EXCALIBUR TECHNOLOGIES CORP
DEF 14A, 1996-06-03
PREPACKAGED SOFTWARE
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                               SCHEDULE 14A
                                (Rule 14a-101)
                   INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
                           SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
         Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
               Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.           )

      Filed by the registrant                    [X] 
      Filed by a party other than the registrant [ ]
      Check the appropriate box:
      [ ] Preliminary proxy statement
      [X] Definitive proxy statement
      [ ] Definitive additional materials
      [ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12

                      EXCALIBUR TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               (Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy  Statement)  
Payment of filing fee (Check the appropriate box):
    [X] $125 per Exchange Act Rule 0-11(c)(1)(ii), 14a-6(i)(1), or 14a-6(j)(2).
    [ ] $500 per each party to the controversy pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 
         14a-6(i)(3).
    [ ] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

    (2) Aggregate number of securities to which transactions applies:

    (3) Per unit price of other underlying value of transaction computed 
pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11:(1)

    (4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      [X] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act
Rule  0-11(a)(2)  and identify the filing for which the  offsetting fee was paid
previously.  Identify the previous filing by registration  statement  number, or
the form or schedule and the date of its filing.

      (1) Amount previously paid:  $125.00

      (2) Form, schedule or registration statement no.: PRELIMINARY PROXY 
          STATEMENT

      (3) Filing party:  EXCALIBUR TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

      (4) Date filed:    MAY 17, 1996


- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------
  (1)  Set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated 
and state how it was determined.


<PAGE>
                       EXCALIBUR TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
                          1921 Gallows Road, Suite 200
                             Vienna, Virginia 22182

                   NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

      NOTICE  IS  HEREBY  GIVEN  that the  Annual  Meeting  of  Shareholders  of
Excalibur Technologies  Corporation,  a Delaware corporation ("Excalibur" or the
"Company"),  will be held at The University  Club located at 1 West 54th Street,
New York,  New York  10022,  at 10:00 a.m.  on Friday,  June 28,  1996,  for the
following purposes:

            Proposal 1.  To elect eleven directors of the Company for terms
      expiring at the 1996 Annual Meeting;

            Proposal 2. To approve the adoption of an amendment to the Company's
      Certificate of Incorporation  to increase the number of authorized  shares
      of common stock,  par value $.01 per share,  from 20,000,000 to 40,000,000
      shares.

            Proposal  3. To  consider  and act upon a  proposal  to  approve  an
      increase  in the  number of shares of common  stock  which may be  granted
      under the 1989 Stock Option Plan from 2,450,000 to 3,450,000.

            Proposal  4. To  consider  and act upon a proposal  to  approve  the
      Excalibur Technologies Corporation 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

and to transact  such other  business as may properly come before the meeting or
any adjournment thereof.

      The close of  business  on May 30,  1996 has been fixed as the record date
for the  determination of shareholders  entitled to notice of and to vote at the
meeting.

      PLEASE SIGN, DATE AND MAIL YOUR PROXY IN THE ENVELOPE PROVIDED FOR YOUR
CONVENIENCE.  YOU MAY REVOKE THIS PROXY AT ANY TIME AND, IF YOU ATTEND THE
MEETING, YOU MAY VOTE YOUR SHARES IN PERSON.

                                    By Order of the Board of Directors,

                                          James H. Buchanan
                                          Secretary
Dated:      May 28, 1996


<PAGE>






                       EXCALIBUR TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION




                         Annual Meeting of Shareholders




                                 PROXY STATEMENT


      This Proxy  Statement is being mailed to  shareholders on or about May 31,
1996 in connection  with the  solicitation of proxies for use at the 1996 Annual
Meeting  of  Shareholders  of  Excalibur  Technologies  Corporation,  a Delaware
corporation  (the  "Company"),  to be held at the  time  and  place  and for the
purposes  set  forth  in the  accompanying  Notice  of  Meeting.  The  Company's
principal executive offices are located at 1921 Gallows Road, Suite 200, Vienna,
Virginia 22182.

      On May 10, 1996, there were outstanding 12,352,167 shares of common stock,
par value $.01 per share,  each entitled to one vote. The Board of Directors has
fixed May 30, 1996 as the record date for the  determination of the shareholders
entitled to notice of and to vote at the Meeting.

      A form of proxy is  enclosed  for use at the  Meeting.  The  proxy  may be
revoked by a  shareholder  at any time prior to the  exercise  thereof,  and any
shareholder  present at the  meeting  may revoke his proxy  thereat  and vote in
person  if he or she so  desires.  When  such  proxy is  properly  executed  and
returned,  the shares it  represents  will be voted at the meeting in accordance
with any instructions  noted thereon.  If no direction is indicated,  all shares
represented by valid proxies  received  pursuant to this  solicitation  (and not
revoked  prior to  exercise)  will be voted for the election of the nominees for
directors  named herein  (unless  authority to vote is withheld) and in favor of
all other proposals  stated in the Notice of Meeting and described in this Proxy
Statement.

      The Company's  Annual Report for the fiscal year ended January 31, 1996 is
enclosed with this Proxy Statement for each shareholder.


<PAGE>                                
PROPOSAL 1

                              ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

General

      Eleven  individuals,  eight of whom are  members of the  present  Board of
Directors,  have been  nominated  for election as directors of the Company until
the next annual  meeting and until their  respective  successors are elected and
qualified.  Three individuals,  who are not presently  directors of the Company,
have been nominated for election as directors: Donald R. Keough, the Chairman of
the  Board  of  Allen &  Company  Incorporated  and  formerly  President,  Chief
Operating  Officer and a Director of The Coca-Cola  Company;  John G. McMillian,
formerly  Chairman and Chief Executive  Officer of Northwest  Energy Company and
Allegheny  & Western  Energy  Corporation;  and Shaun C.  Viguerie,  First  Vice
President-Investments with J.C. Bradford & Company.

      The  persons  named  in  the  proxy,  who  have  been  designated  by  the
management,  intend,  unless otherwise instructed on the proxy card, to vote for
the  election to the Board of  Directors  of the  persons  named  below.  If any
nominee  should  become  unavailable  to  serve,  the proxy may be voted for the
election of another person  designated by the Board of Directors.  The Board has
no  reason  to  believe  any of the  persons  named  will be  unable to serve if
elected.  The  affirmative  vote of the holders of a plurality  of the shares of
common stock voting at the meeting is necessary for the election of directors.


Information Concerning Directors and Nominees

      Information  regarding  each  nominee  for  director  is set  forth in the
following table:

Name                       Age        Position

Richard M. Crooks, Jr.     56         Chairman of the Board of Directors

Patrick C. Condo           39         President and Chief  Executive  Officer,
                                      Director

Edwin R. Addison           39         Executive Vice President, Director

James W. Dowe, III         54         Chief Scientist, Director

Jay H. Diamond             44         Director

J. M. Kennedy              49         Director

W. Frank King III          56         Director

Philip J. O'Reilly         58         Director

Donald R. Keough           69         Nominee

John G. McMillian          69         Nominee

Shaun C. Viguerie          65         Nominee

                                     - 2 -

<PAGE>


      Richard M. Crooks,  Jr. has been  Chairman of the Board of Directors and
a Director of the Company since June 1990.  Mr. Crooks has been a President of
RMC  Consultants,  a financial  advisory  services firm,  since June 1990. Mr.
Crooks  is a  director  of and  consultant  to  Allen &  Company  Incorporated
(Allen),  a privately  held  investment  banking firm,  which is the Company's
principal  shareholder.  Mr. Crooks served as a Managing Director of Allen for
more than five years  prior to June  1990.  Mr.  Crooks is a director  of IMRE
Corporation, a biotechnology company engaged in developing,  manufacturing and
marketing products for the treatment of immune-related diseases and cancers.

      Patrick C. Condo was elected Chief Executive Officer in November, 1995 and
was elected to be a Director in January,  1996. Mr. Condo was elected  President
in May, 1995. He became Executive Vice President in January 1995 after being the
Director of Business  Development  since  November  1992.  From  October 1987 to
November  1992,  Mr.  Condo held several  manager  level  positions  for Digital
Equipment  Corporation's  Image,  Video and  Voice  Business  Unit and  Software
Business Group in New Hampshire.

      Edwin R. Addison became the Executive Vice President and a Director of the
Company in July 1995 in connection  with the Company's  acquisition  of ConQuest
Software,  Inc.,  which Mr.  Addison  helped found in 1989.  Mr. Addison was the
President of ConQuest.  Prior to ConQuest, Mr. Addison was a Senior Associate at
Booz Allen & Hamilton and a Senior Program  Manager with  Westinghouse  Electric
Corporation.  He has served from time to time as a part-time graduate instructor
in Computer Science and Electrical  Engineering at The Johns Hopkins  University
in Baltimore, Maryland.

      James W.  Dowe  III has  been the  Company's  Chief  Scientist  since  its
formation in February  1980,  and from February 1980 until June 1990, he was the
Chairman of the Board.  He was also President and Chief  Executive  Officer from
the date of the Company's formation until July 1984. Mr. Dowe is a consultant to
the Company and is a frequent keynote speaker at industry events.

      Jay H. Diamond has been a Director of the Company since February 1989. Mr.
Diamond  has been a partner  in the law firm of Tenzer  Greenblatt  LLP,  in New
York, New York,  since February 1996. Prior to that, he was a partner in the law
firm of Holtzmann,  Wise & Shepard,  in New York, New York, where he had been in
practice for more than five years.

      J.M.  Kennedy has been a Director of the Company since March 1992. He also
held the position of Chief Executive Officer of the Company from January 1992 to
November 1995,  and he was President of the Company from May 1992.  From January
1990 to January 1992, Mr. Kennedy was a partner in Geneva Group International, a
management   consulting  and  search  firm  specializing  in  emerging  software
companies.  Prior to that,  he held  several  sales,  marketing  and  management
positions with Cullinet Inc., Seagate Technology, GRID Systems and IBM.

      W. Frank King III was elected a Director  of the Company in June 1992.  He
is  presently  President  and a Director of PSW  Technologies,  formerly  Pencom
Software,  a leading  provider of  technology  and  resources  for open  systems
computing.  From 1988 to November  1991, Dr. King was a Senior Vice President of
Development  of Lotus  Development  Corporation,  a software  company.  Prior to

                                     - 3 -
<PAGE>

joining Lotus, Dr. King held various  positions with IBM over 17 years, the most
recent as Vice President of Development in its Entry Systems Division.  Dr. King
is a director of Weitek Corporation,  a semiconductor company, State of the Art,
Inc.,  a developer of high-end  microcomputer  accounting  software,  SystemSoft
Corporation, a software engineering company, and Auspex, Inc., a computer server
manufacturer.

      Philip J.  O'Reilly has been a Director of the Company since April 1988.
Mr.  O'Reilly  is a  partner  in the law firm of  O'Reilly,  Marsh,  Kearney &
Corteselli  P.C.,  in  Mineola,  New York.  Mr.  O'Reilly  has been in private
practice  for more than the past five  years.  Mr.  O'Reilly  is a director of
IMRE   Corporation,   a   biotechnology   company   engaged   in   developing,
manufacturing  and  marketing  products for the  treatment  of  immune-related
diseases and cancers.

      Donald R.  Keough  has been an advisor  to the Board of  Directors  of The
Coca-Cola  Company  since April 15,  1993,  and Chairman of the Board of Allen &
Company Incorporated,  a New York investment banking firm, since April 15, 1993.
Mr. Keough retired as President,  Chief Operating  Officer and a Director of The
Coca-Cola Company on April 15, 1993, where he had been employed since 1950. From
1986 to 1993, he also served as Chairman of the Board of Coca-Cola  Enterprises,
Inc., the world's largest  bottling  system.  Mr. Keough serves on the Boards of
Directors of Allen & Company Incorporated,  National Service Industries, Inc. (a
diversified   manufacturing  and  service  company),  H.J.  Heinz  Company,  The
Washington Post Company, Home Depot, Inc.
and McDonald's Corporation.

      John G. McMillian owns a half interest in Peter Hughes Diving  Company,  a
charter company, and Contender Boats, Inc., a boat manufacturer. He was Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer of Allegheny & Western Energy Corporation, a natural
gas production and distribution  company,  from July, 1987 until July 1995, when
the company was sold. In October,  1986,  Mr.  McMillian  purchased  Burger Boat
Company,  Inc.,  a boat  manufacturer  and  served  as its  Chairman  and  Chief
Executive  Officer  until  March,  1989,  when the company was sold.  He was the
founder and served as Chairman and Chief Executive  Officer of Northwest  Energy
Company,  a major  supplier of natural  gas,  from 1973 to 1983.  Mr.  McMillian
serves on the Board of Directors of /Sun Trust/Miami, N.A.

      Shaun C.  Viguerie  is First Vice  President  -  Investments  with  J.C.
Bradford & Co. in New Orleans,  Louisiana,  a securities brokerage firm, where
he has been  employed  for more than the past five  years.  Mr.  Viguerie  has
been in the securities  industry for forty years.  He has been a member of the
New York Stock Exchange,  the Chicago Board of Trade,  the Chicago  Mercantile
Exchange, and other commodity exchanges.


Information Concerning the Board of Directors and its Committees

      The Board of  Directors  held 7  meetings  during  the  fiscal  year ended
January 31, 1996; the Committees of the Board of Directors held 20 meetings. The
average attendance in the aggregate of the total number of meetings of the Board
and the total number of Committee  meetings was 96%. Each director attended more
than 75% of the meetings of the Board of Directors.

                                     - 4 -
<PAGE>

      The  Board  of  Directors  has   established  a  number  of  Committees,
including  the  Audit  Committee,  the  Compensation  Committee  and the Stock
Option Plan Administration  Committee.  The Audit Committee,  comprising three
directors (Mr.  Diamond,  Chairman,  Dr. King and Mr. O'Reilly) meets with the
Company's   management,   including  its  Chief  Financial   Officer  and  its
independent  accountants several times a year to discuss internal controls and
accounting  matters,  the Company's  financial  statements,  and the scope and
results of the auditing  programs of the  independent  accountants.  The Audit
Committee  met six times  during  fiscal  1996.  The  Compensation  Committee,
comprising three directors (Mr. Diamond,  Chairman, Dr. King and Mr. O'Reilly)
administers  management  compensation and makes recommendations in that regard
to the Board.  The  Compensation  Committee  met two times during fiscal 1996.
The Stock Option Plan Administration  Committee  comprising two directors (Mr.
Diamond and Mr.  O'Reilly)  administers  the Company's  Stock Option Plan. The
Stock Option Plan Administration Committee met 12 times during fiscal 1996.

