applicable federal, state, local and foreign
legal, securities exchange and other applicable requirements.

     (e) It is the intent of the Company  that the Plan  comply in all  respects
with Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, that any ambiguities or  inconsistencies
in  construction of the Plan be interpreted to give effect to such intention and
that if any  provision  of the Plan is found not to be in  compliance  with Rule
16b-3,  such provision  shall be deemed null and void to the extent  required to
permit the Plan to comply with Rule 16b-3.

     (f) The Company and its Affiliates  shall have the right to deduct from any
payment made under the Plan,  any  federal,  state,  local or foreign  income or
other taxes  required by law to be withheld  with  respect to such  payment.  It
shall be a condition to the  obligation  of the Company to issue Common  Shares,
Other Company  Securities or property,  other  securities or property,  or other
forms of payment,  or any  combination  thereof,  upon  exercise,  settlement or
payment of any Award under the Plan, that the participant (or any beneficiary or
person entitled to act) pay to the Company,  upon its demand, such amount as may
be  requested  by the Company for the purpose of  satisfying  any  liability  to
withhold federal,  state,  local or foreign income or other taxes. If the amount
requested  is not paid,  the Company may refuse to issue  Common  Shares,  Other
Company Securities or property,  other securities or property, or other forms of
payment, or any combination thereof. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the
contrary,  the Committee may, in its discretion,  permit an eligible participant
(or any  beneficiary or person entitled to act) to elect to pay a portion or all
of the amount  requested  by the  Company  for such  taxes with  respect to such
Award,  at such  time  and in such  manner  as the  Committee  shall  deem to be
appropriate  including,  but not  limited  to, by  authorizing  the  Company  to
withhold,  or agreeing to surrender to the Company on or about the date such tax
liability is determinable,  Common Shares, Other Company Securities or property,
other  securities  or property,  or other forms of payment,  or any  combination
thereof,  owned by such person or a portion of such forms of payment  that would
otherwise be distributed, or have been distributed, as the case may be, pursuant
to such Award to such person,  having a fair market value equal to the amount of
such taxes.

<PAGE>

     (g) The expenses of the Plan shall be borne by the Company.  However, if an
Award  is  made to an  individual  employed  by or  performing  services  for an
Affiliate:
               (i) if such Award results in payment of cash to the  participant,
          such  Affiliate  shall pay to the Company an amount equal to such cash
          payment  unless  the  Committee  shall  otherwise   determine  in  its
          discretion;

               (ii) if the Award  results in the  issuance by the Company to the
          participant  of Common Shares,  Other Company  Securities or property,
          other  securities  or  property,  or other  forms of  payment,  or any
          combination thereof,  such Affiliate shall, unless the Committee shall
          otherwise  determine in its  discretion,  pay to the Company an amount
          equal  to  the  fair  market  value  thereof,  as  determined  by  the
          Committee, on the date such Common Shares, other Company Securities or
          property,  other securities or property, or other forms of payment, or
          any combination thereof, are issued (or in the case of the issuance of
          Restricted  Stock or of Common  Shares,  Other  Company  Securities or
          property,  or other securities or property,  or other forms of payment
          subject  to  transfer  and  forfeiture  conditions,  equal to the fair
          market value  thereof on the date on which they are no longer  subject
          to applicable restrictions), minus the amount, if any, received by the
          Company  in respect  of the  purchase  of such  Common  Shares,  Other
          Company Securities or property,  other securities or property or other
          forms of payment,  or any  combination  thereof,  all as the Committee
          shall determine in its discretion; and

               (iii) the  foregoing  obligations  of any such  Affiliate  entity
          shall  survive and remain in effect and binding on such entity even if
          its status as an Affiliate of the Company should  subsequently  cease,
          except as otherwise agreed by the Company and the entity.

     (h) The Plan  shall be  unfunded.  The  Company  shall not be  required  to
establish  any  special or  separate  fund or to make any other  segregation  of
assets to assure  the  payment  of any Award  under the Plan,  and rights to the
payment of Awards shall be no greater than the rights of the  Company's  general
creditors.

     (i)  By  accepting  any  Award  or  other  benefit  under  the  Plan,  each
participant  and each person claiming under or through him shall be conclusively
deemed to have indicated his acceptance and ratification of, and consent to, any
action taken by the Company, the Board or the Committee or its delegates.

