NETRIX CORP
8-K, 1999-10-14
COMPUTER COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT
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<PAGE>


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549


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


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

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



DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED):       SEPTEMBER 30, 1999



                               NETRIX CORPORATION
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)



            DELAWARE                    000-20512                54-1345159
(State or Other Jurisdiction     (Commission File Number)     (I.R.S. Employer
     of Incorporation)                                       Identification No.)




                               NETRIX CORPORATION
                          13595 DULLES TECHNOLOGY DRIVE
                             HERNDON, VIRGINIA 20171
          (Address of Principal Executive Offices, Including Zip Code)
                                (703) 742-6000
             (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)



                                 NOT APPLICABLE
        (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)


<PAGE>



ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS.

      On  September  30,  1999,  Netrix  Corporation,   a  Delaware  corporation
("Netrix"),   and  OpenROUTE   Networks,   Inc.,  a  Massachusetts   corporation
("OpenROUTE"),  entered  into an  Agreement  and  Plan of  Merger  (the  "Merger
Agreement"), that provides, among other things, for the merger (the "Merger") of
OpenROUTE with and into Netrix. Upon consummation of the Merger,  OpenROUTE will
become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Netrix.

      The  transaction  has been  approved  by the boards of  directors  of both
companies,  but remains  contingent  upon,  among other things,  approval by the
stockholders  of  both  Netrix  and  OpenROUTE and other customary conditions.

      Under the terms of the Merger Agreement,  Netrix  stockholders will retain
their  shares and  OpenROUTE  stockholders  will receive one share of the Netrix
common stock in exchange  for each share of OpenROUTE  common stock held by them
at the  effective  time of the Merger.  Options to purchase  shares of OpenROUTE
common stock also will be converted. Each holder of an option to purchase shares
of OpenROUTE  common  stock will receive an option to purchase  shares of Netrix
common stock in the same number and at the same exercise  price per share as was
held under the option to purchase OpenROUTE shares.

      The Merger is intended to constitute a tax-free reorganization.


ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.

(a)   Financial Statements of Businesses Acquired.

         Not Applicable

(b)   Pro Forma Financial Information.

         Not Applicable

(c)   Exhibits.

         The following exhibits are filed with this Report:

      EXHIBIT NO.                      DESCRIPTION.
      -----------                      ------------

      2.1         Agreement   and  Plan  of  Merger  by   and   between   Netrix
                  Corporation   and   OpenROUTE  Networks,  Inc.,  dated  as  of
                  September 30, 1999.

      99.1        Voting Agreement,  by  and  between OpenROUTE  Networks,  Inc.
                  and Howard Salwen, dated as of September 30, 1999.


                                       2

<PAGE>



      99.2        Voting Agreement,  by  and  between OpenROUTE  Networks,  Inc.
                  and Bryan Holley, dated as of September 30, 1999.

      99.3        Voting  Agreement,  by  and  between  Netrix  Corporation  and
                  Steven T. Francesco, dated September 30, 1999.

      99.4        Joint  Press  Release of  Netrix  Corporation  and   OpenROUTE
                  Networks, Inc., dated September 30, 1999.


                                       3

<PAGE>



                                   SIGNATURES


            Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                            NETRIX CORPORATION



Date:  October 14, 1999                     By: /s/ Peter J. Kendrick
                                               _______________________________
                                               Name:  Peter J. Kendrick
                                               Title: Chief Financial Officer



                                       4

<PAGE>



                                  EXHIBIT LIST




   EXHIBIT NO.    DESCRIPTION

      2.1         Agreement   and   Plan  of   Merger  by  and  between   Netrix
                  Corporation  and   OpenROUTE  Networks,  Inc.,  dated   as  of
                  September 30, 1999.

      99.1        Voting Agreement,  by  and  between OpenROUTE  Networks,  Inc.
                  and Howard Salwen, dated as of September 30, 1999.

      99.2        Voting Agreement,  by  and  between OpenROUTE  Networks,  Inc.
                  and Bryan Holley, dated as of September 30, 1999.

      99.3        Voting  Agreement,  by  and  between  Netrix  Corporation  and
                  Steven T. Francesco, dated September 30, 1999.

      99.4        Joint  Press  Release  of  Netrix  Corporation  and  OpenROUTE
                  Networks, Inc., dated September 30, 1999.


                                       5


<PAGE>









                          AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER



                                     BETWEEN



                            OPENROUTE NETWORKS, INC.,



                                       AND



                               NETRIX CORPORATION





<PAGE>


                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                                           PAGE


1.       Definitions.........................................................2

2.       The Transaction.....................................................7

         (a)      The Merger.................................................7
         (b)      The Closing................................................7
         (c)      Actions at the Closing.....................................7
         (d)      Effect of Merger...........................................7
         (e)      Procedure for Exchange....................................12
         (f)      Closing of Transfer Records...............................13

3.       Representations and Warranties of the Company......................14

         (a)      Organization, Qualification and Corporate Power...........14
         (b)      Capitalization............................................14
         (c)      Subsidiaries..............................................15
         (d)      Voting Arrangements.......................................15
         (e)      Authorization of Transaction..............................15
         (f)      Noncontravention..........................................15
         (g)      Filings with the SEC......................................16
         (h)      Financial Statements......................................16
         (i)      Events Subsequent to January 1, 1999......................17
         (j)      Compliance................................................17
         (k)      Brokers' and Other Fees...................................17
         (l)      Litigation and Liabilities................................17
         (m)      Taxes.....................................................18
         (n)      Fairness Opinion..........................................18
         (o)      Employee Benefits.........................................18
         (p)      Massachusetts Business Corporation Law....................19
         (q)      Year 2000.................................................20
         (r)      Environmental Matters.....................................20
         (s)      Intellectual Property.....................................21
         (t)      Insurance.................................................21
         (u)      Certain Contracts.........................................21
         (v)      Accounting and Tax Matters................................22

4.       Representations and Warranties of Acquiror.........................22

         (a)      Organization, Qualification and Corporate Power...........22
         (b)      Capitalization............................................22
         (c)      Subsidiaries..............................................23
         (d)      Voting Arrangements.......................................23
         (e)      Authorization of Transaction..............................23
         (f)      Noncontravention..........................................23
         (g)      Filings with the SEC......................................24
         (h)      Financial Statements......................................24


                                      -i-

<PAGE>
                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                  (CONTINUED)
                                                                          PAGE


         (i)      Events Subsequent to January 1, 1999......................25
         (j)      Compliance................................................25
         (k)      Brokers' and Other Fees...................................25
         (l)      Litigation and Liabilities................................25
         (m)      Taxes.....................................................26
         (n)      Fairness Opinion..........................................26
         (o)      Employee Benefits.........................................26
         (p)      Year 2000.................................................27
         (q)      Environmental Matters.....................................28
         (r)      Intellectual Property.....................................28
         (s)      Insurance.................................................29
         (t)      Certain Contracts.........................................29
         (u)      Accounting and Tax Matters................................29