      Each non-employee  director, who is not an officer of the Company, is paid
$5,000 for each meeting of the Board or its Committees they attend, in person or
by  telephone,  up to a maximum of $20,000 per fiscal year.  Mr.  Crooks and Mr.
Diamond are not paid the foregoing  fees. All directors are reimbursed for their
expenses  in  attending  meetings  of  the  Board  or of  its  Committees.  Each
non-employee director receives options to purchase 25,000 shares of common stock
of Excalibur  upon joining the Board and additional  options to purchase  25,000
shares of common stock of Excalibur  after each  subsequent  five year period of
service as a member of the Board. The Chairman is granted  additional options to
purchase 25,000 shares of common stock of Excalibur upon being elected  Chairman
and after each subsequent five year period of service.



PROPOSAL 2

                 AMENDMENT TO THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
                      TO INCREASE THE AUTHORIZED SHARES OF
               COMMON STOCK FROM 20,000,000 TO 40,000,000 SHARES

      At the Annual Meeting,  the shareholders  will be asked to consider and to
vote upon an amendment to the Certificate (the "Proposed Amendment") to increase
the number of  authorized  shares of Common Stock from  20,000,000 to 40,000,000
shares.  The form of the Proposed  Amendment  to the  Company's  Certificate  is
attached as Exhibit A hereto.

      The  Company is  authorized  pursuant  to the  Certificate  to issue up to
20,000,000  shares  of  Common  Stock.  As of May  10,  1996,  the  Company  had
outstanding  12,352,167 shares of Common Stock,  271,800 shares are reserved for
issuance upon  conversion of the  outstanding  shares of cumulative  convertible
preferred stock and 2,912,146  shares are reserved for issuance upon exercise of
outstanding  options and options  available for grant under the Company's  Stock
Option Plans.
                                     - 5 -
<PAGE>

Purpose and Effect of Amendment

      The Board of Directors considers the Proposed Amendment advisable in order
to provide flexibility for future capital  requirements.  The development of the
Company to date has been financed to a considerable  extent through the issuance
of Common Stock in public and private  offerings and the acquisition of ConQuest
Software,  Inc.  ("ConQuest")  was effected by issuing shares of common stock in
exchange for shares of ConQuest. Therefore, the Board of Directors believes that
it is important the Company be in a position to make additional issuances of its
Common Stock or convertible  securities if circumstances  warrant such issuances
to enable the  Company to raise  capital or to make  acquisitions.  Approval  by
shareholders  of the Proposed  Amendment at the Annual Meeting could also result
in the  Company  avoiding  the need in the  future  to call  and hold a  special
shareholder's meeting for such purpose.

      If the  Proposed  Amendment  is adopted,  the Board of  Directors  will be
empowered to authorize  the  issuance of the  additional  shares of Common Stock
without  further  shareholder  approval.  Such purposes could  include,  without
limitation,  issuance of shares of Common  Stock in public or private  sales for
cash as a means of obtaining capital for use in the Company's business, employee
benefit plans or as part or all of the consideration  required to be paid by the
Company for acquisitions of other businesses or properties. The Company does not
presently have any plans,  agreements,  understandings or arrangements that will
or could result in the issuance of any shares of Common Stock for such purposes.
Although such  additional  shares could be used to dilute the stock ownership of
or otherwise  create voting  impediments to persons seeking to obtain control of
the  Company,  approval of the  Proposed  Amendment is not being sought for that
purpose.

      The issuance of additional shares of Common Stock would result in dilution
to the interests of the  Company's  shareholders.  None of the Company's  common
shareholders has any preemptive rights.

      In the event that the  Proposed  Amendment  is not  approved at the Annual
Meeting,  the  Company's  ability to obtain  financing  or to make  acquisitions
through the  issuance of shares of Common  Stock will  continue to be limited to
the number of currently authorized shares.


Recommendation and Vote

      The Board of Directors  believes that the Proposed  Amendment is advisable
in order to provide  flexibility for further capital  requirements.  Adoption of
this proposal  requires an affirmative  vote by the holders of a majority of the
outstanding  Common Stock.  Any shares not voted (whether by abstention,  broker
non-vote or otherwise)  have the effect of a negative  vote.  The Board believes
that  the  Proposed  Amendment  is in the  best  interests  of the  Company  and
recommends that shareholders vote "FOR" the Proposed  Amendment to the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation  to increase the authorized  shares of Common Stock
from 20,000,000 to 40,000,000 shares.


                                     - 6 -

<PAGE>


PROPOSAL 3

 APPROVAL OF AN  INCREASE  IN THE NUMBER OF SHARES OF COMMON  STOCK WHICH MAY BE
    GRANTED UNDER THE 1989 STOCK OPTION PLAN FROM 2,450,000 TO 3,450,000.


      In  September  1989,  the  Board  of  Directors  of the  Company  and  its
Stockholders  approved  the  Company's  Incentive  Stock  Option Plan (the "1989
Plan"),  a copy of which is attached as Exhibit B. The purpose of the 1989 Plan,
which provides for grant of options to purchase  shares of the Company's  Common
Stock  ($.01 par  value) is to  promote  the  interest  of the  Company  and its
shareholders by providing long-term incentives to those persons with significant
responsibility  for the success and growth of the Company,  by strengthening the
Company's  ability to recruit and obtain  officers  and other  employees  of the
Company,  and by  aligning  the  interests  of such  persons  with  those of the
Company's  shareholders by facilitating their purchase of equity interest in the
Company. At present,  the 1989 Plan authorizes the granting of stock options and
other  forms of  incentive  compensation  to  purchase  2,450,000  shares of the
Company's  Common Stock.  The Company has granted options to purchase  2,047,437
shares under the 1989 Plan, almost all of the shares available.  Accordingly, in
order to continue to offer incentive  compensation to new and existing employees
in the form of stock  ownership of the Company and for the Company to be able to
issue stock options and other forms of stock-based incentive  compensation,  the
Board has deemed it  advisable  to amend the 1989 Plan to increase the number of
share  authorized  to be issued  under the 1989 Plan to  3,450,000  shares  from
2,450,000  shares.  In the  opinion of the  Board,  the  authorization  to issue
additional shares would provide the necessary flexibility to motivate and reward
the  employees  of the  Company in a manner  that would  improve  the  Company's
financial performance.

      All other  provisions  of the 1989 Plan,  as  approved  and amended by the
Stockholders,  would  remain  in  effect.  The  1989  Plan  provides  a limit of
2,450,000 on the number of shares  available from grants under the 1989 Plan. As
of May 10, 1996, 402,563 shares remain available for grant under the 1989 Plan.

      It is not possible to  determine  the number or value of awards that would
have been  distributed  if the 1989 Plan, as amended,  had been in effect during
the year ended January 31, 1996.


Recommendation and Vote

      The Board of Directors believes that the proposed increase is advisable in
order to permit  further  grants under the 1989 Plan.  Adoption of this proposal
requires an  affirmative  vote by the  holders of a majority of the  outstanding
Common Stock present and entitled to vote at the meeting.  Any shares not voted,
whether by abstention, broker non-vote or otherwise, have no impact on the vote.
The Board  recommends that  shareholder  vote "FOR" the proposal to increase the
number of shares authorized to be issued under the 1989 Plan to 3,450,000 shares
from 2,450,000 shares.

                                      - 7-
<PAGE>

PROPOSAL 4

                            APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF
                        1996 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN


      In 1996, the Board of Directors adopted the Stock Purchase Plan subject to
stockholder approval.  The following summary of the Stock Purchase Plan does not
purport to be  complete  and is  subject to and  qualified  in its  entirety  by
reference to the full text of such plan, annexed hereto as Exhibit C.

      The purpose of the Stock Purchase Plan is to encourage  eligible employees
to acquire shares of the Company's  Common Stock.  The Company,  by means of the
Stock  Purchase  Plan,  wishes to provide a plan whereby  employees  can acquire
shares of Common Stock on a payroll  deduction  basis. The Company believes that
employee  participation in ownership of the Company on this basis will be to the
mutual benefit of the employees and the Company.

Shares Reserved for the Plan

      The  aggregate  number of shares of Common  Stock  which may be  purchased
under the Plan shall not exceed  250,000,  subject to adjustment in the event of
stock  dividends,  stock splits,  combination of shares,  recapitalizations,  or
other changes in the outstanding  Common Stock. Any such adjustment will be made
by the Board.  Shares issues under the Plan may consist, in whole or in part, of
authorized and unissued shares or treasury shares.

Eligible Participants

      All active  employees  of the  Company  are  eligible.  Approximately  133
employees would have been eligible to participate as of May 1, 1996.

Material Features of the Plan

      Beginning  August 1,  1996,  the  Company  may make  grants of  options on
February 1, and/or  August 1 of each year the Plan is in effect or on such other
date as the Committee (as defined  herein) shall  designate.  Each option period
shall  last for six  months  ending  on the July 31 or  January  31  immediately
following the grant of options or on such dates as the Committee determines.

      Each eligible employee on a date of exercise shall be entitled to purchase
shares of Common  Stock at a purchase  price  equal to 85% of the  closing  sale
price of shares of Common Stock in the over-the-counter market on the applicable
date of  exercise.  Dates of  exercise  shall take place on the last day of each
three month period ending  January 31, April 30, July 31 and October 31 in which
Common  Stock is traded in the  over-the-counter  market  during the  applicable
option period.

      Payment for shares of Common Stock  purchased  under the Plan will be made
by  authorized   payroll  deductions  from  an  eligible   employees'   Eligible
Compensation  (as defined  herein)  or, when  authorized  by the  Committee,  an
eligible  employee  may pay an  equivalent  amount  for such  shares.  "Eligible
Compensation"  means an eligible employee's total regular  compensation  payable
from the Company or a  participating  subsidiary of the Company during an option
period.
                                     - 8 -
<PAGE>

      Eligible  employees who elect to  participate in the Plan will designate a
stated whole  percentage  equaling at least 1%, but no more than 10% of Eligible
Compensation,  to be deposited into a periodic deposit account.  On each date of
exercise, the entire periodic deposit account of each participant in the Plan is
used to purchase  whole shares of Common  Stock.  The Company  shall  maintain a
stock  purchase  account  for each  participant  to reflect the shares of Common
Stock purchased under the Plan by each  participant.  No participant in the Plan
is  permitted  to purchase  Common  Stock under the Plan at a rate that  exceeds
$25,000 in fair market value of Common Stock, determined at the time options are
granted, for each calendar year.

      All funds  received by the Company from the sale of Common Stock under the
Plan may be used for any corporate purpose.

Tax Treatment

      The  following  is a brief  summary of the  Federal  income tax aspects of
awards to be made under the  Performance  Plan based upon the  Internal  Revenue
Code of 1986,  as amended  (the  "Code")  and other  statutes,  regulations  and
interpretations in effect on the date hereof. This summary is not intended to be
exhaustive, and does not describe state or local tax consequences.

      It is intended that the Stock  Purchase Plan will  constitute an "employee
stock purchase plan" under the provisions of Section 423 of the Code. No Federal
income tax  liability  will  result  from the grant or  exercise of an option to
purchase  shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Stock  Purchase Plan,  although
amounts  deducted from payroll will be includible in an employee's  compensation
as ordinary income.  Participants will recognize gain or loss for Federal income
tax  purposes  upon  disposition  of the shares of Common  Stock  acquired  upon
exercise of options  purchased  pursuant to the Stock Purchase Plan in an amount
equal to the  difference  between  the amount  received  for such shares and the
price paid therefor  upon exercise of the option.  Such gain or loss will likely
constitute capital gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes. In the event of
a  disqualifying  disposition  as  defined in  Sections  421 and 423 of the Code
(generally  a sale  of the  shares  within  2 years  after  the  option  grant),
participants would recognize  ordinary income,  rather than capital gains on the
difference  between the exercise  price and the stock's fair market value on the
date of grant,  and the Company would generally be entitled to a deduction under
Section 162 of the Code to the extent that such  ordinary  income is realized by
the participants.



New Plan Benefits

      It  is  not  possible  to  determine  how  many  eligible  employees  will
participate  in the  Plan  in the  future.  Therefore,  it is  not  possible  to
determine  with  certainty  the dollar value or number of shares of Common Stock
that will be distributed under the Plan. The Company anticipates,  however, that
on the average  approximately  50,000 shares of Common Stock will be distributed
annually  during the five-year  term of the Plan.  Based on a per share price of
$20 (the closing sale price of the Common Stock in the  over-the-counter  market
on Friday,  May 10, 1996) the benefits of the Plan during fiscal 1996 would have
been as follows:

                                     - 9 -
<PAGE>

                       EXCALIBUR TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
                        1996 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

Name                         Dollar Value ($)    Number of Shares

Patrick Condo                    $  3,405            170

James Buchanan                        912             45

James W. Dowe                       2,206            110

Executive Group                    15,816            790
  
Non-Executive                     125,294          6,264
Officer/Employee Group



Plan Administration and Termination

      The Board of Directors of the Company,  or its  delegate,  shall appoint a
committee (the  "Committee"),  which shall be composed of one or more employees,
to administer the Plan on behalf of the Company.  The Committee may delegate any
or all of the  administrative  functions  under  the  Plan to such  individuals,
subcommittees, or entities as the Committee considers appropriate. The committee
may adopt rules and procedures not inconsistent  with the provisions of the Plan
for its administration.  The Committee's  interpretation and construction of the
Plan is final and conclusive.

      The Board may at any time,  or from time to time,  alter or amend the Plan
in any respect,  except that,  without approval of the shareholders of Excalibur
Technologies  Corporation,  no  amendment  may  increase  the  number  of shares
reserved for  purchase,  or reduce the purchase  price per share under the Plan,
other than as described above.

      The Board shall have the right to  terminate  the Plan or any  offering at
any time for any reason.  The Plan is  anticipated to continue in effect through
July 31, 2001.

      Adoption of this proposal requires an affirmative vote by the holders of a
majority of the  outstanding  Common  Stock  present and entitled to vote at the
meeting.  Any  shares not voted  (whether  by  abstention,  broker  non-vote  or
otherwise) have no impact on the vote. The Board  recommends  that  shareholders
vote FOR the approval of the Excalibur  Technologies  Corporation  1996 Employee
Stock Purchase Plan.

                                     - 10 -

<PAGE>
Executive Compensation.