     (j)  Fair  market  value  in  relation  to  Common  Shares,  Other  Company
Securities or property,  other  securities or property or other forms of payment
of Awards under the Plan or any  combination  thereof,  as of any specific  time
shall  mean  such  value as  determined  by the  Committee  in  accordance  with
applicable law.

     (k) The masculine  pronoun includes the feminine and the singular  includes
the plural wherever appropriate.

     (l) The  appropriate  officers of the  Company  shall cause to be filed any
reports,  returns or other information  regarding Awards hereunder or any Common
Shares issued  pursuant  hereto as may be required by Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (or any successor provision) or any other applicable statute,  rule
or regulation.

     (m) The validity, construction,  interpretation,  administration and effect
of the Plan, and of its rules and  regulations,  and rights relating to the Plan
and to Awards granted under the Plan, shall be governed by the substantive laws,
but not the choice of law rules, of the State of Delaware.

<PAGE>

     19. PLAN AMENDMENT OR SUSPENSION.

     The Plan may be  amended or  suspended  in whole or in part at any time and
from time to time by the Board,  but no amendment shall be effective  unless and
until the same is approved by  shareholders  of the Company where the failure to
obtain such approval would adversely affect the compliance of the Plan with Rule
16b-3 under the Exchange Act and with other  applicable law. No amendment of the
Plan shall  adversely  affect in a material  manner any right of any participant
with respect to any Award theretofore granted without such participant's written
consent, except as permitted under Paragraph 11.


     20. PLAN TERMINATION.

     This Plan shall terminate upon the earlier of the following dates or events
to occur:

     (a) upon the adoption of a resolution of the Board terminating the Plan; or

     (b) ten years from the date the Plan is  initially  approved and adopted by
the  shareholders  of the  Company  in  accordance  with  Paragraph  21  hereof;
provided,  however, that the Board may, prior to the expiration of such ten-year
period, extend the term of the Plan for an additional period of up to five years
for the grant of Awards other than Incentive  Stock  Options.  No termination of
the Plan shall  materially  alter or impair any of the rights or  obligations of
any person,  without his consent,  under any Award theretofore granted under the
Plan except that  subsequent to  termination of the Plan, the Committee may make
amendments permitted under Paragraph 11.



                                                            Exhibit 4.2 

                                SOFTWORKS, Inc.

                             1999 Stock Option Plan


SECTION 1.  GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.1.  Name and General Purpose

     The  name of this  plan is the  SOFTWORKS,  Inc.  1999  Stock  Option  Plan
(hereinafter  called  the  "1999  Plan").  The  1999  Plan is  intended  to be a
broadly-based  incentive plan which enables  SOFTWORKS Inc. (the  "Company") and
its  subsidiaries  and  affiliates  to foster and promote the  interests  of the
Company by attracting  and retaining  directors,  officers and employees of, and
consultants  to, the Company who  contribute to the  Company's  success by their
ability, ingenuity and industry, to enable such directors,  officers,  employees
and  consultants  to  participate  in the  long-term  success  and growth of the
Company by giving  them a  proprietary  interest  in the  Company and to provide
incentive  compensation   opportunities  competitive  with  those  of  competing
corporations.

1.2  Definitions

     a.  "Affiliate"  means any person or entity  controlled  by or under common
control with the Company,  by virtue of the ownership of voting  securities,  by
contract or otherwise.

     b. "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.

     c. "Change in Control" means a change of control of the Company,  or in any
person directly or indirectly controlling the Company, which shall mean:

          (i) any person who is not currently such becomes the beneficial owner,
     directly or indirectly,  of securities of the Company  representing  25% or
     more of the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding  voting
     securities; or

          (ii)  three  or more  directors,  whose  election  or  nomination  for
     election  is  not  approved  by a  majority  of  the  Incumbent  Board  (as
     hereinafter  defined),  are elected  within any single  24-month  period to
     serve on the Board of Directors; or

          (iii) members of the Incumbent Board cease to constitute a majority of
     the Board of Directors without the approval of the remaining members of the
     Incumbent Board; or

          (iv) any merger (other than a merger where the Company is the survivor
     and there is no  accompanying  Change in Control under  subparagraphs  (i),
     (ii) or  (iii)  of  this  paragraph  (b)),  consolidation,  liquidation  or
     dissolution of the Company,  or the sale of all or substantially all of the
     assets of the Company.

     Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  a Change in Control shall not be deemed to
occur pursuant to subparagraph (i) of this definition solely because 25% or more
of the combined voting power of the Company's outstanding securities is acquired
by one or more employee  benefit plans maintained by the Company or by any other
employer, the majority interest in which is held, directly or indirectly, by the

<PAGE>

Company.  For purposes of this  definition,  the terms "person" and  "beneficial
owner"  shall  have the  meaning  set  forth in  Sections  3(a) and 13(d) of the
Exchange Act, and in the  regulations  promulgated  thereunder,  as in effect on
January __, 1999; and the term  "Incumbent  Board" shall mean (A) the members of
the Board of Directors  of the Company on January __,  1999,  to the extent that
they  continue  to serve as  members  of the  Board  of  Directors,  and (B) any
individual  who  becomes a member of the Board of  Directors  after  January __,
1999, if his election or nomination for election as a director was approved by a
vote of at least three-quarters of the then Incumbent Board.

     d. "Committee"  means the Committee  referred to in Section 1.3 of the 1999
Plan.

     e.  "Common  Stock" means  shares of the Common  Stock,  par value $.10 per
share, of the Company.

     f. "Company" means  SOFTWORKS Inc., a corporation  organized under the laws
of the State of Delaware (or any successor corporation).

     g. "Fair  Market  Value"  means the market price of the Common Stock on The
Nasdaq  Stock  Market  on the date of the  grant  or as  reported  on any  other
exchange  on which the Common  Stock is then traded on such date or on any other
date on which the Common Stock is to be valued hereunder.  If no sale shall have
been reported on any such exchange, Fair Market Value shall be determined by the
Committee.

     h.  Non-Employee  Director  shall have the  meaning set forth in Rule 16(b)
promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission).

     i. Option" means any option to purchase Common Stock under Section 2 of the
1999 Plan.

     j. Option Agreement means the option agreement  described in Section 2.4 of
the 1999 Plan.

     k. "Participant" means any director, officer, employee or consultant of the
Company,  a  Subsidiary  or an  Affiliate  who is selected by the  Committee  to
participate in the 1999 Plan.

     l.  "Subsidiary"  means  any  corporation  in which the  Company  possesses
directly or indirectly  50% or more of the combined  voting power of all classes
of stock of such corporation.

     m. "Total  Disability"  means  accidental  bodily injury or sickness  which
wholly and  continuously  disabled an optionee.  The Committee,  whose decisions
shall be final, shall make a determination of Total Disability.

1.3  Administration of the Plan

     The  1999  Plan  shall be  administered  by the  Board or by the  Committee
appointed  by the Board  consisting  of two or more  members of the Board all of
whom shall be Non-Employee Directors.  The Committee shall serve at the pleasure
of the Board and shall  have such  powers as the Board  may,  from time to time,
confer upon it.

     Subject to this  Section 1.3,  the  Committee  shall have sole and complete
authority to adopt, alter, amend or revoke such administrative rules, guidelines
and practices governing the operation of the 1999 Plan as it shall, from time to
time,  deem  advisable,  and to interpret  the terms and  provisions of the 1999
Plan.

     The Committee  shall keep minutes of its meetings and of action taken by it
without a meeting.  A majority of the Committee shall  constitute a quorum,  and
the acts of a majority of the  members  present at any meeting at which a quorum
is present,  or acts  approved in writing by all of the members of the Committee
without a meeting, shall constitute the acts of the Committee.

<PAGE>

1.4  Eligibility

     Stock  Options may be granted  only to  directors,  officers,  employees or
consultants of the Company or a Subsidiary or Affiliate. Any person who has been
granted any Option may, if he is otherwise  eligible,  be granted an  additional
Option or Options.

1.5  Shares

     The aggregate  number of shares reserved for issuance  pursuant to the 1999
Plan shall be 1,500,000 shares of Common Stock, or the number and kind of shares
of stock or other  securities  which shall be substituted  for such shares or to
which such shares shall be adjusted as provided in Section 1.6.