5.       Covenants..........................................................29

         (a)      General...................................................29
         (b)      Notices and Consents......................................29
         (c)      Regulatory Matters and Approvals..........................30
         (d)      Operation of the Company's Business.......................32
         (e)      Operation of Acquiror's Business..........................34
         (f)      Access....................................................36
         (g)      Notice of Developments....................................36
         (h)      Company Exclusivity.......................................37
         (i)      Acquiror Exclusivity......................................38
         (j)      Insurance and Indemnification.............................41
         (k)      Financial Statements......................................43
         (l)      Continuity of Business Enterprise.........................43
         (m)      Acquiror Board of Directors...............................43
         (n)      Rule 145 Affiliates.......................................44
         (o)      Nasdaq Listing............................................44
         (p)      Tax Free Treatment........................................44
         (q)      Company Employee Plans....................................44
         (r)      Letter of the Company's Accountants.......................45
         (s)      Letter of Acquiror's Accountants..........................45

6.       Conditions to Obligation to Close..................................45

         (a)      Conditions to Obligation of Acquiror......................45
         (b)      Conditions to Obligation of the Company...................47

7.       Termination........................................................48

         (a)      Termination of Agreement..................................48
         (b)      Effect of Termination.....................................50

8.       Miscellaneous......................................................51

                                      -ii-



<PAGE>

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                  (CONTINUED)
                                                                          PAGE

         (a)      Survival..................................................51
         (b)      Press Releases and Public Announcements...................51
         (c)      No Third-Party Beneficiaries..............................51
         (d)      Entire Agreement..........................................51
         (e)      Binding Effect; Assignment................................51
         (f)      Counterparts..............................................51
         (g)      Headings..................................................51
         (h)      Notices...................................................51
         (i)      Governing Law.............................................52
         (j)      Amendments and Waivers....................................52
         (k)      Severability..............................................53
         (l)      Expenses..................................................53
         (m)      Construction..............................................53
         (n)      Incorporation of Exhibits.................................53
         (o)      Definition of Knowledge...................................53
         (p)      Waiver of Jury Trial......................................53

Exhibit A - Form of Affiliate Letter

















                                     -iii-

<PAGE>


                          AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER


         AGREEMENT  AND PLAN OF MERGER (the  "AGREEMENT")  dated as of September
30,  1999,  by  and  between   NETRIX   CORPORATION,   a  Delaware   corporation
("ACQUIROR"),  and OPENROUTE  NETWORKS,  INC., a Massachusetts  corporation (the
"COMPANY").  Acquiror and the Company are referred to collectively herein as the
"PARTIES."

                                   WITNESSETH:

         WHEREAS,  this  Agreement  contemplates a transaction in which Acquiror
will  acquire all of the  outstanding  capital  stock of the  Company  through a
merger of the Company with and into Acquiror (the "MERGER");

         WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of each of Acquiror and the Company has
approved the acquisition of the Company by Acquiror,  including the Merger, upon
the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein;

         WHEREAS,  the Board of Directors of the Company has determined that the
Merger is advisable  and is fair to and in the best  interests of the holders of
the Company's common stock, par value $.01 per share (the "COMPANY SHARES"), and
has  resolved to  recommend  the approval of the Merger and the adoption of this
Agreement by the Company Stockholders (as defined in ss.1 below);

         WHEREAS,  the Board of Directors of Acquiror  has  determined  that the
Merger is advisable  and is fair to and in the best  interests of the holders of
Acquiror's common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "ACQUIROR SHARES"),  and
has  resolved to  recommend  the approval of the Merger and the adoption of this
Agreement by the Acquiror Stockholders (as defined in ss.1 below);

         WHEREAS,  the  Acquiror  Shares are  listed  for  trading on the Nasdaq
National  Market  ("NASDAQ") and the Board of Directors of Acquiror has resolved
to recommend  the approval by the Acquiror  Stockholders  of (i) the issuance of
Acquiror  Shares in connection  with the Merger as provided in this Agreement as
required  by the Rules of Nasdaq and (ii) an  amendment  to the  certificate  of
incorporation of Acquiror to increase the authorized  number of Acquiror Shares;
and

         WHEREAS,  this Agreement  contemplates that for U.S. Federal income tax
purposes the Merger will qualify as a reorganization  within the meaning of Code
ss.368(a).

                  NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of the  premises  and the
mutual promises set forth herein,  and in consideration of the  representations,
warranties and covenants set forth herein, the Parties agree as follows:

<PAGE>

1.       DEFINITIONS.

                  "ACQUIROR" has the meaning set forth in the preambles.

                  "ACQUIROR 10-K" has the meaning set forth in ss.4(h) below.

                  "ACQUIROR 10-Q" has the meaning set forth in ss.4(h) below.

                  "ACQUIROR  ACQUISITION  PROPOSAL"  means any proposal or offer
(including,  without limitation, any proposal or offer to Acquiror Stockholders)
with  respect  to  a  merger,  acquisition,   consolidation,   recapitalization,
reorganization,   liquidation,   tender  offer  or  exchange  offer  or  similar
transaction involving, or any purchase of 25% or more of the consolidated assets
of, or any equity interest representing 25% or more of the outstanding shares of
capital stock in, Acquiror.

                  "ACQUIROR  BENEFIT PLAN" and "ACQUIROR BENEFIT PLANS" have the
respective meanings set forth in ss.4(o)(i) below.

                  "ACQUIROR BOARD" means the board of directors of Acquiror.

                  "ACQUIROR CONTRACTS" has the meaning set forth in ss. 4(t)
                   below.

                  "ACQUIROR DISCLOSURE LETTER" has the meaning set forth in ss.4
(a) below.

                  "ACQUIROR EMPLOYEES" has the meaning set forth in ss.4(o)(i)
below.

                  "ACQUIROR ERISA AFFILIATE" has the meaning set forth in
ss.4(o)(iii) below.

                  "ACQUIROR  FAIRNESS  OPINION"  means  an  opinion  of  Kaufman
Brothers,  L.P.,  addressed  to the  Acquiror  Board,  as to the fairness of the
Merger to Acquiror from a financial point of view.

                  "ACQUIROR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY" has the meaning set forth in
ss.4(r) below.

                  "ACQUIROR MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT" has the meaning set forth
in ss.4(a) below.

                  "ACQUIROR PENSION PLAN"  has the meaning set forth in ss.4(o)
(ii) below.

                  "ACQUIROR REPORTS" has the meaning set forth in ss.4(g) below.

                  "ACQUIROR SHARES" has the meaning set forth in the preambles.

                  "ACQUIROR SPECIAL MEETING" has the meaning set forth in ss.5
(c)(ii) below.

                  "ACQUIROR STOCKHOLDER" means any Person who or which holds any
Acquiror Shares.

                  "ACQUIROR SUPERIOR PROPOSAL" has the meaning set forth in ss.5
(i)(ii) below.