Summary Compensation Table

      The following  table is the  compensation  paid by the Company for each of
the three years in the period  ended  January  31,  1996 to the Chief  Executive
Officer and each of the other four most  highly  compensated  current  executive
officers of the Company whose compensation exceeded $100,000:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      Long Term Compensation
                                                                      ----------------------
                        Annual Compensation                              Awards             Payouts
                        -------------------                              ------             -------
                                                         Other               Securities           All
                                                         Annual  Restricted  Under-               Other
                                                         Compen-   Stock     lying      LTIP      Compen-
Name and Principal          Fiscal                       sation    Award     Option/   Payouts    sation
Position                     Year  Salary($)  Bonus($)     ($)      ($)      SARs(#)     ($)       ($)

<S>                          <C>    <C>        <C>         <C>       <C>     <C>         <C>     <C>    
Patrick C. Condo             1996   146,833    46,128      --        --      200,000     --      131,862 (1)
Chief Executive              1995    94,633    73,856      --        --       75,000     --         --
 Officer and                 1994    73,333    30,668      --        --       15,000     --         --
 President

Edwin R. Addison (2)         1996    87,500    78,250      --        --       40,000     --         --
Executive Vice
 President

James H. Buchanan (3)        1996    51,705      --        --        --      100,000     --       50,000 (9)
Vice President, Chief
 Financial Officer,
 Secretary and
 Treasurer

James W. Dowe III            1996   125,000      --        --        --         --       --         -- 
Chief Scientist              1995   125,000      --        --        --         --       --         -- 
                             1994   125,000      --        --        --         --       --         --

J. M. Kennedy (4)            1996   200,000    33,000      --        --         --       --        4,923 (6)
                             1995   225,000    20,000      --        --         --       --      124,178 (7)
                             1994   250,000   145,000      --        --         --       --       86,547 (8) 

David Lambert (5)            1996    64,787    63,000      --        --       50,000     --       10,000 (9)
                             1995   125,000    41,875      --        --         --       --       24,000 (9) 
                             1994   125,000    43,240      --        --       95,000     --       16,000 (9)
<FN>
Mr.  Crooks,  the  Chairman of the  Company,  does not receive a salary or any
cash compensation.

(1)  Reimbursed relocation payments of $78,194 and reimbursed taxes $53,668.

(2)  Mr. Addison  joined the Company on July 20, 1995 when the Company  acquired
     ConQuest Software, Inc.

                                     - 11 -

<PAGE>

(3)  Mr. Buchanan joined the Company on September 13, 1995.

(4)  Mr.  Kennedy  resigned as Chief  Executive  Officer in November,  1995 as a
     consequence of a stroke which he suffered in August, 1995.

(5)  Mr. Lambert resigned as Chief Financial Officer,  Secretary and Treasurer
     as of June 16, 1995.

(6)  Reimbursed relocation expense of $2,569 and reimbursed taxes of $2,354.

(7)  Reimbursed commuting expenses of $13,282,  relocation expenses of $54,528
     and reimbursed taxes of $56,368.

(8)  Reimbursed commuting expenses of $42,754 and reimbursed taxes of $43,793.

(9)  Reimbursed relocation expenses.
</FN>
</TABLE>
                                     - 12 -

<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>



Option Grants in Last Fiscal Year
                                                                      Potential Realizable
                  Individual Grants                                     Value at Assumed
                  -----------------                                      Annual Rates of
                            % of Total                                     Stock Price
                             Options                                     Appreciation for
                            Granted to      Exercise                        Option Term
               Options      Employees in     or Base      Expiration        -----------
Name           Granted (#)   Fiscal Year      Price          Date        5% ($)       10% ($)
- ----           -----------   -----------  --------------   ---------  -----------   ----------
<S>            <C>              <C>     <C>       <C>      <C>         <C>          <C>    
Patrick C.   
  Condo        200,000 (1)      21.9%   100,000 - $12.41    6/2/2005     $780,460   $1,977,830
                                        100,000 - $15.97   11/1/2005   $1,004,340   $2,545,210

Edwin R.
  Addison       40,000 (1)       4.4%             $15.23   7/20/2005     $383,122     $970,908

James H.
  Buchanan     100,000 (1)      11.0%    30,000 - $16.85   9/13/2005     $317,907     $805,638
                                         70,000 - $15.97   11/1/2005     $703,038   $1,781,647
James W.
  Dowe III           0            --                 --       --              --           --

J. M.
  Kennedy (2)        0            --                 --       --              --           --

David
  Lambert (3)   50,000 (1)       5.5%              $7.44   2/02/2005     $233,950     $592,872

<FN>
(1)  These options vest in equal 12-1/2% increments every six months.

(2)  Mr. Kennedy resigned as an employee of the Company in November, 1995, as a
     consequence of the stroke he suffered in August, 1995.

(3)  Mr. Lambert resigned as an employee of the Company as of June 16, 1995.
</FN>
</TABLE>



                                    -13-


<PAGE>



Aggregate Option Exercises in Last Fiscal Year and Fiscal Year-End Values

      The following table sets forth, for each of the executive officer names in
the Summary  Compensation Table above, each exercise of stock options during the
fiscal year ended  January  31,  1996,  and the  year-end  value of  unexercised
options:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                                Number of Securities      Value of
                                                     Underlying          Unexercised
                                                     Unexercised         In-the-Money
                                                    Options/SARS at    (Options/SARS at    
                       Shares                       Fiscal Year-End   Fiscal Year-End ($) 
                     Acquired on                       Exercisable/      Exercisable/
      Name           Exercise(#)  Value Realized     Unexercisable    Unexercisable (1)
      ----                        --------------     -------------    ------------------
<S>                  <C>          <C>            <C>                 <C>           
Patrick C. Condo         0             0                300,000      $840,700/$3,947,200
                                                 33,750/266,250

Edwin R. Addison         0             0                192,526      $4,128,062/$446,950
                                                 157,526/35,000

James H. Buchanan        0             0                100,000             0/$1,176,600
                                                      0/100,000

James W. Dowe III     20,000        $443,025            175,000             $2,895,750/0
                                                      175,000/0
 
J. M. Kennedy(2)     160,000      $4,331,936            175,000             $1,921,500/0
                                                      175,000/0

David Lambert (3)     36,250        $127,113                0/0                      0/0


<FN>
(1)   The closing price of the Company's  common stock on January 31, 1996,  the
      last trading day of the Company's fiscal year, was $28.00 per share.

(2)   Mr. Kennedy's employment was terminated in November 1995 as a result of a 
      stroke which he suffered in August, 1995.

(3)   Mr. Lambert resigned as an employee of the Company as of June 16, 1995.
</FN>
</TABLE>

                                     - 14 -

<PAGE>

Report of the Compensation Committee

  The  following  is the Report of the  Compensation  Committee  of the Board of
Directors,  describing the compensation policies and rationale applicable to the
Company's  executive  officers  with  respect to the  compensation  paid to such
executive  officers for the fiscal year ended January 31, 1996 (the  information
contained in the report shall not be deemed to be "soliciting material" or to be
"filed"  with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  (SEC) nor  shall  such
information  be  incorporated  by  reference  into any future  filing  under the
Securities  Act of 1933,  as amended (the  Securities  Act),  or the  Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange  Act),  except to the extent that
the Company specifically incorporates it by reference into such filing):

      As members of Compensation  Committee,  it is our duty to set compensation
  policies  applicable to the Company's  executive  officers and to evaluate the
  performance of the Company's executive officers.
      The  compensation  policy of the Company is that a substantial  portion of
  the annual  compensation  of each  executive  officer  should relate to and be
  contingent  upon the  performance  of the Company,  as well as the  individual
  contribution  of each  executive  officer.  Under the Company's  bonus scheme,
  bonuses are paid based upon the Company attaining  certain sales,  expense and
  profitability  goals  and on each  officer's  individual  contribution  to the
  Company's attainment of such goals.

      Mr.  Kennedy's  base  salary for fiscal 1996 was  $200,000,  which was
  determined by  negotiation  between Mr.  Kennedy and the Company.  For the
  fiscal year ended January 31, 1996,  Mr.  Kennedy was paid $33,000 for the
  achievement  of certain  goals  during the fiscal  year ended  January 31,
  1996.  Mr.  Kennedy  suffered a stroke in  August,  1995 and Pat Condo was
  then elected to serve as Chief  Executive  Officer.  Mr. Kennedy  resigned
  as an  employee in  November,  1995.  His  employment  agreement  provided
  that he be paid at the  rate of  $200,000  per  annum  until  January  31,
  1997.

      Mr.  Condo's  base  salary for  fiscal  1996 was  $150,000  per annum,
  which was  increased  to  $200,000 as of  February  1, 1996.  Mr.  Condo's
  salary was  determined by  negotiation  between Mr. Condo and the Company.
  Mr. Condo was paid  $46,128 for the  achievement  of certain  goals during
  the  fiscal  year  January  31,  1996.   Forty  percent  of  Mr.   Condo's
  potential bonus was based on the  achievement of quarterly  revenue goals;
  forty  percent  of his  potential  bonus was based on the  achievement  of
  profitability  goals and twenty  percent was awarded at the  discretion of
  the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.

      During fiscal 1996, the Committee also  considered  stock option grants to
  each of the executive  officers of the Company.  If the officer received stock
  options,  it was based on his  responsibilities  and relative  position in the
  Company.  These grants were  approved by the Stock Option Plan  Administration
  Committee  which includes Mr. Diamond and Mr.  O'Reilly and which  administers
  the Company's Incentive Plan.

                                     - 15 -

<PAGE>

      No member of the Compensation  Committee is a former or current officer or
  employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

  Compensation Committee:     Jay H. Diamond
                              Philip J. O'Reilly
                              W. Frank King III

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

  Jay H.  Diamond,  a  Director  of the  Company  is a member of the law firm of
Tenzer Greenblatt LLP, New York, New York, which is performing legal services in
the  current  fiscal  year.  During the fiscal  year ended  January 31, 1996 Mr.
Diamond was a member of the law firm of Holtzmann, Wise & Shepard, New York, New
York.  The fees  paid to  Holtzmann,  Wise & Shepard  did not  exceed 5% of such
firm's gross revenues for its last full fiscal year.



Performance Graph

  The  following  graph  is a  comparison  of the  cumulative  total  return  to
shareholders of the Company's Common Stock at January 31, 1996 since February 1,
1991 to the  cumulative  total  return over such period of (i) the NASDAQ  Stock
Market-U.S.,  and (ii) the  Standard & Poor's High Tech  Composite,  assuming an
investment  in each of  $100  on  February  1,  1991  and  the  reinvestment  of
dividends.  The  information  contained  in the  Performance  Graph shall not be
deemed to be "soliciting material" or to be "filed" with the SEC, nor shall such
information  be  incorporated  by  reference  into any future  filing  under the
Securities  Act or the  Exchange  Act,  except to the  extent  that the  Company
specifically incorporates it by reference into such filing.

  

    (Cumulative Total Return graph appears here, plot points are as follows)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                    Fiscal Year Ended January 31,
                                    -----------------------------
                          1991     1992     1993     1994     1995     1996
<S>                       <C>     <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>   
Excalibur Technologies   
 Corporation              100     124       91       84       55      204
NASDAQ Market Index       100     153      173      199      190      268
Standard & Poor's High
 Technology Composite     100     107      112      137      153      227
</TABLE>



                                     - 16 -

<PAGE>


Employment Agreements

  On January 11, 1992, the Company entered into an Employment  Agreement with J.
M. Kennedy, which was subsequently amended in February 1993, September 1993, and
February 1995 (as amended, the Employment  Agreement).  The Employment Agreement
provides that Mr. Kennedy will serve as Chief  Executive  Officer of the Company
until February 1, 1997.  Under the Employment  Agreement,  Mr.  Kennedy's annual
salary  is  $200,000,  and  he  is  eligible  to  receive  additional  incentive
compensation for achieving  performance goals set by the Compensation  Committee
of the Board of Directors.  Pursuant to the  Employment  Agreement,  Mr. Kennedy
received  stock  option  grants to purchase  175,000  shares of Common  Stock at
$17.02 per share and to purchase  60,000 shares at $1.00 per share.  Mr. Kennedy
suffered a stroke in August,  1995,  and as a  consequence  his  employment  was
terminated in November, 1995. Pursuant to the terms of his Employment Agreement,
he has been paid through January 31, 1997.

  On July 20, 1995, the Company entered into an Employment  Agreement with Edwin
Addison which  provides that Mr.  Addison will serve as Executive Vice President
of the Company until July 20, 1997 at an annual salary of $150,000.  Mr. Addison
is eligible to receive additional incentive compensation upon the achievement of
certain goals by the Company.  Pursuant to his employment  agreement Mr. Addison
received  options to purchase 40,000 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price
of $15.23 per share.

                                     - 17 -

<PAGE>


Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management.

  The following table sets forth, as of May 10, 1996, information concerning the
ownership of Common Stock of the Company of all persons  known to the Company to
beneficially own 5% or more of the Company's Common Stock,  each director of the
Company,  each  nominee who is not  currently a director and all  directors  and
executive officers of the Company as a group.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                               Percent
                                   Amount and Nature          of Class
Name and Address                      of Beneficial         Beneficially
of Beneficial Owner                  Ownership (1)             Owned
- -------------------                  -------------             -----
<S>                                <C>                         <C>  
Allen & Company Incorporated       3,187,846(2)(3)             25.2%
711 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10022

Richard M. Crooks, Jr                367,850(4)                 3.0%

Patrick C. Condo                      83,750(5)                  *

Edwin R. Addison                     509,127(6)                 4.0%

J. M. Kennedy                        175,200(7)                 1.4%

James W. Dowe III                    175,492(8)                 1.4%

Philip J. O'Reilly                    30,000(9)                  *

Jay H. Diamond                         5,000(10)                 *

W. Frank King III                     13,000(11)                 *

Donald R. Keough                      30,000(12)                 *

John G. McMillian                          0

Shaun C. Viguerie                     27,710(13)                 *

All directors and
 executive officers                1,386,919(14)               10.6%
 as a group (9 persons)

                                     - 18 -

<PAGE>

<FN>
*    Represents less than one percent of the outstanding common stock.

(1)  To the  Company's  knowledge,  each  person  listed  has  sole  voting  and
     investment power as to the shares indicated, except as described below.

(2)  Does not include  1,484,132  shares owned by persons,  including Mr. Crooks
     and  entities  which,  together  with Allen & Company  Incorporated  may be
     considered  a "group,"  as such term is  defined  by  Section  13(d) of the
     Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, because many of these persons or entities
     are Allen stockholders,  officers,  directors or relatives of the foregoing
     (as reported on Schedule 13D filed with the  Commission  on April 8, 1994).
     No person or entity  included in this possible  "group," with the exception
     of Allen & Company Incorporated,  owns 5% or more of the outstanding common
     stock.
(3)  Includes  271,800 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of 27,180
     shares of the Company's cumulative convertible preferred stock.