     Such number of shares may be set aside out of the  authorized  but unissued
shares of Common Stock or out of issued shares of Common Stock  acquired for and
held in the Treasury of the Company, not reserved for any other purpose.  Shares
subject to, but not sold or issued under, any Option terminating or expiring for
any reason  prior to its  exercise in full will again be  available  for Options
thereafter granted during the balance of the term of the 1999 Plan.



1.6  Adjustments Due to Stock Splits,
      Mergers, Consolidation, Etc.      

     If, at any time,  the  Company  shall  take any  action,  whether  by stock
dividend,  stock split,  combination of shares or otherwise,  which results in a
proportionate  increase  or  decrease  in the  number of shares of Common  Stock
theretofore issued and outstanding,  the number of shares which are reserved for
issuance  under the 1999 Plan and the number of shares which,  at such time, are
subject to Options shall, to the extent deemed appropriate by the Committee,  be
increased or  decreased  in the same  proportion,  provided,  however,  that the
Company shall not be obligated to issue fractional shares.

     Likewise,  in the event of any change in the  outstanding  shares of Common
Stock by reason of any recapitalization, merger, consolidation,  reorganization,
combination or exchange of shares or other corporate change, the Committee shall
make such substitution or adjustments, if any, as it deems to be appropriate, as
to the number or kind of shares of Common  Stock or other  securities  which are
reserved  for  issuance  under the 1999  Plan and the  number of shares or other
securities which, at such time are subject to Options.

     In the  event  of a  Change  in  Control,  at the  option  of the  Board or
Committee,  (a) all  Options  outstanding  on the date of such Change in Control
shall, for a period of sixty (60) days following such Change in Control,  become
immediately  and fully  exercisable,  and (b) an optionee  will be  permitted to
surrender for  cancellation  within sixty (60) days after such Change in Control
any Option or portion of an Option  which was  granted  more than six (6) months
prior to the date of such  surrender,  to the extent not yet  exercised,  and to
receive a cash  payment in an amount  equal to the  excess,  if any, of the Fair
Market Value (on the date of surrender) of the shares of Common Stock subject to
the Option or portion thereof surrendered, over the aggregate purchase price for
such Shares under the Option.

1.7  Non-Alienation of Benefits

     Except as herein  specifically  provided,  no right or unpaid benefit under
the 1999 Plan shall be subject to alienation,  assignment,  pledge or charge and
any attempt to alienate, assign, pledge or charge the same shall be void. If any
Participant  or other person  entitled to benefits  hereunder  should attempt to
alienate,  assign,  pledge or charge any benefit  hereunder,  then such  benefit
shall, in the discretion of the Committee, cease.

1.8  Withholding or Deduction for Taxes

     If, at any time,  the Company or any  Subsidiary  or Affiliate is required,
under applicable laws and regulations, to withhold, or to make any deduction for
any taxes, or take any other action in connection with any Option exercise,  the
Participant  shall be  required  to pay to the  Company  or such  Subsidiary  or
Affiliate, the amount of any taxes required to be withheld, or, in lieu thereof,
at the option of the Company,  the Company or such  Subsidiary  or Affiliate may
accept a  sufficient  number  of shares  of  Common  Stock to cover  the  amount
required to be withheld.

1.9  Administrative Expenses

     The  entire  expense of  administering  the 1999 Plan shall be borne by the
Company.

<PAGE>

1.10 General Conditions

     a. The Board or the  Committee  may, from time to time,  amend,  suspend or
terminate any or all of the provisions of the 1999 Plan,  provided that, without
the  Participant's  approval,  no change may be made which would alter or impair
any right theretofore granted to any Participant.

     b. With the consent of the Participant  affected thereby, the Committee may
amend or modify any outstanding  Option in any manner not inconsistent  with the
terms of the 1999 Plan, including,  without limitation,  and irrespective of the
provisions of Section 2.3(c) below,  to accelerate the date or dates as of which
an installment of an Option becomes exercisable.

     c.  Nothing  contained  in the 1999 Plan shall  prohibit the Company or any
Subsidiary  or  Affiliate   from   establishing   other   additional   incentive
compensation  arrangements  for  employees of the Company or such  Subsidiary or
Affiliate.

     d. Nothing in the 1999 Plan shall be deemed to limit, in any way, the right
of the Company or any  Subsidiary  or  Affiliate  to  terminate a  Participant's
employment with the Company (or such Subsidiary or Affiliate) at any time.

     e. Any decision or action taken by the Board or the  Committee  arising out
of or in connection with the construction,  administration,  interpretation  and
effect of the 1999 Plan shall be  conclusive  and binding upon all  Participants
and any person claiming under or through any Participant.

     f. No member of the Board or of the  Committee  shall be liable for any act
or action,  whether of  commission  or  omission,  (i) by such member  except in
circumstances involving actual bad faith, nor (ii) by any other member or by any
officer, agent or employee.