                                      -2-
<PAGE>


                  "ACQUIROR  THIRD PARTY" means any Person (or group of Persons)
other than the Company or its respective Affiliates.

                  "ACQUISITION PROPOSAL" means any proposal or offer (including,
without  limitation,  any  proposal or offer to the Company  Stockholders)  with
respect   to   a   merger,   acquisition,    consolidation,    recapitalization,
reorganization,   liquidation,   tender  offer  or  exchange  offer  or  similar
transaction involving, or any purchase of 25% or more of the consolidated assets
of, or any equity interest representing 25% or more of the outstanding shares of
capital stock in, the Company.

                  "AFFILIATE"  has the meaning set forth in Rule 12b-2 of the
regulations  promulgated  under the Securities  Exchange Act.

                  "AGREEMENT" has the meaning set forth in the preambles.

                  "BLUE SKY FILINGS" has the meaning set forth in ss.5(c)(i)
below.

                  "CERTIFICATE OF MERGER" has the meaning set forth in ss.2(c)
below.

                  "CLOSING" has the meaning set forth in ss.2(b) below.

                  "CLOSING DATE" has the meaning set forth in ss.2(b) below.

                  "CLOSING  SALES PRICE" means with respect to an Acquiror Share
or  Company  Share,  as the case may be,  on any day,  the  average  of the last
reported sale price of one such share on the Nasdaq Stock Market for each of the
ten trading days immediately preceding such day.

                  "CODE" has the meaning set forth in ss.3(o)(ii) below.

                  "COMPANY" has the meaning set forth in the preambles.

                  "COMPANY 10-K" has the meaning set forth in ss.3(h) below.

                  "COMPANY 10-Q" has the meaning set forth in ss.3(h) below.

                  "COMPANY  BENEFIT PLAN" and "COMPANY  BENEFIT  PLANS" have the
meanings set forth in ss.3(o)(i) below.

                  "COMPANY BOARD" means the board of directors of the Company.

                  "COMPANY CONTRACTS" has the meaning set forth in ss.3(u)
below.

                  "COMPANY DISCLOSURE LETTER" has the meaning set forth in ss.3
(a) below.

                  "COMPANY EMPLOYEES" has the meaning set forth in ss.3(o)(i)
below.

                  "COMPANY ERISA AFFILIATE" has the meaning set forth in ss.3(o)
(iii) below.

                                      -3-
<PAGE>


                  "COMPANY  FAIRNESS OPINION" means an opinion of Tucker Anthony
Cleary Gull, addressed to the Company Board, as to the fairness of the Per Share
Merger  Consideration to the Company  Stockholders  (other than Acquiror) from a
financial point of view.

                  "COMPANY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY" has the meaning set forth in
ss.3(s) below.

                  "COMPANY MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT" has the meaning set forth in
 ss.3(a) below.

                  "COMPANY PENSION PLAN" has the meaning set forth in ss.3(o)
(ii) below.

                  "COMPANY REPORTS" has the meaning set forth in ss.3(g) below.

                  "COMPANY SHARES" has the meaning set forth in the preambles.

                  "COMPANY SPECIAL MEETING" has the meaning set forth in ss.5(c)
(ii) below.

                  "COMPANY STOCKHOLDER" means any Person who or which holds any
Company Shares.

                  "CONFIDENTIALITY  AGREEMENT"  means the Mutual  Non-Disclosure
Agreement  dated  August 11, 1999 between  Acquiror  and the Company,  providing
that,  among  other  things,  each Party  would  maintain  confidential  certain
information of the other Party.

                  "CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION" means Information, as defined in
the Confidentiality Agreement.

                  "DELAWARE GENERAL CORPORATION LAW" means Title 8, Chapter 1 of
the Delaware Code, as amended.

                  "DISSENTING HOLDER" has the meaning set forth in ss.2(d)(viii)
below.

                  "EFFECTIVE TIME" has the meaning set forth in ss.2(d)(i)
below.

                  "ENVIRONMENTAL LAW" has the meaning set forth in ss.3(r)
below.

                  "ERISA" has the meaning set forth in ss.3(o)(i) below.

                  "EXCHANGE AGENT" has the meaning set forth in ss.2(e)(i)
below.

                  "EXCHANGE FUND" has the meaning set forth in ss.2(e)(i) below.

                  "FOREIGN  COMPETITION  LAWS" means  foreign  statutes,  rules,
regulations, orders, decrees and administrative and judicial directives that are
designed or  intended to  prohibit,  restrict  or  regulate  actions  having the
purpose or effect of  monopolization,  lessening of  competition or restraint of
trade.

                  "GAAP"  means  United  States  generally  accepted  accounting
principles as in effect from time to time.

                                      -4-
<PAGE>


                  "GOVERNMENT ENTITY" has the meaning set forth in ss.3(f)
below.

                  "HART-SCOTT-RODINO ACT" means the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust
Improvements Act of 1976, as amended.

                  "HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE" has the meaning set forth in ss.3(r)
below.

                  "INDEMNIFIED PARTY" has the meaning set forth in ss.5(j)(ii)
below.

                  "JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS" has the meaning set forth
in ss.5(c)(i) below.

                  "MASSACHUSETTS BUSINESS CORPORATION LAW" means Chapter 156B of
the General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

                  "MERGER" has the meaning set forth in the preambles.

                  "MERGER CONSIDERATION" has the meaning set forth in ss.5(d)(v)
below.

                  "NASDAQ" has the meaning set forth in the preambles.

                  "ORDER" has the meaning set forth in ss.6(a)(v) below.

                  "OUTSIDE DATE" has the meaning set forth in ss.7(a)(ii) below.

                  "PARTY" has the meaning set forth in the preambles.

                  "PERSON" means an individual, a partnership,  a corporation, a
limited liability  company,  an association,  a joint stock company,  a trust, a
joint venture,  an unincorporated  organization or a governmental entity (or any
department, agency or political subdivision thereof).

                  "PER SHARE MERGER CONSIDERATION" has the meaning set forth in
ss.2(d)(v) below.
                  "PRIOR CONSULTATION" means oral or written notice to the chief
executive  officer of the  Company at least two (2)  business  days prior to the
earlier  of (x)  taking the  action or (y)  committing  to take the action  with
respect to which Prior  Consultation is necessary  pursuant to ss.5(e) below and
subsequent  to such  notice  making  the chief  executive  officer  of  Acquiror
reasonably  available to the chief  executive  officer of the Company to discuss
such action prior to taking such action.

                  "PROHIBITED ACQUIROR ACQUISITION PROPOSAL" has the meaning set
forth in ss.5(i)(i) below.

                  "REPRESENTATIVES" has the meaning set forth in ss.5(h)(i)
below.

                  "REGISTRATION STATEMENT" has the meaning set forth in ss.5(c)
(i) below.

                  "REQUIRED ACQUIROR CONSENT" has the meaning set forth in ss.4
(f) below.

                                      -5-
<PAGE>


                  "REQUIRED COMPANY CONSENT" has the meaning set forth in ss.3
(f) below.