(4)  Includes (a) 50,000  shares of common stock owned  beneficially  but not of
     record,  issuable  upon exercise of stock options of the Company at a price
     of $16.10 per share  expiring June 28, 2000 and (b) 50,000 shares of common
     stock  issuable upon exercise of stock options of the Company at a price of
     $20.56 per share expiring  November 27, 2005. Does not include shares owned
     by Allen & Company  Incorporated,  of which Mr. Crooks is a director and as
     to which shares Mr. Crooks disclaims beneficial ownership..

(5)  Includes  (a) 8,750 shares of common  stock owned  beneficially  but not of
     record  upon  exercise  of stock  options  at a price of  $12.40  per share
     expiring  November  13,  2002;  (b)  9,375  shares of  common  stock  owned
     beneficially but not of record upon exercise of stock options at a price of
     $11.64 per share,  expiring  January 4, 2004;  (c) 28,125  shares of common
     stock owned  beneficially  but not of record upon exercise of stock options
     at a price of $6.34 per share, expiring December 6, 2004; (d) 25,000 shares
     of  common  stock  owned  beneficially  but not of  record,  issuable  upon
     exercise of stock options at a price of $12.41 per share,  expiring June 2,
     2005; and (e) 12,500 shares of common stock owned  beneficially  but not of
     record,  issuable  upon  exercise of stock options at a price of $15.97 per
     share expiring November 1, 2005.

(6)  Includes (a) 127,767 shares of common stock owned  beneficially  but not of
     record,  issuable  upon  exercise of stock  options at a price of $1.04 per
     share,  expiring  April 30, 1997;  (b) 13,732  shares of common stock owned
     beneficially but not of record,  issuable upon exercise of stock options at
     a price of $2.07 per share  expiring  June 30, 1997;  (c) 11,027  shares of
     common stock owned  beneficially but not of record,  issuable upon exercise
     of stock options at a price of $4.14 per share expiring  December 31, 1998;
     and (d) 5,000 shares of common stock owned  beneficially but not of record,
     issuable  upon  exercise  of stock  options  at a price of $15.23 per share
     expiring July 20, 2005.

(7)  Includes  175,000  shares of common  stock  owned  beneficially  but not of
     record,  issuable  upon exercise of stock options of the Company at a price
     of $17.02 per share, expiring January 11, 2002.

                                     - 19 -
<PAGE>

(8)  Includes (a) 100,000 shares of common stock owned  beneficially  but not of
     record,  issuable  upon exercise of stock options of the Company at a price
     of $8.125 per share,  expiring  May 17, 1999;  (b) 50,000  shares of common
     stock owned beneficially but not of record, issuable upon exercise of stock
     options of the  Company at a price of $15.95  per share,  expiring  July 1,
     2000;  (c) 25,000  shares of common  stock  owned  beneficially  but not of
     record,  issuable  upon exercise of stock options of the Company at a price
     of $15.75 per share, expiring May 8, 2001.

(9)  Includes  25,000  shares  of common  stock  owned  beneficially  but not of
     record,  issuable  upon exercise of stock options of the Company at a price
     of $13.00 per share expiring March 12, 2003.

(10) Includes  25,000  shares  of common  stock  owned  beneficially  but not of
     record,  issuable  upon exercise of stock options of the Company at a price
     of $11.50 per share expiring February 28, 2004.

(11) Includes  13,000  shares  of common  stock  owned  beneficially  but not of
     record,  issuable  upon exercise of stock options of the Company at a price
     of $12.50 per share, expiring July 2, 2002.

(12) Does not include shares owned by Allen & Company Incorporated,  of which
     Mr.  Keough is Chairman of the Board,  and as to which shares Mr. Keough
     disclaims beneficial ownership.

(13) Includes 510 shares owned  beneficially by Mr. Viguerie's  spouse, as to
     which shares Mr. Viguerie disclaims beneficial ownership.

(14) Includes  766,776  shares of common  stock  owned  beneficially  but not of
     record, issuable upon exercise of stock options of the Company.
</FN>
</TABLE>


Certain Relationships and Related Transactions.

       Richard M.  Crooks,  Jr.,  the  Chairman of the Board of Directors of the
Company, is a director of and consultant to Allen & Company Incorporated. Donald
R. Keough, a nominee for election as a director, is the Chairman of the Board of
Allen & Company Incorporated.

       In March,  1996 the  Company  completed  a private  placement  of 350,000
shares of its  common  stock at a price of  $25.00  per  share.  Allen & Company
Incorporated served as placement agent and was paid a fee of $350,000.

       The  Company's  policy is that it will not make  loans to, or enter  into
other  transactions with directors,  officers or affiliates unless such loans or
transactions   are  approved  by  a  majority  of  the   Company's   independent
disinterested  directors, may reasonably be expected to benefit the Company, and
will be on terms no less  favorable to the Company  than could be obtained  from
unaffiliated third parties. The Company believes that the transactions set forth
herein were made on terms no less  favorable to the Company than could have been
obtained from unaffiliated third parties.

                                     - 20 -
<PAGE>

       The Company has adopted  provisions in its  Certificate of  Incorporation
that limit the liability of its directors  for monetary  damages  arising from a
breach of their  fiduciary  duty as  directors,  except to the extent  otherwise
required by the Delaware  General  Corporation Law. Such limitation of liability
does not affect the availability of equitable remedies such as injunctive relief
or rescission.

       See also "Compensation  Committee  Interlocks and Insider  Participation"
above.




Description of 1989 Stock Option Plan

       In September 1989, the Company adopted,  and its  shareholders  approved,
the 1989 Stock Option Plan (the "1989 Plan")  which  authorized  the granting of
stock  options  and other  forms of  incentive  compensation  to  purchase up to
300,000  shares of the  Company's  common  stock in order to attract  and retain
personnel who possess a high degree of competence, experience and motivation. In
meetings in each of January 1991,  September 1991, August 1992 and May 1993, the
shareholders approved increases of 300,000,  300,000, 700,000 and 850,000 shares
in the number of shares which may be granted  under the 1989 Plan.  Accordingly,
at present,  options to purchase up to 2,450,000  shares may be granted pursuant
to the 1989 Plan.

       The 1989 Plan provides for the issuance of incentive stock options within
the meaning of Section 422A of the Internal Revenue Code and non-incentive stock
options, as well as stock appreciation rights. All employees, including officers
and directors who are also employees, are eligible to be granted incentive stock
options  under the 1989 Plan.  Non-incentive  stock options may be granted under
the 1989 Plan to employees or to other persons who perform substantial  services
for or on behalf of the Company,  including  officers and  directors who are not
members  of the  Stock  Option  Plan  Administration  Committee  of the Board of
Directors.  Options are not transferable by the optionee,  other than by will or
the laws of descent and distribution,  and are exercisable during the optionee's
lifetime only by the optionee.

       The  1989  Plan  is  currently  administered  by the  Stock  Option  Plan
Administration Committee of the Board of Directors (the "Committee"), consisting
of Jay H. Diamond and Philip J. O'Reilly. Subject to the terms of the 1989 Plan,
the  Committee has the  authority to determine  all terms and  provisions  under
which stock options are granted under the 1989 Plan,  including  determining the
individuals  to whom options may be granted,  the  exercise  price and number of
shares  subject to each option,  the time or times during which all or a portion
of each option may be  exercised  and certain  other terms of each  option.  The
maximum term of options granted under the 1989 Plan is ten years.

                                     - 21 -
<PAGE>

       Under the Company's 1989 Plan,  incentive stock options have been granted
to officers and key  employees  of the Company to purchase  shares of the common
stock at a purchase  price equal to the fair market value of the common stock on
the date of grant. The Committee has the power,  when and to the extent it deems
appropriate and with the consent of optionees, to substitute outstanding options
with  replacement  options  at a  lower  exercise  price.  Options  granted  and
outstanding under the 1989 Plan vest over a period of up to four years. The 1989
Plan provides that optionees may be granted stock  appreciation  rights ("SARs")
at the  discretion  of the  Board of  Directors.  Upon the  exercise  of an SAR,
payment  will be made to the  optionee by the Company in an amount  equal to the
excess  of the  fair  market  value of a share  of  common  stock on the date of
exercise over the option  price.  Payment may be made in shares of common stock,
in cash,  or partly  in cash and  partly  in  shares  of  common  stock,  as the
Committee shall determine. When an SAR is exercised, the related stock option is
surrendered;  when a stock  option is  exercised,  the  related  SAR, if any, is
surrendered.  No SARs have been granted to date under the 1989 Plan. The vesting
schedule of  outstanding  options  would  accelerate  under the 1989 Plan in the
event of the  occurrence of certain  events  constituting a change in control of
the Company.

       Upon termination of an employee for cause,  such employee's stock options
will terminate.  If the employee is involuntarily  terminated without cause, his
stock options will be  exercisable  for three months  following  termination  or
until the end of the option period, whichever is shorter. Upon the disability or
retirement of the employee,  stock options will be exercisable within the lesser
of the remainder of the option period or one year from the date of disability or
retirement.  Upon the death of an employee, stock options will be exercisable by
the deceased employee's representative within the lesser of the remainder of the
option  period  or one  year  from  the  date of the  employee's  death.  Unless
otherwise determined by the Committee, only options which are exercisable on the
date  of  termination,  death,  disability  or  retirement  may be  subsequently
exercised. Options granted to non-employees including directors do not terminate
upon termination of such persons' relationship with the Company.

       The 1989 Plan may be amended by the Board of  Directors,  except that the
Board may not, without the approval of the Company's stockholders,  increase the
number of shares  available  for  distribution,  decrease  the option price of a
stock option  below 100% of the fair market  value at grant,  change the pricing
rule  applicable  for stock  purchase  rights,  change  the  class of  employees
eligible to receive  awards under the 1989 Plan or extend the term of any option
award.

Description of 1995 Stock Option Plan

       The 1995 Stock Option Plan  authorizes  the granting of stock options and
other forms of incentive  compensation  to purchase up to 400,000  shares of the
Company's  common stock in order to attract and retain  personnel  who possess a
high degree of  competence,  experience  and  motivation.  The terms of the 1995
Stock Option Plan are identical to the 1989 Stock Option Plan  described  above,
except that the 1995 Stock  Option Plan does not provide that  optionees  may be
granted  stock  appreciation  rights.  The 1995 Stock  Option Plan is  currently
administered by the Stock Option Plan  Administration  Committee of the Board of
Directors consisting of Jay H.
Diamond and Philip J. O'Reilly.

                                     - 22 -

<PAGE>

Compliance With Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act

       Section 16(a) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 and  regulations of
the SEC thereunder require the Company's  executive officers and directors,  and
persons who own more that ten  percent of a  registered  class of the  Company's
equity securities, to file reports of initial ownership and changes in ownership
with the SEC. Based solely on its review of copies of such forms received by the
Company,  or on written  representations  from certain reporting persons that no
other reports were required for such persons,  the Company believes that, during
or with respect to the period from February 1, 1995 to January 31, 1996,  all of
the Section 16(a) filing  requirements  applicable  to its  executive  officers,
directors and ten percent shareholders were complied on a timely basis.



                                  OTHER MATTERS

Expenses of Solicitation

      The  accompanying  proxy is  solicited  by and on  behalf  of the Board of
Directors of the Company, and the entire cost of such solicitation will be borne
by the Company. In addition to the use of the mails, proxies may be solicited by
directors,  officers  and  employees  of the  Company,  by  personal  interview,
telephone and telegraph.  Arrangements  will be made with  brokerage  houses and
other  custodians,  nominees and  fiduciaries for the forwarding of solicitation
material and annual reports to the beneficial  owners of stock held of record by
such persons,  and the Company will reimburse them for reasonable  out-of-pocket
and clerical expenses incurred by them in connection therewith.

Discretionary Authority

      The Annual  Meeting is called for the  specific  purposes set forth in the
Notice of Meeting and discussed  above,  and also for the purpose of transacting
such other business as may properly come before the Meeting. At the date of this
Proxy  Statement,  the only matters which management  intends to present,  or is
informed  or expects  that others will  present for action at the  Meeting,  are
those matters  specifically  referred to in such notice. As to any matters which
may come before the Meeting other than those specified  above, the proxy holders
will be entitled to exercise discretionary authority.

                                    By Order of the Board of Directors,



                                          James H. Buchanan
                                          Secretary


Dated:      Vienna, Virginia
            May 28, 1996


                                     - 23 -

<PAGE>



                                                                       EXHIBIT A


                        Form of Proposed Amendment to the
                       Excalibur Technologies Corporation
                          Certificate of Incorporation


FOURTH:

          The Corporation  will  have  authority  to  issue  Forty-One   Million
          (41,000,000)   shares  of  Capital   Stock  of  which  Forty   Million
          (40,000,000)  shares are Common  Stock,  $.01 par value per share (the
          "Common  Stock")  and One  Million  (1,000,000)  shares are  Preferred
          Stock,  par value $.01 per share  (the  "Preferred  Stock"),  of which
          49,587  shares  are  designated  as  Cumulative  Preferred  Stock (the
          "Convertible Preferred Stock").

<PAGE>



                                                                       EXHIBIT B
                       EXCALIBUR TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

                               1989 INCENTIVE PLAN

                         SECTION 1. Purpose; Definitions

      The purpose of the Excalibur Technologies  Corporation 1989 Incentive Plan
(the "Plan") is to enable Excalibur Technologies  Corporation (the "Company") to
attract, retain and reward key employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries and
Affiliates, and strengthen the mutuality of interests between such key employees
and the Company's stockholders, by offering such key employees performance-based
stock incentives and/or other equity interests or equity-based incentives in the
Company, as well as performance-based incentives payable in cash.

      For  purposes  of the Plan,  the  following  terms shall be defined as set
forth below:

      (a)  "Affiliate"   means  any  entity  other  than  the  Company  and  its
Subsidiaries  that is designated by the Board as a participating  employer under
the Plan,  provided that the Company directly or indirectly owns at least 20% of
the combined voting power of all classes of stock of such entity or at least 20%
of the ownership interests in such entity.

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

      (c) "Book Value" means, as of any given date, on a per share basis (i) the
stockholders'  Equity in the Company as of the end of the immediately  preceding
fiscal year as reflected in the Company's consolidated balance sheet, subject to
such  adjustments as the Committee  shall specify at or after grant,  divided by
(ii) the number of then outstanding shares of Stock as of such year-end date (as
adjusted by the Committee for subsequent events).

      (d) "Code" means the Internal  Revenue Code of 1986,  as amended from time
to time, and any successor thereto.

      (e) "Committee" means the Committee  referred to in Section 2 of the Plan.
If at any time no  Committee  shall be in  office,  then  the  functions  of the
Committee specified in the Plan shall be exercised by the Board.

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

      (g)  "Deferred  Stock" means an award made  pursuant to Section 8 below of
the right to receive Stock at the end of a specified deferral period.