1.11  Compliance with Applicable Law

     Notwithstanding any other provision of the 1999 Plan, the Company shall not
be  obligated  to issue any shares of Common  Stock,  or grant any  Option  with
respect thereto, unless it is advised by counsel of its selection that it may do
so without violation of the applicable  Federal and State laws pertaining to the
issuance of  securities  and the Company  may require any stock  certificate  so
issued to bear a legend, may give its transfer agent  instructions  limiting the
transfer  thereof,  and may  take  such  other  steps,  as in its  judgment  are
reasonably required to prevent any such violation.

1.12  Effective Dates

     The 1999 Plan was adopted by the Board on January __,  1999.  The 1999 Plan
shall terminate on January __, 2009.


Section 2.  OPTION GRANTS

2.1  Authority of Committee

     Subject to the  provisions of the 1999 Plan,  the Committee  shall have the
sole and complete  authority to determine (i) the  Participants  to whom Options
shall be granted;  (ii) the number of shares to be covered by each  Option;  and
(iii) the conditions and limitations,  if any, in addition to those set forth in
Sections 2 and 3 hereof,  applicable  to the  exercise  of an Option,  including
without limitation,  the nature and duration of the restrictions,  if any, to be
imposed upon the sale or other  disposition of shares  acquired upon exercise of
an Option.

<PAGE>

     Stock  Options  granted  under the 1999 Plan shall be  non-qualified  stock
options.

     The Committee shall have the authority to grant Options.

2.2  Option Exercise Price

     The price of stock purchased upon the exercise of Options granted  pursuant
to the 1999 Plan  shall be the Fair  Market  Value  thereof at the time that the
Option is granted.

     The  purchase  price  is to be  paid in full  in  cash,  certified  or bank
cashier's  check or, at the option of the  Company,  Common  Stock valued at its
Fair Market Value on the date of exercise,  or a combination  thereof,  when the
Option is exercised and stock  certificates  will be delivered only against such
payment.

2.3  Option Grants

     Each Option will be subject to the following provisions:

        a.      Term of Option

               An Option  will be for a term of not more than ten years from the
               date of grant.

        b.      Exercise

                (i)     By an Employee:

               Subject to the power of the Committee under Section 1.10(b) above
               and  except in the manner  described  below upon the death of the
               optionee,  an Option may be  exercised  only in  installments  as
               follows:  up to one-half  of the subject  shares on and after the
               first  anniversary of the date of grant, up to all of the subject
               shares on and after the second  such  anniversary  of the date of
               the  grant  of  such  Option  but  in no  event  later  than  the
               expiration of the term of the Option.

               An Option shall be  exercisable  during the  optionee's  lifetime
               only by the optionee and shall not be exercisable by the optionee
               unless,  at all times  since the date of grant and at the time of
               exercise,  such optionee is an employee of or providing  services
               to the  Company,  any parent  corporation  of the  Company or any
               Subsidiary or Affiliate,  except that,  upon  termination  of all
               such  employment  or provision of services  (other than by death,
               Total Disability, or by Total Disability followed by death in the
               circumstances  provided  below),  the  optionee  may  exercise an
               Option at any time within three months thereafter but only to the
               extent   such  Option  is   exercisable   on  the  date  of  such
               termination.

               Upon termination of all such employment by Total Disability,  the
               optionee may exercise such Options at any time within three years
               thereafter,  but only to the extent such Option is exercisable on
               the date of such termination.

               In the event of the death of an optionee (i) while an employee of
               or providing  services to the Company,  any parent corporation of
               the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate,  or (ii) within three
               months after  termination of all such  employment or provision of
               services (other than for Total  Disability) or (iii) within three
               years after  termination  on account of Total  Disability  of all
               such employment or provision of services,  such optionee's estate
               or any person who acquires  the right to exercise  such option by
               bequest or  inheritance or by reason of the death of the optionee
               may exercise such optionee's Option at any time within the period
               of three years from the date of death. In the case of clauses (i)
               and (iii) above, such Option shall be exercisable in full for all
               the remaining shares covered  thereby,  but in the case of clause
               (ii) such Option shall be  exercisable  only to the extent it was
               exercisable on the date of such termination.