                  "REQUISITE  STOCKHOLDER  APPROVAL" means,  with respect to the
Company,  the  affirmative  vote of a majority of the holders of the outstanding
Company Shares in favor of the adoption of this Agreement in accordance with the
Massachusetts  Business  Corporation  Law or,  with  respect  to  Acquiror,  the
affirmative vote of a majority of the holders of the outstanding Acquiror Shares
in favor of (a) approval of the issuance of Acquiror  Shares in connection  with
the Merger as provided in this Agreement in accordance  with the rules of Nasdaq
and (b) an amendment to Acquiror's  certificate of incorporation to increase the
authorized  capital  stock of Acquiror in accordance  with the Delaware  General
Corporation Law.

                  "SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

                  "SECURITIES ACT" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

                  "SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT" means the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

                  "SECURITY   INTEREST"  means  any  mortgage,   pledge,   lien,
encumbrance,  charge or other  security  interest,  OTHER  THAN (a)  mechanic's,
materialman's  and similar liens; (b) liens for taxes not yet due and payable or
for taxes that the  taxpayer is  contesting  in good faith  through  appropriate
proceedings;  (c) purchase money liens and liens securing  rental payments under
capital lease  arrangements;  and (d) other liens arising in the ordinary course
of business and not incurred in connection with the borrowing of money.

                  "STOCK  RIGHTS" means each option,  warrant,  purchase  right,
subscription  right,   conversion  right,  exchange  right  or  other  contract,
commitment or security  providing for the issuance or sale of any capital stock,
or otherwise causing to become outstanding any capital stock.

                  "STOCKHOLDER" has the meaning set forth in the preambles.

                  "SUBSIDIARY"  of a  specified  Person  means any  corporation,
limited liability company,  partnership,  joint venture or other legal entity of
which the specified  Person (either alone or together with any other  Subsidiary
of the specified  Person)  owns,  directly or  indirectly,  more than 50% of the
stock or other  equity,  partnership,  limited  liability  company or equivalent
interests,  the holders of which are generally entitled to vote for the election
of the board of directors or other  governing body of such  corporation or other
legal  entity,  or  otherwise  has the  power to vote or  direct  the  voting of
sufficient  securities  to elect a majority of such board of  directors or other
governing body.

                  "SUPERIOR PROPOSAL" has the meaning set forth in ss.5(h)(ii)
below.

                  "SURVIVING CORPORATION" has the meaning set forth in ss.2(a)
below.

                  "TAX RETURN" means any report,  return,  declaration  or other
information  required to be supplied to a taxing  authority in  connection  with
Taxes.

                                      -6-
<PAGE>

                  "TAXES" means all taxes or other like  assessments  including,
without limitation,  income,  withholding,  gross receipts,  excise, ad valorem,
real or personal property,  asset,  sales, use, license,  payroll,  transaction,
capital,  net worth and  franchise  taxes  imposed by or payable to any federal,
state,  county,  local or foreign government,  taxing authority,  subdivision or
agency thereof,  including interest,  penalties,  additions to tax or additional
amounts thereto.

                  "THIRD  PARTY"  means any Person (or group of  Persons)  other
than Acquiror or its respective Affiliates.

                  "YEAR 2000 COMPLIANT" has the meaning set forth in ss.3(q)
below.

2.       THE TRANSACTION.

         (a) THE MERGER.  On  and  subject  to the terms and  conditions of this
Agreement,  the Company will merge with and into Acquiror at the Effective Time.
Acquiror  shall  be  the  corporation   surviving  the  Merger  (the  "SURVIVING
CORPORATION").

         (b) THE CLOSING. The closing of  the transactions  contemplated by this
Agreement  (the  "Closing")  shall  take place at the  offices of Kelley  Drye &
Warren LLP, 101 Park Avenue,  New York, New York,  commencing at 9:00 a.m. local
time on the third  business  day  following  the  satisfaction  or waiver of all
conditions  to the  obligations  of the Parties to consummate  the  transactions
contemplated   hereby  (other  than  conditions  with  respect  to  actions  the
respective  Parties  will take at the Closing  itself) or such other date as the
Parties may mutually determine (the "Closing Date").

         (c) ACTIONS AT THE  CLOSING.  At  the  Closing,  (i) the  Company  will
deliver to Acquiror the various certificates, instruments and documents referred
to in ss.6(a)  below;  (ii)  Acquiror  will  deliver to the  Company the various
certificates,  instruments and documents referred to in ss.6(b) below; (iii) the
Company  and  Acquiror  will  file with the  Secretary  of State of the State of
Delaware a  Certificate  of Merger in such form as required  by and  executed in
accordance with the relevant  provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law
(the "CERTIFICATE OF MERGER");  (iv) the Company and Acquiror will file with the
Secretary of State of the  Commonwealth of  Massachusetts  Articles of Merger in
such form as required by and executed in accordance with the relevant provisions
of the  Massachusetts  Business  Corporation  (the "ARTICLES OF MERGER") and (v)
Acquiror will deliver or cause to be delivered the Exchange Fund to the Exchange
Agent in the manner provided below in this ss.2.

         (d)  EFFECT OF MERGER.

              (i)  GENERAL.  The Merger shall  become effective at the time (the
          "EFFECTIVE  TIME") the Company and Acquiror  file the  Certificate  of
          Merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or at such
          later time as the Parties may agree and specify in the  Certificate of
          Merger.  The Merger  shall have the effects set forth in the  Delaware
          General  Corporation Law and the  Massachusetts  Business  Corporation
          Law. The  Surviving  Corporation  may, at any time after the Effective
          Time,  take  any  action  (including   executing  and  delivering  any
          document)  in the name and on behalf of either the Company or Acquiror
          in order to carry out and effectuate the transactions  contemplated by
          this Agreement.

                                      -7-
<PAGE>

             (ii) CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION. The certificate of incorporation
          of Acquiror shall continue as the certificate of  incorporation of the
          Surviving  Corporation until thereafter amended in accordance with its
          terms and as provided by law, except that Article Fourth thereof shall
          be amended to read in its entirety as follows:

               FOURTH:  I. The total number of shares  of all  classes  of stock
               which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 56,000,000
               shares, consisting of (i) 55,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $.05
               par value  (the  "Common  Stock")  and (ii)  1,000,000  shares of
               Preferred Stock, $.05 par value ("Preferred Stock").

                  II.  The  designations,  powers,  preferences  and   relative,
               participating,  optional  or other  special  rights  of,  and the
               qualifications,  limitations or restrictions  upon, each class or
               series of the Corporation's capital stock shall be as follows:

               A. COMMON STOCK:

                  1.  GENERAL.  The voting, dividend  and  liquidation rights of
               the holders of the Common  Stock are subject to and  qualified by
               the rights of the holders of the Preferred Stock of any series as
               may be designated by the Board of Directors  upon any issuance of
               the Preferred Stock of any series.