      (h)   "Disability"   means   disability  as  determined  under  procedures
established by the Committee for purposes of this Plan.



<PAGE>

                                     
      (i)  "Disinterested  Person"  shall  have the  meaning  set  forth in Rule
16b-3(d)(3) as promulgated by the Securities and Exchange  Commission  under the
Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934  (the  "Exchange  Act"),  or  any  successor
definition adopted by the Commission.

      (j) "Fair Market  Value"  means,  as of any given date,  unless  otherwise
determined  by the  Committee  in good faith,  the mean  between the highest and
lowest  quoted bid price,  regular way, of the Stock on the NASDAQ System or, if
no such sale of Stock occurs on such date, the fair market value of the Stock as
determined by the Committee in good faith.

      (k)  "Incentive  Stock Option"  means any Stock Option  intended to be and
designated as an "Incentive  Stock Option" within the meaning of Section 422A of
the Code.

      (l)   "Non-Qualified Stock Option" means any Stock Option that is not
an Incentive Stock Option.

      (m) "Other  Stock-Based  Award" means an award under Section 10 below that
is valued in whole or in part by reference to, or is otherwise based on, Stock.

      (n)  "Restricted  Stock" means an award of shares of Stock that is subject
to restrictions under Section 7 below.

      (o)   "Stock" means the Common Stock, $.01 par value per share, of
the Company.

      (p)  "Stock  Appreciation  Right"  means  the right  pursuant  to an award
granted  under Section 6 below to surrender to the Company all (or a portion) of
a Stock Option in exchange for an amount equal to the difference between (i) the
Fair Market Value, as of the date such Stock Option (or such portion thereof) is
surrendered,  of the  shares of Stock  covered  by such  Stock  Option  (or such
portion  thereof),  subject,  where  applicable,  to the pricing  provisions  in
Section 6(b)(ii) and (ii) the aggregate  exercise price of such Stock Option (or
such portion thereof).

      (q) "Stock  Option" or  "Option"  means any option to  purchase  shares of
Stock  (including  Restricted  Stock and  Deferred  Stock,  if the  Committee so
determines) granted pursuant to Section 5 below.

      (r) "Stock  Purchase  Right" means the right to purchase Stock pursuant to
Section 9.

      (s)  "Subsidiary"  means any  corporation  (other than the  Company) in an
unbroken chain of  corporations  beginning  with the Company if the  corporation
(other than the last  corporation in the unbroken  chain) owns stock  possessing
50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of
the other corporations in the chain.

      In addition,  the terms "Change in Control" and "Change in Control  Price"
shall have the meanings set forth, respectively, in Sections 1 l(b), (c) and (d)
below and the term  "Cause"  shall have the  meaning  set forth in Section  5(i)
below.

                                     - 2 -
<PAGE>

                            SECTION 2. Administration

      The Plan  shall  be  administered  by a  Committee  of no  fewer  than two
Disinterested  Persons,  who shall be appointed by the Board and who shall serve
at the pleasure of the Board.  The functions of the  Committee  specified in the
Plan shall be  exercised  by the Board,  if and to the extent that no  Committee
exists which has the authority to so administer the Plan.

      The Committee shall have full authority to grant, pursuant to the terms of
the Plan,  to officers and other key  employees  eligible  under  Section 4: (i)
Stock Options,  (ii) Stock  Appreciation  Rights,  (iii) Restricted  Stock, (iv)
Deferred Stock, (v) Stock Purchase Rights and/or (vi) Other Stock-Based Awards.

      In particular, the Committee shall have the authority:

      (a) to select the officers and other key  employees of the Company and its
Subsidiaries  and  Affiliates  to  whom  Stock  Options   Appreciation   Rights,
Restricted Stock, Deferred Stock, Stock Purchase Rights and/or Other Stock-Based
Awards may from time to time be granted hereunder;

      (b) to  determine  whether and to what  extent  Incentive  Stock  Options,
Non-Qualified  Stock  Options,  Stock  Appreciation  Rights,  Restricted  Stock,
Deferred Stock,  Stock Purchase Rights and/or Other  Stock-Based  Awards, or any
combination  thereof,  are to be  granted  hereunder  to one  or  more  eligible
employees;

      (c)   to determine the number of shares to be covered by each such
award granted hereunder;

      (d) to determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms
of the Plan, of any award granted hereunder (including,  but not limited to, the
share price and any  restriction or limitation,  or any vesting  acceleration or
waiver of  forfeiture  restrictions  regarding  any Stock  Option or other award
and/or the shares of Stock relating thereto,  based in each case on such factors
as the Committee shall determine, in its sole discretion);

      (e) to determine  whether and under what  circumstances a Stock Option may
be settled in cash, Restricted Stock and/or Deferred Stock under Section 5(k) or
(1), as applicable, instead of Stock;

      (f) to  determine  whether,  to what  extent and under what  circumstances
grants  and/or  other awards under the Plan and/or other cash awards made by the
Company are to be made, and operate,  on a tandem basis  vis-a-vis  other awards
under the Plan and/or cash  awards made  outside of the Plan,  or on an additive
basis;

      (g) to  determine  whether,  to what  extent and under what  circumstances
Stock and other  amounts  payable with respect to an award under this Plan shall
be  deferred  either  automatically  or  at  the  election  of  the  participant
(including  providing  for and  determining  the  amount  (if any) of any deemed
earnings on any deferred amount during any deferral period);

                                     - 3 -
<PAGE>

      (h)   to determine the terms and restrictions applicable to Stock
Purchase Rights and the Stock purchased by exercising such Rights; and

      (i) to  grant  with the  consent  of the  optionee,  in  substitution  for
outstanding Stock Options,  replacement  Stock Options,  which may be at a lower
exercise  price,  provided that, in the case of Incentive  Stock Options,  at an
exercise  price  less  than the Fair  Market  Value of the  Stock at the time of
replacement.

      The  Committee  shall have the  authority to adopt,  alter and repeal such
rules,  guidelines  and practices  governing the Plan as it shall,  from time to
time, deem advisable;  to interpret the terms and provisions of the Plan and any
award  issued  under  the Plan (and any  agreements  relating  thereto);  and to
otherwise supervise the administration of the Plan.

      All decisions made by the Committee pursuant to the provisions of the Plan
shall be made in the Committee's  sole discretion and shall be final and binding
on all persons, including the Company and Plan participants.


                        SECTION 3. Stock Subject to Plan

      The  total  number  of  shares  of  Stock   reserved  and   available  for
distribution under the Plan shall be 2,450,000 shares.  Such shares may consist,
in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued shares or treasury shares.

      Subject to Section  6(b)(iv)  below, if any shares of Stock that have been
optioned  cease to be subject to a Stock Option,  or if any such shares of Stock
that are subject to any Restricted Stock or Deferred Stock award, Stock Purchase
Right or Other  Stock-Based  Award  granted  hereunder are forfeited or any such
award otherwise  terminates,  without a payment being made to the participant in
the form of Stock,  such shares shall again be  available  for  distribution  in
connection with future awards under the Plan.

      In   the   event   of   any   merger,    reorganization,    consolidation,
recapitalization,  stock  dividend,  stock split  spin-offs,  spin-outs or other
change  in  corporate  structure  affecting  the  Stock,  such  substitution  or
adjustment shall be made in the aggregate number of shares reserved for issuance
under the Plan, in the number and option price of shares  subject to outstanding
Options  granted  under the Plan,  in the  number and  purchase  price of shares
subject to outstanding  Stock Purchase  Rights under the Plan, and in the number
of shares subject to other  outstanding  awards granted under the Plan as may be
determined to be appropriate by the Committee, in its sole discretion,  provided
that the number of shares  subject to any award shall always be a whole  number.
Such adjusted option price shall also be used to determine the amount payable by
the Company upon the exercise of any Stock  Appreciation  Right  associated with
any Stock Option.


                                     - 4 -

<PAGE>


                             SECTION 4. Eligibility

      Officers,  directors and key employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries
and Affiliates (but excluding members of the Committee) and any other individual
as  determined by the  Committee  who are  responsible  for or contribute to the
management,  growth and/or  profitability  of the business of the Company and/or
its  Subsidiaries  and  Affiliates  are eligible to be granted  awards under the
Plan.


                            SECTION 5. Stock Options

      Stock Options may be granted alone, in addition to or in tandem with other
awards  granted under the Plan and/or cash awards made outside of the Plan.  Any
Stock Option  granted  under the Plan shall be in such form as the Committee may
from time to time approve.

      Stock Options granted under the Plan may be of two types: (i)
Incentive Stock Options and (ii) Non-Qualified Stock Options.

      The Committee shall have the authority to grant to any optionee  Incentive
Stock Options,  Non-Qualified  Stock Options, or both types of Stock Options (in
each case with or without Stock Appreciation Rights).

      Options granted under the Plan shall be subject to the following terms and
conditions  and  shall  contain  such  additional  terms  and  conditions,   not
inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, as the Committee shall deem desirable:

      (a) Option Price. The option price per share of Stock purchasable under an
Incentive Stock Option shall be determined by the Committee at the time of grant
but  shall be not less than  100% of the Fair  Market  Value of the Stock at the
time of  grant.  Non-Qualified  Stock  Options  may,  in the  discretion  of the
Committee,  may be granted at a price per share less than the Fair Market  Value
of the Stock at the time of grant.

      (b)  Option  Term.  The term of each  Stock  Option  shall be fixed by the
Committee,  but no Stock Option shall be  exercisable  more than ten years after
the date the Option is granted.

      (c)  Exercisability.  Stock Options shall be  exercisable  at such time or
times and subject to such terms and  conditions  as shall be  determined  by the
Committee at or after grant. If the Committee provides,  in its sole discretion,
that any Stock Option is  exercisable  only in  installments,  the Committee may
waive such  installment  exercise  provisions  at any time at or after  grant in
whole or in part, based on such factors as the Committee shall determine, in its
sole discretion.

      (d)  Method  of  Exercise.   Subject  to  whatever   installment  exercise
provisions  apply under Section 5(c), Stock Options may be exercised in whole or
in part at any time  during  the  option  period  by  giving  written  notice of
exercise to the Company  specifying  the number of shares to be purchased.  Such
notice shall be accompanied by payment in full of the purchase price,  either by

                                     - 5 -
<PAGE>

check,  note or such other instrument as the Committee may accept. As determined
by the Committee, in its sole discretion,  at or after grant, payment in full or
in part may also be made in the form of Stock or, in the case of the exercise of
a Non-Qualified  Stock Option,  Restricted Stock or Deferred Stock subject to an
award hereunder  (based,  in each case, on the Fair Market Value of the Stock on
the date the option is exercised, as determined by the Committee).

            No shares of Stock shall be issued until full  payment  therefor has
been made.  An optionee  shall  generally  have the rights to dividends or other
rights of a  shareholder  with respect to shares  subject to the Option when the
optionee has given written notice of exercise, has paid in full for such shares,
and if requested, has given the representation described in Section 14(a).

      (e)  Non-Transferability of Options. No Stock Option shall be transferable
by  the  optionee  otherwise  than  by  will  or by  the  laws  of  descent  and
distribution, and all Stock Options shall be exercisable,  during the optionee's
lifetime, only by the optionee.

      (f)  Termination  by Death.  Subject to  Section  5(j),  if an  optionee's
employment by the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate terminates by reason of
death,  any Stock Option held by such optionee may  thereafter be exercised,  to
the  extent  such  option  was  exercisable  at the  time  of  death  or on such
accelerated basis as the Committee may determine at or after grant (or as may be
determined in accordance with procedures  established by the Committee),  by the
legal  representative  of the estate or by the legatee of the optionee under the
will of the  optionee,  for a period  of one year (or such  other  period as the
Committee  may  specify  at  grant)  from  the date of such  death or until  the
expiration  of the stated  term of such Stock  Option,  whichever  period is the
shorter.

      (g)  Termination by Reason of  Disability.  Subject to Section 5(j), if an
optionee's  employment by the Company and any Subsidiary or Affiliate terminates
by reason of  Disability,  any Stock Option held by such optionee may thereafter
be exercised by the optionee,  to the extent it was  exercisable  at the time of
termination  or on such  accelerated  basis as the Committee may determine at or
after grant (or as may be determined in accordance with  procedures  established
by the  Committee),  for a  period  of one year (or  such  other  period  as the
Committee may specify at grant) from the date of such  termination of employment
or until the  expiration  of the  stated  term of such Stock  Option,  whichever
period is the shorter, provided, however, that, if the optionee dies within such
one-year  period (or such other period as the Committee shall specify at grant),
any  unexercised  Stock  Option  held  by  such  optionee  shall  thereafter  be
exercisable to the extent to which it was exercisable at the time of death for a
period of one year from the date of such  death or until the  expiration  of the
stated term of such Stock Option,  whichever period is the shorter. In the event
of  termination  of employment by reason of  Disability,  if an Incentive  Stock
Option is exercised after the expiration of the exercise  periods that apply for
purposes  of Section  422A of the Code,  such Stock  Option will  thereafter  be
treated as a Non-Qualified Stock Option.


                                     - 6 -

<PAGE>


4 (h) Other  Termination.  Unless  otherwise  determined  by the  Committee  (or
pursuant to procedures  established by the  Committee) at or after grant,  if an
optionee's  employment by the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate  terminates
for any reason other than death or Disability,  the Stock Option shall thereupon
terminate,  except  that such  Stock  Option  may be  exercised,  to the  extent
otherwise  then  exercisable,  for the lesser of three  months or the balance of
such Stock  Option's  term if the optionee is  involuntarily  terminated  by the
Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate without Cause. For purposes of this Plan,
"Cause"  means a felony  conviction of an optionee or the failure of an optionee
to contest  prosecution  for a felony,  or an optionee's  willful  misconduct or
dishonesty,  any of which is directly and materially  harmful to the business or
reputation of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate.

      (i)  Incentive  Stock  Options.  Anything  in the  Plan  to  the  contrary
notwithstanding,  no term of this Plan relating to Incentive Stock Options shall
be  interpreted,  amended or  altered,  nor shall any  discretion  or  authority
granted  under the Plan be so  exercised,  so as to  disqualify  the Plan  under
Section 422A of the Code, or, without the consent of the  optionee(s)  affected,
to disqualify any Incentive Stock Option under such Section 422A.