<PAGE>

                (ii) By Persons other than Employees:


               If the  optionee  is not an employee of the Company or the parent
               corporation  of the Company or any  Subsidiary or Affiliate,  the
               vesting of such optionees  right to exercise his Options shall be
               established  and  determined  by  the  Committee  in  the  Option
               Agreement covering the Options granted to such optionee.

               Notwithstanding the foregoing  provisions  regarding the exercise
               of an  Option  in the event of  death,  Total  Disability,  other
               termination  of employment or provision of services or otherwise,
               in no event  shall an Option be  exercisable  in whole or in part
               after the termination date provided in the Option Agreement.

        c.      Transferability

               An Option  granted under the 1999 Plan shall not be  transferable
               otherwise   than  by  will  or  by  the  laws  of   descent   and
               distribution, or, as determined by the Board or the Committee, to
               (i) a member or members of the  optionees  family,  (ii) a trust,
               (iii) a  family  limited  partnership  or (iv) a  similar  estate
               planning vehicle primarily for members of the optionees family.

2.4  Agreements

     In  consideration  of any Options  granted to a Participant  under the 1999
Plan,  each such  Participant  shall  enter  into an Option  Agreement  with the
Company  providing,  consistent  with the 1999 Plan, such terms as the Committee
may deem advisable.





                                                                 Exhibit 5

                                        May 3, 1999



Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549

        Re:     SOFTWORKS, Inc.
                Registration Statement on Form S-8

Gentlemen:

     Reference is made to the filing by SOFTWORKS, Inc. (the "Corporation") of a
Registration  Statement on Form S-8 with the Securities and Exchange  Commission
pursuant to the provisions of the  Securities Act of 1933, as amended,  covering
the registration of 3,727,000 shares of the  Corporation's  Common Stock,  $.001
par value  per  share,  in  connection  with the  Corporation's  1998  Long-Term
Incentive Plan (the " 1998 Plan") and the  registration  of 1,250,000  shares of
the  Corporation's  Common Stock,  $.001 par value per share, in connection with
the  Corporation's  1999 Stock Option Plan (the " 1999 Plan" and,  together with
the 1998 Plan, the Plans).

     As counsel for the  Corporation,  we have examined its  corporate  records,
including its Certificate of Incorporation,  as amended,  By-Laws, its corporate
minutes, the form of its Common Stock certificate,  the Plans, related documents
under the Plans and such other documents as we have deemed necessary or relevant
under the circumstances.

        Based upon our examination, we are of the opinion that:

     1. The Corporation is duly organized and validly existing under the laws of
the State of Delaware.

     2. There have been  reserved  for issuance by the Board of Directors of the
Corporation under the 1998 Plan 3,727,000 shares of its Common Stock,  $.001 par
value per share.  The shares of the  Corporation's  Common  Stock,  when  issued
pursuant to the 1998 Plan, will be validly  authorized,  legally  issued,  fully
paid and non-assessable.

     3. There have been  reserved  for issuance by the Board of Directors of the
Corporation under the 1999 Plan 1,250,000 shares of its Common Stock,  $.001 par
value per share.  The shares of the  Corporation's  Common  Stock,  when  issued
pursuant to the 1999 Plan, will be validly  authorized,  legally  issued,  fully
paid and non-assessable.

     We hereby  consent  to be named in the  Registration  Statement  and in the
Prospectus which  constitutes a part thereof as counsel of the Corporation,  and
we hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5 to the Registration
Statement.

                                        Very truly yours,


                                      /s/BLAU, KRAMER, WACTLAR & LIEBERMAN, P.C.
                                        BLAU, KRAMER, WACTLAR &
                                            LIEBERMAN, P.C.




                   CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

As independent  public  accountants,  we hereby consent to the incorporation by
reference in this  registration  statement of our reports dated February 9, 1999
included in SOFTWORKS  Inc.'s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998 and
to all references to our Firm included in this registration statement.

                                   /s/ Arthur Andersen LLP

Washington, D.C.
May 4, 1999



















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