                  2.  VOTING.  The  holders  of the Common Stock are entitled to
               one vote for each share held at all meetings of stockholders (and
               written  actions  in  lieu  of  meetings).   There  shall  be  no
               cumulative voting.

                  The  number of  authorized  shares  of  Common  Stock  may  be
               increased  or  decreased  (but not  below  the  number  of shares
               thereof then  outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders
               of a majority of the stock of the  Corporation  entitled to vote,
               irrespective  of  the  provisions  of  Section  242(b)(2)  of the
               General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

                  3.  DIVIDENDS.  Dividends  may  be  declared  and  paid on the
               Common Stock from funds lawfully  available  therefor as and when
               determined   by  the  Board  of  Directors  and  subject  to  any
               preferential  dividend rights of any then  outstanding  Preferred
               Stock.

                  4.  LIQUIDATION.  Upon  the  dissolution or liquidation of the
               Corporation,  whether voluntary or involuntary, holders of Common
               Stock will be entitled  to receive all assets of the  Corporation
               available for  distribution to its  stockholders,  subject to any
               preferential rights of any then outstanding Preferred Stock.

               B.   PREFERRED STOCK.

                                      -8-
<PAGE>
                    Preferred  Stock may be  issued  from time to time in one or
               more series,  each of such series to have such terms as stated or
               expressed  herein and in the resolution or resolutions  providing
               for the issue of such series adopted by the Board of Directors of
               the Corporation as hereinafter provided.  Any shares of Preferred
               Stock  which  may  be  redeemed,  purchased  or  acquired  by the
               Corporation may be reissued except as otherwise  provided by law.
               Different  series of  Preferred  Stock shall not be  construed to
               constitute different classes of shares for the purposes of voting
               by classes unless expressly provided.

                    Authority  is  hereby  expressly  granted  to  the  Board of
               Directors  from time to time to issue the Preferred  Stock in one
               or more series,  and in connection  with the creation of any such
               series,  by resolution or resolutions  providing for the issue of
               the shares thereof, to determine and fix such voting powers, full
               or  limited,   or  no  voting  powers,   and  such  designations,
               preferences and relative participating, optional or other special
               rights, and qualifications,  limitations or restrictions thereof,
               including without limitation thereof, dividend rights, conversion
               rights,  redemption  privileges and liquidation  preferences,  as
               shall be stated and  expressed  in such  resolutions,  all to the
               full extent now or hereafter permitted by the General Corporation
               Law of the State of Delaware.  Without limiting the generality of
               the  foregoing,  the  resolutions  providing  for issuance of any
               series of  Preferred  Stock may provide that such series shall be
               superior or rank equally or be junior to the  Preferred  Stock of
               any  other  series  to the  extent  permitted  by law.  Except as
               otherwise provided in this Restated Certificate of Incorporation,
               no vote of the  holders of the  Preferred  Stock or Common  Stock
               shall be a  prerequisite  to the  designation  or issuance of any
               shares of any series of the  Preferred  Stock  authorized  by and
               complying  with the  conditions of this Restated  Certificate  of
               Incorporation, the right to have such vote being expressly waived
               by all  present and future  holders of the  capital  stock of the
               Corporation.

                    (iii) BY-LAWS. The by-laws of Acquiror in effect immediately
          prior to the  Effective  Time shall be the  By-laws  of the  Surviving
          Corporation  until  thereafter  amended in accordance with their terms
          and as provided by law.

                    (iv) DIRECTORS AND  OFFICERS.  Except as provided in ss.6(m)
          with  respect  to the  directors  of the  Surviving  Corporation,  the
          directors and officers of Acquiror  immediately prior to the Effective
          Time shall be the directors and officers of the Surviving  Corporation
          at and as of the Effective Time (retaining their respective  positions
          and  terms  of  office),   until  the  earlier  of  their   respective
          resignation, removal or otherwise ceasing to be a director or officer,
          respectively,  or until their  respective  successors are duly elected
          and qualified, as the case may be.

                                      -9-
<PAGE>


                    (v) CONVERSION OF COMPANY SHARES. At and as of the Effective
          Time,  (A) each issued and  outstanding  Company Share (other than any
          Company  Shares  owned by  Acquiror,  the  Company  or any  Dissenting
          Holder)  shall be  converted  into the right to receive  one  Acquiror
          Share (the "PER SHARE  MERGER  CONSIDERATION"),  and all such  Company
          Shares  shall no longer be  outstanding,  shall be canceled  and shall
          cease to exist, and each holder of a certificate representing any such
          Company Shares shall  thereafter cease to have any rights with respect
          to such  Company  Shares,  except the right to  receive  the Per Share
          Merger  Consideration  for each  such  Company  Share  and any  unpaid
          dividends  and  distributions,  if any,  to which  the  holder of such
          Company  Shares is entitled  pursuant  toss.2(e) upon the surrender of
          such certificate in accordance  withss.2(e) below  (collectively,  the
          "MERGER CONSIDERATIOn"),  PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Per Share Merger
          Consideration  shall be subject  to  proportionate  adjustment  in the
          event of any stock split,  stock dividend or reverse stock split,  and
          (B) each  Company  Share owned by  Acquiror  or the  Company  shall be
          canceled without payment therefor. No Company Share shall be deemed to
          be  outstanding or to have any rights other than those set forth above
          in thisss.2(d)(v) after the Effective Time.  Notwithstanding  anything
          to the contrary in this  ss.2(d)(v),  no  fractional  Acquiror  Shares
          shall be issued to then  former  holders  of Company  Shares.  In lieu
          thereof,  each  then  former  holder  of a  Company  Share  who  would
          otherwise have been entitled to receive a fraction of a Acquiror Share
          (after  taking into  account all  certificates  delivered by such then
          former  holder at any one time) shall  receive an amount in cash equal
          to such fraction of a Acquiror  Share  multiplied by the Closing Sales
          Price per Acquiror Share on the date of the Effective Time.

               (vi)  CONVERSION OF STOCK RIGHTS. Each of  the Parties shall take
          all such action as may be necessary to cause,  at the Effective  Time,
          each Stock Right  granted by the Company to  purchase  Company  Shares
          which  is  outstanding  and  unexercised   immediately  prior  thereto
          (whether or not vested or exercisable),  to be converted automatically
          into an  equivalent  Stock  Right to  purchase  Acquiror  Shares in an
          amount and at an exercise price determined as follows:

                    (x) The number of  Acquiror  Shares to be subject to the new
                    Stock Right  shall be equal to the number of Company  Shares
                    subject to the original Stock Right; and

                    (y) The  exercise  price per  Acquiror  Share  under the new
                    Stock Right shall be equal to the exercise price per Company
                    Share under the original Stock Right.