            To the extent  required for  "incentive  stock option"  status under
Section 422A(b)(7) of the Code (taking into account applicable  Internal Revenue
Service  regulations  and  pronouncements),  the Plan shall be deemed to provide
that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the time of grant) of the
Stock with respect to which  Incentive Stock Options granted are exercisable for
the first time by the optionee  during any  calendar  year under the Plan and/or
any  other  stock  option  plan  of the  Company  or any  Subsidiary  or  parent
corporation  (within  the meaning of Section 425 of the Code) shall not exceed $
100,000.  If Section 422A is hereafter  amended to delete the requirement now in
Section  422A(b)(7)  that the  plan  text  expressly  provide  for the  $100,000
limitation set forth in Section 422A(b)(7), then this first paragraph of Section
5(i) shall no longer be operative.

      (j) Buyout Provisions.  The Committee may at any time offer to buy out for
a  payment  in cash,  Stock,  Deferred  Stock  or  Restricted  Stock  an  option
previously  granted,  based on such terms and conditions as the Committee  shall
establish and communicate to the optionee at the time that such offer is made.

      (k) Settlement Provisions. If the option agreement so provides at grant or
is amended after grant and prior to exercise to so provide (with the  optionee's
consent),  the Committee may require that all or part of the shares to be issued
with  respect  to the  spread  value  of an  exercised  Option  take the form of
Deferred or Restricted  Stock,  which shall be valued on the date of exercise on
the basis of the Fair Market  Value (as  determined  by the  Committee)  of such
Deferred  or  Restricted  Stock  determined   without  regard  to  the  deferral
limitations and/or forfeiture restrictions involved.


                                     - 7 -

<PAGE>


                      SECTION 6. Stock Appreciation Rights

      (a) Grant and  Exercise.  Stock  Appreciation  Rights  may be  granted  in
conjunction  with all or part of any Stock Option granted under the Plan. In the
case of a  Non-Qualified  Stock Option,  such rights may be granted either at or
after the time of the grant of such Stock  Option.  In the case of an  Incentive
Stock  Option,  such rights may be granted only at the time of the grant of such
Stock Option.

            A Stock  Appreciation  Right or applicable  portion  thereof granted
with  respect  to a  given  Stock  Option  shall  terminate  and  no  longer  be
exercisable  upon the  termination  or  exercise of the  related  Stock  Option,
subject to such  provisions  as the Committee may specify at grant where a Stock
Appreciation  Right is  granted  with  respect  to less than the full  number of
shares covered by a related Stock Option.

            A Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised by an optionee,  subject
to Section 6(b), in accordance with the procedures  established by the Committee
for such purpose. Upon such exercise,  the optionee shall be entitled to receive
an amount  determined in the manner  prescribed  in Section 6(b).  Stock Options
relating to exercised Stock  Appreciation  Rights shall no longer be exercisable
to the extent that the related Stock Appreciation Rights have been exercised.

      (b) Terms and Conditions.  Stock  Appreciation  Rights shall be subject to
such terms and conditions,  not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as
shall be determined from time to time by the Committee, including the following:

            (i) Stock Appreciation Rights shall be exercisable only at such time
or times and to the extent that the Stock  Options to which they relate shall be
exercisable in accordance with the provisions of Section S and this Section 6 of
the Plan;  provided,  however,  that any Stock  Appreciation Right granted to an
optionee subject to Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the grant of
the related Stock Option shall not be exercisable during the first six months of
its term,  except that this special  limitation  shall not apply in the event of
death or  Disability  of the optionee  prior to the  expiration of the six-month
period.  The exercise of Stock  Appreciation  Rights held by  optionees  who are
subject  to  Section  16(b) of the  Exchange  Act shall  comply  with Rule 16b-3
thereunder, to the extent applicable.

            (ii) Upon the exercise of a Stock  Appreciation  Right,  an optionee
shall be entitled  to receive an amount in cash and/or  shares of Stock equal in
value to the  excess of the Fair  Market  Value of one  share of Stock  over the
option price per share  specified in the related Stock Option  multiplied by the
number of shares in respect  of which the Stock  Appreciation  Right  shall have
been  exercised,  with the  Committee  having the right to determine the form of
payment.  When payment is to be made in shares,  the number of shares to be paid
shall be  calculated  on the basis of the Fair Market Value of the shares on the
date of  exercise.  When  payment is to be made in cash,  such  amount  shall be
calculated  on the basis of the  average of the  highest  and lowest  quoted bid
price,  of the Stock on the NASDAQ System during the applicable  period referred
to in Rule 16b-3(e) under the Exchange Act.

                                     - 8 -

<PAGE>

            (iii) Stock Appreciation  Rights shall be transferable only when and
to the extent that the  underlying  Stock  Option  would be  transferable  under
Section 5(e).

            (iv) Upon the  exercise  of a Stock  Appreciation  Right,  the Stock
Option or part thereof to which such Stock  Appreciation  Right is related shall
be deemed to have been  exercised for the purpose of the limitation set forth in
Section 3 on the number of shares of Stock to be issued under the Plan, but only
to the extent of the number of shares issued under the Stock  Appreciation Right
at the time of exercise  based on the value of the Stock  Appreciation  Right at
such time.

            (v) In its sole discretion,  the Committee may grant "Limited" Stock
Appreciation  Rights under this Section 6, i.e., Stock Appreciation  Rights that
become  exercisable  only in the event of a Change in  Control,  subject to such
terms and  conditions as the Committee may specify at grant.  Such Limited Stock
Appreciation Rights shall be settled solely in cash.

            (vi) The Committee,  in its sole discretion,  may also provide that,
in the event of a Change in Control,  the amount to be paid upon the exercise of
a Stock Appreciation Right or Limited Stock Appreciation Right shall be based on
the  Change of  Control  Price,  subject  to such  terms and  conditions  on the
Committee may specify at grant.


                           SECTION 7. Restricted Stock

            (a) Administration.  Shares of Restricted Stock may be issued either
alone,  in  addition to or in tandem with other  awards  granted  under the Plan
and/or cash awards made outside the Plan.  The  Committee  shall  determine  the
eligible  persons to whom, and the time or times at which,  grants of Restricted
Stock will be made, the number of shares to be awarded, the price (if any) to be
paid by the recipient of Restricted Stock (subject to Section 7(b)), the time or
times within which such awards may be subject to forfeiture, and all other terms
and conditions of the awards.

            The Committee  may condition the grant of Restricted  Stock upon the
attainment of specified performance goals or such other factors as the Committee
may determine, in its sole discretion.

            The provisions of Restricted  Stock awards need not be the same with
respect to each recipient.

      (b) Awards and  Certificates.  The  prospective  recipient of a Restricted
Stock  award shall not have any rights  with  respect to such award,  unless and
until such  recipient  has  executed an agreement  evidencing  the award and has
delivered  a fully  executed  copy  thereof to the  Company,  and has  otherwise
complied with the applicable terms and conditions of such award.

            (i) The purchase  price for shares of Restricted  Stock may be equal
to or less than their par value and may be zero.

                                     - 9 -
<PAGE>

            (ii) Awards of Restricted  Stock must be accepted within a period of
60 days (or such shorter period as the committee may specify at grant) after the
award date, by executing a Restricted  Stock Award Agreement and paying whatever
price (if any) is required under Section 7(b)(i).

            (iii) Each  participant  receiving a Restricted Stock award shall be
issued a stock  certificate in respect of such shares of Restricted  Stock. Such
certificate shall be registered in the name of such participant,  and shall bear
an  appropriate  legend  referring to the terms,  conditions,  and  restrictions
applicable to such award.

            (iv)  The  Committee  shall  require  that  the  stock  certificates
evidencing such shares be held in custody by the Company until the  restrictions
thereon  shall have lapsed,  and that,  as a condition of any  Restricted  Stock
award,  the participant  shall have delivered a stock power,  endorsed in blank,
relating to the Stock covered by such award.

      (c)  Restrictions  and Conditions.  The shares of Restricted Stock awarded
pursuant to this Section 7 shall be subject to the  following  restrictions  and
conditions:

            (i) Subject to the provisions of this Plan and the award  agreement,
during a period set by the Committee commencing with the date of such award (the
"Restricted Period"),  the participant shall not be permitted to sell, transfer,
pledge or assign shares of Restricted Stock awarded under the Plan. Within these
limits, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may provide for the lapse of such
restrictions  in  installments  and may accelerate or waive such  restriction in
whole or in part,  based on service,  performance  and/or such other  factors or
criteria as the Committee may determine, in its sole discretion.

            (ii) Except as provided in this paragraph (ii) and Section  7(c)(i),
the participant  shall have, with respect to the shares of Restricted Stock, all
of the rights of a stockholder  of the Company,  including the right to vote the
shares and the right to receive any cash dividends.  The Committee,  in its sole
discretion,  as  determined  at the time of award,  may  permit or  require  the
payment of cash  dividends to be deferred and, if the  Committee so  determines,
reinvested,  subject to Section 14(e),  in additional  Restricted  Stock, to the
extent shares are available under Section 3, or otherwise  reinvested.  Pursuant
to Section 3 above,  Stock  dividends  issued with respect to  Restricted  Stock
shall be treated as additional  shares of  Restricted  Stock that are subject to
the same  restrictions  and other terms and conditions  that apply to the shares
with respect to which such dividends are issued.

            (iii) Subject to the  applicable  provisions of the award  agreement
and this Section 7, upon  termination  of a  participant's  employment  with the
Company or any  Subsidiary or Affiliate  for any reason  during the  Restriction
Period,  all shares still subject to restriction  will vest or be forfeited,  in
accordance  with the terms and  conditions  established  by the  Committee at or
after grant.

            (iv) If and when  the  Restricted  Period  expires  without  a prior
forfeiture  of  the  Restricted  Stock  subject  to  such  Restricted   Periods,
certificates for an appropriate number of unrestricted shares shall be delivered
to the participant promptly.

                                     - 10 -
<PAGE>

      (d)  Minimum  Value  Provisions.  In order to  better  ensure  that  award
payments  actually  reflect  the  performance  of the Company and service of the
participant,  the Committee may provide,  in its sole  discretion,  for a tandem
performance-based  or other award designed to guarantee a minimum value, payable
in cash or Stock to the recipient of a Restricted  Stock award,  subject to such
performance,  future  service  deferral and other terms and conditions as may be
specified by the Committee.


                            SECTION 8. Deferred Stock

      (a)  Administration.  Deferred  Stock  may be  awarded  either  alone,  in
addition to or in tandem with other  awards  granted  under the Plan and/or cash
awards made outside of the Plan.  The  Committee  shall  determine  the eligible
persons to whom and the time or times at which  Deferred Stock shall be awarded,
the number of shares of Deferred Stock to be awarded to any person, the duration
of period (the "Deferral  Period") during which, and the conditions under which,
receipt of the Stock will be deferred, and the other terms and conditions of the
award in addition to those set forth in Section 8(b).

            The Committee  may  condition  the grant of Deferred  Stock upon the
attainment of specified  performance  goals or such other factors or criteria as
the Committee shall determine, in its sole discretion.

            The  provisions  of Deferred  Stock awards need not be the same with
respect to each recipient.

      (b) Terms and Conditions. The shares of Deferred Stock awarded pursuant to
this Section 8 shall be subject to the following terms and conditions:

            (i) Subject to the  provisions of this Plan and the award  agreement
referred to in Section  8(b)(vi)  below,  Deferred Stock awards may not be sold,
assigned,  transferred,  pledged or  otherwise  encumbered  during the  Deferral
Period.  At the  expiration  of the Deferral  Period (or the  Elective  Deferral
Period referred to in Section 8(b)(v),  where  applicable),  share  certificates
shall be delivered to the participant, or his legal representative,  in a number
equal to the shares covered by the Deferred Stock award.

            (ii) Unless otherwise  determined by the Committee at grant, amounts
equal to any dividends  declared  during the Deferral Period with respect to the
number  of  shares  covered  by a  Deferred  Stock  award  shall  be paid to the
participant  currently,  or deferred and deemed to be  reinvested  in additional
Deferred Stock, or otherwise reinvested,  all as determined at or after the time
of the award by the Committee, in its sole discretion.

            (iii)  Subject  to the  provision  of the award  agreement  and this
Section 8, upon  termination of a  participant's  employment with the Company or
Subsidiary or Affiliate  for any reason  during the Deferral  Period for a given
award,  the Deferred Stock in question will vest or be forfeited,  in accordance
with the terms and conditions established by the Committee at or after grant.

                                     - 11 -

<PAGE>

            (iv) Based on  service,  performance  and/or  such other  factors or
criteria as the Committee may  determine,  the Committee may, at or after grant,
accelerate  the vesting of all or any part of any  Deferred  Stock award  and/or
waive the deferral limitations for all or any part of such award.

            (v) A participant may elect to further defer receipt of an award (or
an  installment of an award) for a specified  period or until a specified  event
(the  "Elective  Deferral  Period"),  subject  in each  case to the  Committee's
approval and to such terms as are determined by the  Committee,  all in its sole
discretion.  Subject to any exceptions  adopted by the Committee,  such election
must  generally be made at least  one-year  prior to  completion of the Deferral
Period for such Deferred Stock award (or such installment).

            (vi) Each award shall be confirmed  by, and subject to the terms of,
a Deferred Stock agreement executed by the Company and the participant.

      (c)  Minimum  Value  Provisions.  In order to  better  ensure  that  award
payments  actually  reflect  the  performance  of the Company and service of the
participant,  the Committee may provide,  in its sole  discretion,  for a tandem
performance-based  or other award designed to guarantee a minimum value, payable
in cash or Stock to the  recipient of a deferred  stock  award,  subject to such
performance,  future service,  deferral and other terms and conditions as may be
specified by the Committee.


                        SECTION 9. Stock Purchase Rights

      (a) Awards and  Administration.  Subject to Section 3 above, the Committee
may grant eligible  participants  Stock Purchase  Rights which shall enable such
participants to purchase Stock (including Deferred Stock and Restricted Stock):

            (i)  at its Fair Market Value on the date of grant;

            (ii)  at 50% of such Fair Market Value on such date;

            (iii)  at an amount equal to Book Value on such date; or

            (iv)  at an amount equal to the par value of such Stock on such
date.

            The Committee  shall also impose such  deferral,  forfeiture  and/or
other terms and conditions as it shall  determine,  in its sole  discretion,  on
such Stock Purchase Rights or the exercise thereof.

            The terms of Stock Purchase  Rights awards need not be the same with
respect to each participant.

            Each  Stock  Purchase  Right  award  shall be  confirmed  by, and be
subject to the terms of, a Stock Purchase Rights Agreement.

                                     - 12 -

<PAGE>

      (b)  Exercisability.  Stock Purchase Rights shall generally be exercisable
for such period after grant as is  determined  by the Committee not to exceed 30
days. However, the Committee may provide, in its sole discretion, that the Stock
Purchase Rights of persons  potentially subject to Section 16(b) of the Exchange
Act shall not  become  exercisable  until six months and one day after the grant
date, and shall then be  exercisable  for ten trading days at the purchase price
specified by the Committee in accordance with Section 9(a).