          The  adjustments  provided  herein with respect to any original  Stock
          Rights which are "incentive  stock options" (as defined in Section 422
          of the Code)  shall be and are  intended  to be  effected  in a manner
          which is consistent  with Section  424(a) of the Code. The option plan
          of the Company under which the original Stock Rights were issued shall
          be assumed by  Acquiror,  and the  duration and other terms of the new
          Stock Rights shall be the same as the original  Stock  Rights,  except
          that all references to the Company shall be deemed to be references to

                                      -10-
<PAGE>

          Acquiror. At the Effective Time, Acquiror shall deliver to then former
          holders of original Stock Rights appropriate  agreements  representing
          the right to acquire  Acquiror  Shares on the terms and conditions set
          forth in this ss. 2(d)(vi).

          Acquiror  shall take all  corporate  action  necessary  to reserve for
          issuance a  sufficient  number of Acquiror  Shares for  delivery  upon
          exercise of the new Stock Rights in accordance with this ss. 2(d)(vi).
          Acquiror  shall  file a  registration  statement  on Form  S-8 (or any
          successor  form) or another  appropriate  form, and use its reasonable
          best efforts to cause such Form S-8 to become  effective at or as soon
          as  practicable  after the  Effective  Time,  with respect to Acquiror
          Shares  subject to new employee  stock  options  included in the Stock
          Rights and shall use reasonable  efforts to maintain the effectiveness
          of  such  registration  statement  or  registration   statements  (and
          maintain  the  current  status  of  the  prospectus  or   prospectuses
          contained  therein)  for so long as such options  remain  outstanding.
          Acquiror  shall  promptly  take any action  required to be taken under
          state  securities or Blue Sky laws in connection  with the issuance of
          Acquiror  Shares in connection with new employee  options  included in
          the Stock Rights.  With respect to those individuals who subsequent to
          the Merger will be subject to the reporting requirements under Section
          16(a) of the Securities  Exchange Act,  Acquiror shall  administer the
          option plans  assumed  pursuant to this ss.  2(d)(vi) in a manner that
          complies with Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act
          to the extent the Company option plan complied with such rule prior to
          the Merger.

               (vii) NO EFFECT ON CAPITAL STOCK OF ACQUIROR.  Each  share of the
          outstanding   capital  stock  of  Acquiror   issued  and   outstanding
          immediately  prior to the Effective Time shall remain  outstanding and
          shall be unchanged after the Merger.

               (viii) DISSENTER'S' RIGHTS.

               (A)   No conversion  under  ss.2(d)(v)  hereof shall be made with
          respect to the Company Shares held by a Dissenting  Holder;  PROVIDED,
          HOWEVER, that each Company Share outstanding  immediately prior to the
          Effective  Time and held by a Dissenting  Holder who shall,  after the
          Effective Time, withdraw his demand for appraisal or lose his right of
          appraisal, in either case pursuant to the applicable provisions of the
          Massachusetts   Business  Corporation  Law,  shall  be  deemed  to  be
          converted,  as of the Effective Time, into the Merger Consideration as
          set forth in ss.2(d)(v)  hereof.  The term  "DISSENTING  HOLDer" shall
          mean a holder of Company Shares who has demanded  appraisal  rights in
          compliance  with  the  applicable   provisions  of  the  Massachusetts
          Business  Corporation  Law  concerning  the  right of such  holder  to
          dissent from the Merger and demand  appraisal of such holder's Company
          Shares.

                (B) Any  Dissenting  Holder  (x) who  files  with the  Company a
          written  objection  to the  Merger  before  the taking of the votes to
          approve this Agreement by the Company  Stockholders  and who states in
          such  objection  that he intends  to demand  payment  for his  Company

                                      -11-
<PAGE>

          Shares if the Merger is concluded and (y) whose Company Shares are not
          voted in favor of the Merger shall be entitled to demand  payment from
          the  Company  for his  Company  Shares and an  appraisal  of the value
          thereof,  in accordance  with the provisions of Sections 86 through 98
          of the Massachusetts Business Corporation Law.

          (e)  PROCEDURE FOR EXCHANGE.

          (i) At or prior to the  Effective  Time,  (A) Acquiror will furnish to
          Equiserve,  its transfer  agent,  or such other bank or trust  company
          reasonably  acceptable to the Company,  to act as exchange  agent (the
          "EXCHANGE  AGENT")  a  corpus  (the  "EXCHANGE  FUND")  consisting  of
          Acquiror  Shares and cash  sufficient to permit the Exchange  Agent to
          make full payment of the Merger Consideration to the holders of all of
          the issued and  outstanding  Company  Shares  (other  than any Company
          Shares owned by Acquiror or the Company),  and (B) Acquiror will cause
          the Exchange Agent to mail a letter of transmittal (with  instructions
          for its use) in a form to be  mutually  agreed upon by the Company and
          Acquiror  prior to  Closing to each  holder of issued and  outstanding
          Company Shares (other than any Company Shares owned by Acquiror or the
          Company) for the holder to use in surrendering the certificates which,
          immediately  prior  to  the  Effective  Time,  represented  his or its
          Company Shares against  payment of the Merger  Consideration  to which
          such holder is entitled pursuant  toss.2(d)(v).  Upon surrender to the
          Exchange  Agent of such  certificates,  together  with such  letter of
          transmittal,  duly  executed  and  completed  in  accordance  with the
          instructions  thereto,  Acquiror  shall  promptly cause to be issued a
          certificate  representing  that number of whole Acquiror  Shares and a
          check representing the amount of cash in lieu of any fractional shares
          and unpaid dividends and distributions,  if any, to which such Persons
          are entitled, after giving effect to any required tax withholdings. No
          interest  will be paid or  accrued  on the cash in lieu of  fractional
          shares and unpaid  dividends  and  distributions,  if any,  payable to
          recipients  of Acquiror  Shares.  If payment is to be made to a Person
          other than the registered  holder of the certificate  surrendered,  it
          shall  be  a  condition  of  such  payment  that  the  certificate  so
          surrendered shall be properly endorsed or otherwise in proper form for
          transfer and that the Person  requesting  such  payment  shall pay any
          transfer or other taxes  required by reason of the payment to a Person
          other than the  registered  holder of the  certificate  surrendered or
          establish to the reasonable  satisfaction of the Surviving Corporation
          or  the  Exchange  Agent  that  such  tax  has  been  paid  or is  not
          applicable.  In the event any certificate  representing Company Shares
          shall  have been  lost,  stolen or  destroyed,  upon the  making of an
          affidavit of that fact by the Person  claiming such  certificate to be
          lost,  stolen or destroyed,  the Exchange Agent will issue in exchange
          for  such   lost,   stolen  or   destroyed   certificate   the  Merger
          Consideration deliverable in respect thereof;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER, the
          Person to whom such Merger Consideration is paid shall, as a condition
          precedent to the payment  thereof,  give the  Surviving  Corporation a
          bond in such sum as it may direct or otherwise indemnify the Surviving
          Corporation  in a manner  reasonably  satisfactory  to it against  any
          claim that may be made against the Surviving  Corporation with respect
          to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed.  No

                                      -12-
<PAGE>

          dividends or other  distributions  declared  after the Effective  Time
          with  respect to Acquiror  Shares and payable to the holders of record
          thereof shall be paid to the holder of any  unsurrendered  certificate
          until  the  holder  thereof  shall   surrender  such   certificate  in
          accordance with this ss.2(e).  After the surrender of a certificate in
          accordance  with this  ss.2(e),  the record  holder  thereof  shall be
          entitled to receive any such dividends or other distributions, without
          any  interest  thereon,  which  theretofore  had become  payable  with
          respect to the Acquiror  Shares  represented by such  certificate.  No
          holder of an unsurrendered  certificate  shall be entitled,  until the
          surrender of such certificate,  to vote the Acquiror Shares into which
          his or its Company  Shares shall have been converted into the right to
          receive.

               (ii)   The  Company  will  cause  its  transfer  agent to furnish
          promptly  to  Acquiror  a list,  as of a recent  date,  of the  record
          holders of  Company  Shares  and their  addresses,  as well as mailing
          labels  containing  the names and  addresses of all record  holders of
          Company Shares and lists of security  positions of Company Shares held
          in stock  depositories.  The Company will furnish  Acquiror  with such
          additional information  (including,  but not limited to, updated lists
          of holders of Company Shares and their  addresses,  mailing labels and
          lists of security  positions) and such other assistance as Acquiror or
          its agents may reasonably request.

               (iii)  Acquiror may cause the Exchange Agent to  invest  the cash
          included in the Exchange Fund in one or more  investments  selected by
          Acquiror;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that the terms and  conditions  of the
          investments  shall be such as to  permit  the  Exchange  Agent to make
          prompt payment of the Merger Consideration as necessary.  Acquiror may
          cause the Exchange Agent to pay over to the Surviving  Corporation any
          net  earnings  with  respect to the  investments,  and  Acquiror  will
          replace  promptly any portion of the Exchange  Fund which the Exchange
          Agent loses through investments.

               (iv)   Acquiror may cause the Exchange  Agent  to pay over to the
          Surviving  Corporation any portion of the Exchange Fund (including any
          earnings  thereon)  remaining 180 days after the Effective  Time,  and
          thereafter all former stockholders of the Company shall be entitled to
          look to the  Surviving  Corporation  (subject to  abandoned  property,
          escheat and other  similar  laws) as general  creditors  thereof  with
          respect  to  the  Merger  Consideration  and  any  cash  payable  upon
          surrender of their certificates.

               (v) Acquiror shall pay, or shall cause the Surviving  Corporation
          to pay, all charges and expenses of the Exchange Agent.

          (f)  CLOSING OF  TRANSFER  RECORDS.  After  the   Effective  Time,  no
transfer of Company Shares outstanding prior to the Effective Time shall be made
on the  stock  transfer  books  of the  Surviving  Corporation.  If,  after  the
Effective Time, certificates representing such shares are presented for transfer
to the Exchange  Agent,  they shall be canceled and exchanged  for  certificates

                                      -13-
<PAGE>

representing  Acquiror Shares,  cash in lieu of fractional  shares,  if any, and
unpaid dividends and distributions, if any, as provided in ss.2(e).

          3.  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.  The Company
represents and warrants to Acquiror:

               (a)  ORGANIZATION, QUALIFICATION AND CORPORATE POWER. The Company
is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the
laws of  Massachusetts.  If applicable  to such  country,  each of the Company's
Subsidiaries  operating in such country has been duly  incorporated or otherwise
organized and is validly  existing.  Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is
duly  authorized to conduct  business and, if applicable to such country,  is in
good standing under the laws of each  jurisdiction  where such  qualification is
required,  except where the lack of such  qualification or failure to be in good
standing would not  reasonably be expected to have a material  adverse effect on
the  business,  financial  condition or results of operations of the Company and
its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or on the ability of the Company to consummate
the  transactions  contemplated by this Agreement (a "COMPANY  MATERIAL  ADVERSE
EFFECT").  Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has full corporate power and
corporate  authority,  and all foreign,  federal,  state and local  governmental
permits, licenses and consents,  required to carry on the businesses in which it
is engaged and to own and use the  properties  owned and used by it,  except for
such  permits,  licenses  and  consents  the  failure of which to have would not
reasonably be expected to have a Company  Material  Adverse Effect.  The Company
does  not own any  equity  interest  in any  corporation,  partnership,  limited
liability  company,   joint  venture  or  other  legal  entity  other  than  the
Subsidiaries  listed in ss.3(a) of the Company  Disclosure  Letter  accompanying
this Agreement (the "COMPANY DISCLOSURE  LETTer").  The Company has delivered to
the Acquiror a true,  complete and correct copy of the articles of incorporation
(or  comparable  charter  document)  and  by-laws,  each as amended to date,  of
Company and all of its Subsidiaries. Neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
is in violation of any provision of its articles of incorporation (or comparable
charter document) or by-laws.

          (b) CAPITALIZATION. The entire authorized capital stock of the Company
consists of 7,500,000 shares of preferred stock,  $.01 par value per share, none
of which are issued and outstanding as of September 25, 1999, 30,000,000 Shares,
of which 15,916,570  Shares were issued and outstanding as of September 25, 1999
and 390,769  Shares were held in treasury as of September  25, 1999.  All of the
issued and outstanding  Company Shares have been duly authorized and are validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable,  and none have been issued in violation of
any  preemptive or similar  right.  As of September 25, 1999, no warrants of the
Company were  outstanding.  As of  September  25,  1999,  2,185,776  Shares were
subject to issuance  pursuant to employee  stock  options  issued under  Company
Benefit Plans. Except as set forth above or in ss.3(b) of the Company Disclosure
Letter,  neither the Company nor any of its  Subsidiaries has any outstanding or
authorized Stock Rights.  Except for stock appreciation  rights authorized under
Company Benefit Plans, of which none are  outstanding,  there are no outstanding
or authorized stock appreciation, phantom stock, profit participation or similar
rights  with  respect to the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries.  Except as set
forth  in  ss.3(b)  of the  Company  Disclosure  Letter,  there  are no  rights,
contracts,  commitments  or  arrangements  obligating  the  Company  to  redeem,
purchase or acquire,  or offer to purchase,  redeem or acquire,  any outstanding
shares of, or any outstanding options, warrants or rights of any kind to acquire

                                      -14-
<PAGE>

any  shares  of, or any  outstanding  securities  that are  convertible  into or
exchangeable for any shares of, capital stock of the Company.