                      SECTION 10. Other Stock-Based Awards

      (a) Administration. Other awards of Stock and other awards that are valued
in whole or in part by reference  to, or are  otherwise  based on, Stock ("Other
Stock-Based  Awards"),   including,  without  limitation,   performance  shares,
convertible preferred stock, convertible debentures, exchangeable securities and
Stock  awards  or  options  valued  by  reference  to Book  Value or  subsidiary
performance,  may be granted  either  alone or in  addition to or in tandem with
Stock Options,  Stock Appreciation Rights,  Restricted Stock,  Deferred Stock or
Stock Purchase  Rights granted under the Plan and/or cash awards made outside of
the Plan.

            Subject  to the  provision  of the Plan,  the  Committee  shall have
authority to  determine  the persons to whom and the time or times at which such
awards  shall be made,  the number of shares of Stock to be awarded  pursuant to
such awards,  and all other  conditions  of the awards.  The  Committee may also
provide for the grant of Stock upon the  completion  of a specified  performance
period.

            The provisions of Other Stock-Based Awards need not be the same with
respect to each recipient.

      (b) Terms and Conditions.  Other Stock-Based  Awards made pursuant to this
Section 10 shall be subject to the following terms and conditions:

            (i)  Subject to the  provision  of the Plan and the award  agreement
referred to in Section 10(b)(v) below,  shares subject to awards made under this
Section  10  may  not be  sold,  assigned,  transferred,  pledged  or  otherwise
encumbered  prior to the date on which the shares are issued,  or, if later, the
date on which any applicable restriction, performance or deferral period lapses.

            (ii) Subject to the  provisions of the Plan and the award  agreement
and unless  otherwise  determined by the Committee at grant, the recipient of an
award under this  Section 10 shall be entitled  to  receive,  currently  or on a
deferred basis,  interest or dividends or interest or dividend  equivalents with
respect to the number of shares covered by the award,  as determined at the time
of the award by the  Committee,  in its sole  discretion,  and the Committee may
provide  that such amounts (if any) shall be deemed to have been  reinvested  in
additional Stock or otherwise reinvested.

            (iii) Any award under this  Section 10 and any Stock  covered by any
such award  shall vest or be  forfeited  to the extent so  provided in the award
agreement, as determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion.

                                     - 13 -

<PAGE>

            (iv) In the event of the  participant's  retirement,  Disability  or
death,  or in cases of special  circumstances,  the  Committee  may, in its sole
discretion,  waive in whole or in part any or all of the  remaining  limitations
imposed  hereunder  (if any) with  respect to any or all of an award  under this
Section 10.

            (v) Each award  under this  Section  10 shall be  confirmed  by, and
subject to the terms of, an agreement or other  instrument by the Company and by
the participant.

            (vi) Stock (including securities convertible into Stock) issued on a
bonus basis under this Section 10 may be issued for no cash consideration. Stock
(including  securities  convertible into Stock) purchased pursuant to a purchase
right  awarded  under  this  Section 10 shall be priced at least 50% of the Fair
Market Value of the Stock on the date of grant.


                  SECTION 11. Change in Control Provisions

      (a) Impact of Event.  In the event of a "Change in  Control" as defined in
Section  11 (b),  unless  otherwise  decided  by the  Committee,  the  following
acceleration and valuation provisions shall apply:

            (i) Any Stock Appreciation  Rights (including,  without  limitation,
any Limited  Appreciation  Rights)  outstanding  for at least six months and any
Stock Options awarded under the Plan not previously exercisable and vested shall
become fully exercisable and vested.

            (ii) The  restrictions  and deferral  limitations  applicable to any
Restricted  Stock,  Deferred Stock,  Stock Purchase rights and Other Stock-Based
Awards,  in each case to the extent not  already  vested  under the Plan,  shall
lapse and such shares and awards shall be deemed fully vested.

            (iii) The value of all outstanding Stock Options, Stock Appreciation
Rights,  Restricted  Stock,  Deferred  Stock,  Stock  Purchase  Rights and Other
Stock-Based  Awards, in each case to the extent vested,  shall, unless otherwise
determined by the  Committee in its sole  discretion at or after grant but prior
to any Change in  Control,  be cashed out on the basis of the "Change in Control
Price" as  defined  in  Section  11(d) as of the date such  Change in Control is
determined  to have  occurred or such other date as the  Committee may determine
prior to the Change in Control.

      (b)   Definition of "Change in Control".  For purposes of Section
11(a), a "Change in Control" means the happening of any of the following:

            (i) When any "person" as defined in Section  3(a)(9) of the Exchange
Act and as used in  Sections  13(d) and 14(d)  thereof,  including  a "group" as
defined in Section  13(d) of the Exchange Act but  excluding the Company and any

                                     - 14 -

<PAGE>

Subsidiary and any employee  benefit plan sponsored or maintained by the Company
or any  Subsidiary  (including  any  trustee  of such plan  acting as  trustee),
directly  or  indirectly,  becomes  the  "beneficial  owner" (as defined in Rule
13(d)-3 under the Exchange Act, as amended from time to time),  of securities of
the Company  representing 20 percent or more of the combined voting power of the
Company's then outstanding securities;

            (ii) When,  during any period of 24  consecutive  months  during the
existence of the Plan,  the  individuals  who, at the  beginning of such period,
constitute the Board (the "Incumbent Directors") cease for any reason other than
death to  constitute  at least a majority  thereof,  provided,  however,  that a
director who was not a director at the beginning of such  24-month  period shall
be deemed to have  satisfied  such  24-month  requirement  (and be an  Incumbent
Director) if such director was elected by, or on the  recommendation  of or with
the approval of, at least  two-thirds  of the  directors  who then  qualified as
Incumbent  Directors  either  actually  (because  they  were  directors  at  the
beginning  of such  24-month  period)  or by  prior  operation  of this  Section
11(b)(ii); or

            (iii) The occurrence of a transaction requiring stockholder approval
for the  acquisition  of the  Company by an entity  other than the  Company or a
Subsidiary through purchase of assets, or by merger, or otherwise.

      (c) Charge in Control  Price.  For  purposes of this  Section 11,  "Change
Control Price" means the highest price per share bid in any transaction reported
on the NASDAQ System, or paid or offered in any bona fide transaction related to
a Change  in  Control  of the  Company  at any  time  during  the 60 day  period
immediately  preceding the occurrence of the Change in Control,  in each case as
determined by the Committee  except that, in the case of Incentive Stock Options
and Stock  Appreciation  Rights relating to Incentive Stock Options,  such price
shall be based only on transactions  reported for the date on which the optionee
exercises such Stock Appreciation Rights (or Limited Stock Appreciation  Rights)
or,  where  applicable,  the date on which a cashout  occurs  under  Section  11
(a)(ii).


                      SECTION 12. Amendment and Termination

      The Board may amend,  alter,  or  discontinue  the Plan, but no amendment,
alteration, or discontinuation shall be made which would impair the rights of an
optionee or  participant  under a Stock  Option,  Stock  Appreciation  Right (or
Limited Stock  Appreciation  Right),  Restricted or Deferred Stock award,  Stock
Purchase  Right or Other  Stock-Based  Award  theretofore  granted,  without the
optionee's  or  participant's  consent,  or which,  without the  approval of the
Company's stockholders, would cause the Plan to no longer comply with Rule 16b-3
under the Exchange Act or any successor rule or other regulatory requirements.

      The  Committee  may amend the  terms of any  Stock  Option or other  award
theretofore granted,  prospectively or retroactively,  but, subject to Section 3
above,  no such  amendment  shall  impair the rights of any holder  without  the
holder's consent.

      Subject to the above  provisions,  the Board shall have broad authority to
amend the Plan to take into account  changes in  applicable  securities  and tax
laws and accounting rules.

                                     - 15 -
<PAGE>

                       SECTION 13. Unfunded Status of Plan

      The Plan is intended to constitute  an  "unfunded"  plan for incentive and
deferred  compensation.  With  respect  to  any  payments  not  yet  made  to  a
participant or optionee by the Company,  nothing contained herein shall give any
such participant or optionee any rights that are greater than those of a general
creditor of the Company. In its sole discretion, the Committee may authorize the
creation of trusts or other  arrangements to meet the obligations  created under
the Plan to  deliver  Stock or  payments  in lieu of or with  respect  to awards
hereunder,  provided,  however,  that, unless the Committee otherwise determines
with the consent of the affected  participant,  the  existence of such trusts or
other arrangements is consistent with the "unfunded" status of the Plan.


                         SECTION 14. General Provisions

      (a) The Committee may require each person  purchasing shares pursuant to a
Stock  Option or other award under the Plan to  represent  and to agree with the
Company in writing that the  optionee or  participant  is  acquiring  the shares
without a view to distribution  thereof.  The  certificates  for such shares may
include  any  legend  which the  Committee  deems  appropriate  to  reflect  any
restrictions on transfer.

            All certificates  for shares of Stock or other securities  delivered
under  the  Plan  shall be  subject  to such  stock-transfer  orders  and  other
restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable  under the rules,  regulations,
and other  requirements  of the  Securities and Exchange  Commission,  any stock
exchange  upon which the Stock is then  listed,  and any  applicable  Federal or
state  securities law, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put
on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.

      (b) Nothing  contained in the Plan shall  prevent the Board from  adopting
other or additional compensation  arrangements,  subject to stockholder approval
if such  approval is required;  and such  arrangements  may be either  generally
applicable or applicable only in specific cases.

      (c) The  adoption  of the Plan shall not confer  upon any  employee of the
Company or any  Subsidiary or Affiliate any right to continued  employment  with
the  Company  or a  Subsidiary  or  Affiliate,  as the case may be, nor shall it
interfere in any way with the right of the Company or a Subsidiary  or Affiliate
to terminate the employment of any of its employees at any time.

      (d) No later than the date as of which an amount first becomes  includible
in the gross income of the  participant  for Federal  income tax  purposes  with
respect to any award under the Plan, the  participant  shall pay to the Company,
or make arrangements satisfactory to the Committee regarding the payment of, any
Federal,  state,  or local taxes of any kind required by law to be withheld with
respect  to  such  amount.   Unless  otherwise   determined  by  the  Committee,
withholding  obligations may be settled with Stock, including Stock that is part
of the award that gives rise to the withholding requirement.  The obligations of

                                     - 16 -

<PAGE>

the Company under the Plan shall be conditional on such payment or  arrangements
and the  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  and  Affiliates  shall,  to the  extent
permitted  by law,  have the right to deduct any such taxes from any  payment or
any kind otherwise due to the participant.

      (e) The actual or deemed reinvestment of dividends or dividend equivalents
in  additional  Restricted  Stock (or in  Deferred  Stock or other types of Plan
awards)  at the  time of any  dividend  payment  shall  be  permissible  only if
sufficient  shares of Stock are available under Section 3 for such  reinvestment
(taking into account then outstanding  Stock Options,  Stock Purchase Rights and
other Plan awards).

      (f) The Plan and all awards made and  actions  taken  thereunder  shall be
governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.


                       SECTION 15. Effective Date of Plan

      The Plan shall be effective as of April 24, 1989,  subject to the approval
of the Plan by a majority  of the votes cast by the  holders of the Stock at the
next annual stockholder's  meeting in 1989. Any grants made under the Plan prior
to such approval shall be effective when made (unless otherwise specified by the
Committee at the time of grant),  but shall be  conditioned  on, and subject to,
such approval of the Plan by such shareholders.


                            SECTION 16. Term of Plan

      No  Stock  Option,  Stock  Appreciation  Right,  Restricted  Stock  award,
Deferred Stock award,  Stock Purchase Right or Other  Stock-Based Award shall be
granted  pursuant to the Plan on or after the tenth  anniversary  of the date of
stockholder  approval,  but awards granted prior to such tenth  anniversary  may
extend beyond that date.


                                     - 17 -

<PAGE>


                                                                       EXHIBIT C
                       EXCALIBUR TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
                        1996 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN


            Excalibur Technologies Corporation,  a Delaware corporation,  hereby
adopts this  Excalibur  1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "Plan") as of the
Effective Date. The purposes of this Plan are as follows:

            (1) To  assist  employees  of  the  Company  in  acquiring  a  stock
      ownership  interest in the Company pursuant to a plan which is intended to
      qualify as an  "employee  stock  purchase  plan" under  section 423 of the
      Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

            (2) To help  employees  provide  for their  future  security  and to
      encourage them to remain in the employment of the Company.

            1.  Definitions

            Whenever  any of the  following  terms is used in the Plan  with the
first letter or letters capitalized,  it shall have the following meaning unless
the context  clearly  indicates to the contrary (such  definitions to be equally
applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined):

                  (a)  "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended.

                  (b)  "Committee" means the committee appointed to
administer the Plan pursuant to paragraph 10.

                  (c)  "Company" means Excalibur Technologies Corporation,
a Delaware corporation.

                  (d) "Dates of Exercise"  means the dates as of which an Option
is exercised and the Stock subject to that Option is purchased.  With respect to
any Option,  the Dates of Exercise  are the last day of each three month  period
ending  January 31, April 30, July 31 and October 31 in which Stock is traded in
the  over-the-counter  market  during the Option Period in which that Option was
granted.

                  (e)  "Date of  Grant"  means the date as of which an Option is
granted, as set forth in paragraph 3(a).

                  (f)  "Eligible  Compensation"  means  total cash  compensation
received from the Company as regular  compensation  during an Option Period.  By
way  of  illustration,  and  not by way  of  limitation,  Eligible  Compensation
includes  regular  compensation  such  as  salary,  wages,  overtime,   bonuses,
commissions,  and  incentive  compensation,   but  excludes  relocation  expense
reimbursements,  other  reimbursements  and  income  realized  as  a  result  of
participation  in any stock  option,  stock  purchase,  or  similar  plan of the
Company.



<PAGE>


                                      

                  (g)  "Effective Date" means August 1, 1996.

                  (h) "Eligible Employee" means any employee of the Company does
not,  immediately  after the Option is granted,  own  (within  the meaning  Code
Sections  423(b)(3)  and 424(d))  stock  possessing  five percent or more of the
total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the company.

                  (i)  "Option"  means an  option  granted  under the Plan to an
Eligible Employee to purchase shares of Stock.

                  (j)  "Option  Period"  means  with  respect  to any Option the
period  beginning upon the Date of Grant and ending on the July 31 or January 31
immediately following the Date of Grant, whichever is earlier, or ending on such
other date as the Committee shall determine. No Option Period may exceed 5 years
from the Date of Grant.

                  (k)  "Option Price" with respect to any Option has the
meaning set forth in paragraph 4(b).

                  (l)  "Participant" means an Eligible Employee who has
complied with the provisions of paragraph 3(b).

                  (m) "Periodic  Deposit Account" means the account  established
and  maintained  by the Company to which  shall be credited  pursuant to Section
3(c)  amounts  received  from  Participants  for the purchase of Stock under the
Plan.

                  (n)  "Plan" means this Excalibur Technologies Corporation
1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

                  (o) "Plan Year"  means the fiscal  year of the  Company  which
begins on February 1.

                  (p)  "Stock" means shares of common stock, par value $.01
per share, of the Company.

                  (q) "Stock Purchase Account" means the account established and
maintained  by the Company to which Stock  purchased  upon exercise of an Option
under the Plan shall be credited pursuant to Section 4(c).

                  (r) Subsidiary means any corporation other than the Company in
an unbroken chain of  corporations  beginning with the Company if at the time of
the  granting  of the  Option  each of the  corporations  other  than  the  last
corporation,  in the  unbroken  chain owns stock  possessing  50% or more of the
total  combined  voting  power  of all  classes  of  stock  in one of the  other
corporations in such chain.

            2.  Stock Subject to Plan

            Subject to the  provisions  of paragraph 8 (relating  to  adjustment
upon  changes  in the  Stock) the Stock  which may be sold  pursuant  to Options

                                     - 2 -

<PAGE>

granted under the Plan shall not exceed in the aggregate 250,000 shares, and may
be newly  issued  shares or  treasury  shares or shares  bought in the market or
otherwise for purposes of the Plan.

            3.  Grant of Options

                  (a)  General Statement

                  The Company may grant  Options  under the Plan to all Eligible
Employees on February 1 and/or  August 1 of each Plan Year or on such other date
as the Committee shall designate.  The term of each Option shall end on the last
day of the Option  Period  with  respect to which the  Option is  granted.  With
respect to each  Offering  Period  each  Eligible  Employee  shall be granted an
Option on the Date of Grant for as many full and  fractional  shares of Stock as
the Eligible  Employee may purchase with up to 10% of the Compensation he or she
receives during the Option Period (or during any portion of the Option Period as
the Eligible Employee may elect to participate).

                  (b)  Election to Participate

                  Each Eligible  Employee who elects to  participate in the Plan
shall  communicate to the Company in accordance with  procedures  established by
the  Committee  an  election to  participate  in the Plan  whereby the  Eligible
Employee  designates a stated whole percentage  equaling at least 1% but no more
than 10% of his or her  Eligible  Compensation  during the  Option  Period to be
deposited periodically in his or her Periodic Deposit Account under subparagraph
(c). The cumulative  amount  deposited in the Periodic  Deposit Account during a
Plan Year with  respect to any Eligible  Employee may not exceed the  limitation
stated in subparagraph (d). A Participant's  election to participate in the Plan
shall continue in effect during the current and subsequent  Option Periods until
changed pursuant to subparagraph 3(c).

                  (c)  Periodic Deposit Accounts

                  The Company shall maintain a Periodic Deposit Account for each
Participant  and shall  credit  to that  account  in U.S.  dollars  all  amounts
received  under the Plan from the  Participant.  No interest will be paid to any
Participant  or credited to his or her Periodic  Deposit  Account under the Plan
with respect to such funds.  All amounts  credited to a  Participant's  Periodic
Deposit Account shall be used to purchase Stock under  subparagraph  4(c) and no
portion of a Participant's  Periodic Deposit Account shall be refunded to him or
her.

                  Credits to an Eligible  Employee's  Periodic  Deposit  Account
shall be made by payroll deduction or by other alternate payment arrangements in
accordance with rules and procedures  established by the Committee.  An Eligible
Employee may increase,  decrease or eliminate the periodic credits to his or her
Periodic  Deposit  Account for future periods by filing a new election amount at
any time  during  an  Option  Period.  The  change  shall  become  effective  in
accordance  with the  Committee's  rules and  procedures as soon as  practicable
after the  Company  receives  the  election  but the change  will not affect the

                                     - 3 -

<PAGE>

amounts deposited with respect to Eligible Compensation sooner than the Eligible
Compensation  payable  with  respect  to the next pay period  after the  Company
receives the authorization.

                  (d)  $25,00 Limitation

                  No Eligible  Employee  shall be  permitted  to purchase  Stock
under the Plan or under any other employee stock purchase plan of the Company or
of any Subsidiary which is intended to qualify under Code Section 423, at a rate
which exceeds $25,000 in fair market value of Stock  (determined at the time the
Option is granted) for each  calendar  year in which any such Option  granted to
such Participant is outstanding at any time.

            4.  Exercise of Options

                  (a)  General Statement

                  On each Date of Exercise the entire  Periodic  Deposit Account
of each  Participant  shall be used to purchase at the Option Price whole and/or
fractional shares of Stock subject to the Option. Each Participant automatically
and without any act on his or her part will be deemed to have  exercised  his or
her Option on each such Date of Exercise  to the extent  that the  amounts  then
credited to the  Participant s Periodic  Deposit Account under the Plan are used
to purchase Stock.

                  (b)  Option Price Defined

                  The  Option  Price  per  share  of  Stock  to be  paid by each
Participant  on each  exercise  of his or her Option  shall be an amount in U.S.
dollars  equal  to 85% of the  fair  market  value of a share of Stock as of the
applicable Date of Exercise.  The fair market value of a share of Stock as of an
applicable  Date of Exercise shall be the closing sale price of a share of Stock
traded in the over-the-counter market on such date.

                  (c)  Stock Purchase Accounts; Stock Certificates

                  The Company shall maintain a Stock  Purchase  Account for each
Participant to reflect the Stock  purchased  under the Plan by the  Participant.
Upon exercise of an Option by a Participant  pursuant to subparagraph  4(a), the
Company shall credit to the  Participant's  Stock Purchase  Account the whole or
fractional shares of Stock purchased at that time.

                  Except as provided in paragraph 5,  certificates  with respect
to Stock credited to a Participant's Stock Purchase Account shall be issued only
on  request  by the  Participant  for a  distribution  of whole  shares  or when
necessary to comply with the transaction requirements outside the United States.
Upon issuance of such a Stock  certificate to a Participant,  the  Participant's
Stock  Purchase  Account  shall be  adjusted  to reflect the number of shares of
Stock distributed to the Participant.


                                     - 4 -


<PAGE>


            5.  Rights on Retirement, Death, Termination of Employment

            If a Participant retires,  dies, or otherwise terminates employment,
then to the extent  practicable,  no further  amounts  shall be  credited to the
Participant's  Periodic  Deposit Account from any pay due and owing with respect
to the  Participant  after  such  retirement,  death,  or other  termination  of
employment.  All  amounts  credited  to such a  Participant's  Periodic  Deposit
Account  shall be used on the next Date of  Exercise  in that  Option  Period to
purchase Stock under  paragraph 4. Such a Participant's  Stock Purchase  Account
shall be  terminated,  and Stock  certificates  with  respect to whole shares of
Stock and cash with respect to fractional  shares of Stock shall be  distributed
as soon as practicable after such Date of Exercise.

            Notwithstanding  anything in this Plan to the contrary and except to
the extent permitted under Code Section 423(a), a Participant's Option shall not
be exercisable more than three months after the Participant retires or otherwise
ceases to be employed by the Company.

            6.  Restriction Upon Assignment

            An Option granted under the Plan shall not be transferable otherwise
than by will or the laws of descent and distribution,  and is exercisable during
the  Participant's  lifetime  only by the  Participant.  The  Company  will  not
recognize  and shall be under no duty to recognize  any  assignment or purported
assignment  by a  Participant,  other  than by will or the laws of  descent  and
distribution,  of the Participant's interest in the Plan or of his or her Option
or of any rights under his or her Option.

            7.  No Rights of Stockholder Until Exercise of Option

            A  Participant  shall  not  be  deemed  to be a  stockholder  of the
Company, nor have any rights or privileges of a stockholder, with respect to the
number of shares of Stock  subject to an Option.  A  Participant  shall have the
rights and privileges of a stockholder  of the Company when, but not until,  the
Participant's  Option is  exercised  pursuant  to  paragraph  4(a) and the Stock
purchased by the Participant at that time has been credited to the Participant's
Stock Purchase Account.

            8.  Changes in the Stock; Adjustments of an Option

            If, while any Options are  outstanding,  the  outstanding  shares of
Stock have increased, decreased, changed into, or been exchanged for a different
number or kind of shares or  securities  of the  Company,  or there has been any
other  change in the  capitalization  of the  Company,  through  reorganization,
merger,  recapitalization,  reclassification,  stock split, reverse stock split,
spinoff or similar transaction, appropriate and proportionate adjustments may be
made by the  Committee in the number  and/or kind of shares which are subject to
purchase under  outstanding  Options and to the Option  Exercise Price or prices
applicable  to such  outstanding  Options,  including,  if the  Committee  deems
appropriate,  the  substitution of similar options to purchase shares of another
company (with such other company's consent). In addition, in any such event, the
number  and/or kind of shares which may be offered in the Options  shall also be

                                     - 5 -

<PAGE>

proportionately  adjusted.  No adjustments to outstanding  Options shall be made
for dividends paid in the form of stock.

            9.  Use of Funds; Repurchase of Stock

            All funds  received  or held by the  Company  under the Plan will be
included  in the  general  funds  of the  Company  free of any  trust  or  other
restriction and may be used for any corporate purpose.  The Company shall not be
required to  repurchase  from any Eligible  Employee  shares of Stock which such
Eligible Employee acquires under the Plan.

            10.  Administration by Committee

                  (a)  Appointment of Committee

                  The board of directors of the Company, or its delegate,  shall
appoint  a  Committee,  which  shall  be  composed  of one or more  members,  to
administer the Plan on behalf of the Company. Each member of the Committee shall
serve for a term  commencing on the date  specified by the board of directors of
the Company, or its delegate,  and continuing until he or she dies or resigns or
is removed from office by such board of directors, or its delegate.

                  (b)  Duties and Powers of Committee

                  It shall be the duty of the Committee to conduct the
general administration of the Plan in accordance with its provisions.  The
Committee shall have the power to:

                        (1)  determine when the initial and subsequent
                  Option Periods will commence;

                        (2)  interpret the Plan and the Options;

                        (3)  adopt such rules for the administration,
                  interpretation, and application of the Plan as are
                  consistent with the Plan and Code Section 423; and

                        (4)  interpret, amend, or revoke any such rules.

            In its  absolute  discretion,  the  board  of the  directors  of the
Company  may at any time and from time to time  exercise  any and all rights and
duties of the  Committee  under the Plan.  The Committee may delegate any of its
responsibilities under the Plan by designating in writing other persons to carry
out any or all of such responsibilities.

                  (c)  Majority Rule

                  The  Committee  shall  act by a  majority  of its  members  in
office.  The Committee may act either by vote at a meeting or by a memorandum or
other written instrument signed by a majority of the Committee.

                                     - 6 -

<PAGE>

                  (d)   Compensation; Professional Assistance; Good Faith
                        Actions

                  Each member of the Committee who is an employee of the Company
or a Subsidiary shall receive no additional compensation for his or her services
under the Plan. Each Committee member who is not an employee of the Company or a
Subsidiary  shall receive such  compensation  for his or her services  under the
Plan as may be  determined  by the board of  directors  of the  Company,  or its
delegate.  All expenses and liabilities  incurred by members of the Committee in
connection  with the  administration  of the Plan shall be borne by the Company.
The  Committee  may  employ  attorneys,  consultants,  accountants,  appraisers,
brokers or other  persons.  The  Committee,  the  Company,  and its officers and
directors shall be entitled to rely upon the advice,  opinions, or valuations of
any such persons.  All actions taken and all  interpretations and determinations
made by the  Committee  in good  faith  shall  be  final  and  binding  upon all
Participants,  the Company and all other  interested  persons.  No member of the
Committee  shall  be  personally   liable  for  any  action,   determination  or
interpretation  made in good faith with respect to the Plan or the Options,  and
all members of the Committee  shall be fully protected by the Company in respect
to any such action, determination or interpretation.

            11.  No Rights as an Employee

            Nothing in the Plan nor any Option  shall be  construed  to give any
person  (including any Eligible  Employee or Participant) the right to remain in
the employ of the Company or to affect the right of the Company to terminate the
employment of any person (including any Eligible Employee or Participant) at any
time with or without cause, to the extent otherwise permitted under law.

            12.  Term of Plan

            No Option may be granted during any period of suspension of the Plan
or after  termination  of the Plan,  and in no event may any  Option be  granted
under the Plan  after five years from the  commencement  of the  initial  Option
Period.

            13.  Amendment of the Plan

            The board of directors of the Company,  or its delegate,  may amend,
suspend,  or terminate the Plan at any time;  provided that approval by the vote
of the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding  shares of the Stock entitled
to vote  shall be  required  to amend the Plan to reduce the  Exercise  Price or
increase the number of shares of Stock reserved for the Options under the Plan.

            14.  Effect Upon Other Plans

            The adoption of the Plan shall not affect any other  compensation or
incentive plans in effect for the Company, except to the extent required by law.
Nothing in this Plan shall be construed to limit the right of the Company (a) to
establish  any other forms of incentives  or  compensation  for employees of the

                                     - 7 -

<PAGE>

Company  or (b) to grant or assume  options  otherwise  than  under this Plan in
connection  with any  proper  corporate  purpose,  including,  but not by way of
limitation,   the  grant  or  assumption  of  options  in  connection  with  the
acquisition,  by purchase,  lease,  merger,  consolidation or otherwise,  of the
business, stock or assets of any corporation, firm or association.

            15.  Notices

            Any  notice to be given  under the terms of the Plan to the  Company
shall be addressed to the Company in care of the  Committee and any notice to be
given to the Eligible  Employee  shall be addressed to the Eligible  Employee at
his or her last address as reflected in the Company's records. By a notice given
pursuant to this  paragraph,  either party may  hereafter  designate a different
address for notices to be given to it or the Eligible Employee. Any notice which
is required to be given to the Eligible Employee shall, if the Eligible Employee
is then deceased, be given to the Eligible Employee's personal representative if
such representative has previously informed the Company of his or her status and
address  by written  notice  under this  paragraph.  Any notice  shall have been
deemed  duly  given  when  enclosed  in a properly  sealed  envelope  or wrapper
addressed  as  aforesaid,  deposited  (with  postage  prepaid) in a post office,
branch post  office,  or other  depository  regularly  maintained  by the United
States Postal Services.

            16.  Titles

            Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve
as a basis for interpretation or construction of the Plan.

     
                                - 8 -



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