          (c)  SUBSIDIARIES. Except as set forth in  ss.3(c)  of   the   Company
Disclosure  Letter,  the  Company  owns,  directly  or  indirectly,  100% of the
outstanding  shares of capital stock of each of its Subsidiaries  free and clear
of any  Security  Interest  and each such share of  capital  stock has been duly
authorized and is validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and none of such
shares of  capital  stock has been  issued in  violation  of any  preemptive  or
similar right. No shares of capital stock of, or other equity  interests in, any
Subsidiary of the Company are reserved for issuance, and there are no contracts,
agreements,  commitments  or  arrangements  obligating the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries (i) to offer, sell, issue,  grant,  pledge,  dispose of or encumber
any shares of capital  stock of, or other equity  interests  in, or any options,
warrants  or rights of any kind to acquire  any  shares of capital  stock of, or
other equity  interests  in, any of the  Subsidiaries  of the Company or (ii) to
redeem,  purchase or acquire,  or offer to purchase or acquire,  any outstanding
shares of capital  stock of, or other equity  interests  in, or any  outstanding
options,  warrants or rights of any kind to acquire any shares of capital  stock
of,  or  other  equity  interest  in,  or any  outstanding  securities  that are
convertible  into or exchangeable  for, any shares of capital stock of, or other
equity interests in, any of the Subsidiaries of the Company.

          (d)  VOTING  ARRANGEMENTS.  Except  as set  forth  in  ss.3(d) of  the
Company  Disclosure Letter or in Company Reports filed prior to the date hereof,
there  are  no  voting   trusts,   proxies  or  other   similar   agreements  or
understandings  to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by
which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound with respect to the voting
of any shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or with
respect to the  registration of the offering,  sale or delivery of any shares of
capital  stock of the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  under the  Securities
Act.  There are no  issued  or  outstanding  bonds,  debentures,  notes or other
indebtedness  of the  Company  having the right to vote on any  matters on which
stockholders of the Company may vote.

          (e)  AUTHORIZATION  OF  TRANSACTION.  The  Company  has full power and
authority  (including  full corporate  power and corporate  authority),  and has
taken all  required  action,  necessary  to properly  execute  and deliver  this
Agreement  and  to  perform  its  obligations  hereunder,   and  this  Agreement
constitutes the valid and legally binding obligation of the Company, enforceable
in accordance with its terms and conditions, except as limited by (i) applicable
bankruptcy,  insolvency,  reorganization,  moratorium  and other laws of general
application  affecting  enforcement  of  creditors'  rights  generally  and (ii)
general principles of equity,  regardless of whether asserted in a proceeding in
equity or at law;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that the Company  cannot  consummate the
Merger  unless and until it receives the Requisite  Stockholder  Approval of the
Company Stockholders.

          (f) NONCONTRAVENTION.  Neither the execution  and the delivery of this
Agreement,  nor the consummation of the transactions  contemplated  hereby, will
(i) violate any constitution,  statute, regulation, rule, injunction,  judgment,
order,  decree or other  restriction of any government,  governmental  agency or
court of competent  jurisdiction (a "GOVERNMENT ENTITY") to which the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries is subject or any provision of the charter or by-laws of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) conflict with, result in a breach
of,  constitute a default under,  result in the  acceleration  of, create in any
party the right to accelerate, terminate, modify or cancel or require any notice

                                      -15-
<PAGE>

under any agreement,  contract, lease, license,  instrument or other arrangement
to which the  Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries  is a party or by which it is
bound or to which any of its  assets is  subject,  except  where the  violation,
conflict,   breach,   default,    acceleration,    termination,    modification,
cancellation, or failure to give notice would not reasonably be expected to have
a Company  Material  Adverse  Effect or  except as set forth in  ss.3(f)  of the
Company  Disclosure  Letter.  Other than as required under the provisions of the
Hart-Scott-Rodino  Act, Foreign  Competition  Laws, the  Massachusetts  Business
Corporation  Law, the Delaware General  Corporation Law, Nasdaq,  the Securities
Exchange Act, the Securities Act and state securities laws,  neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries needs to give any notice to, make any filing with or
obtain any authorization,  consent or approval of any Government Entity in order
for the Parties to consummate the  transactions  contemplated by this Agreement,
except where the failure to give notice, to file or to obtain any authorization,
consent or approval would not reasonably be expected to have a Company  Material
Adverse  Effect  or except as set forth in  ss.3(f)  of the  Company  Disclosure
Letter. "REQUIRED COMPANY CONSENTS" means any authorization, consent or approval
of a Government  Entity or other Third Party required to be obtained pursuant to
any Foreign  Competition  Laws or state  securities laws or so that a matter set
forth in  ss.3(f)  of the  Company  Disclosure  Letter  would not be  reasonably
expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect for purposes of this ss.3(f).

          (g) FILINGS WITH THE SEC. The  Company  has  made all filings with the
SEC  that  it has  been  required  to  make  under  the  Securities  Act and the
Securities  Exchange  Act  (collectively,  the "COMPANY  REPORTS").  Each of the
Company Reports has complied with the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange
Act in  all  material  respects.  None  of  the  Company  Reports,  as of  their
respective  dates,  contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

          (h)  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

              (i)  The  Company  has  filed an  Annual  Report on Form 10-K (the
          "COMPANY  10-K") for the fiscal  year ended  December  31,  1998 and a
          Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q (the  "COMPANY  10-Q")  for the  fiscal
          quarter ended June 26, 1999. The financial  statements included in the
          Company 10-K and the Company  10-Q  (including  the related  notes and
          schedules)  have  been  prepared  from the books  and  records  of the
          Company and its  Subsidiaries  in  accordance  with GAAP  applied on a
          consistent basis  throughout the periods covered thereby,  and present
          fairly in all material respects the financial condition of the Company
          and its  Subsidiaries  as of the  indicated  dates and the  results of
          operations and cash flows of the Company and its  Subsidiaries for the
          periods set forth therein (subject in the case of quarterly  financial
          statements to the absence of complete  footnotes and subject to normal
          year-end audit adjustments).

               (ii)  From January 1, 1999 until the date of this  Agreement, the
          Company and its  Subsidiaries  have not incurred any liabilities  that
          are of a nature that would be required  to be  disclosed  on a balance
          sheet of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  or the  footnotes  thereto

                                      -16-
<PAGE>

          prepared in conformity with GAAP, other than (A) liabilities  incurred
          in the ordinary course of business that would not,  individually or in
          the  aggregate,  reasonably  be  expected  to have a Company  Material
          Adverse Effect or (B) liabilities  disclosed in ss.3(h) of the Company
          Disclosure  Letter  or in  Company  Reports  filed  prior  to the date
          hereof.

          (i)   EVENTS SUBSEQUENT TO JANUARY 1, 1999. From  January  1,  1999 to
the date of this  Agreement,  except as disclosed in the Company  Reports  filed
prior to the date  hereof  or  except as set  forth in  ss.3(i)  of the  Company
Disclosure  Letter,  (i) the Company and its  Subsidiaries  have conducted their
respective  businesses  only in, and have not engaged in any  transaction  other
than  according to, the ordinary and usual course of such  businesses,  and (ii)
there  has not been (A) any  change  in the  financial  condition,  business  or
results  of  operations  of the  Company  or any  of  its  Subsidiaries,  or any
development or combination of developments relating to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries of which  management of the Company has knowledge,  and which would
reasonably  be  expected  to have a Company  Material  Adverse  Effect;  (B) any
declaration, setting aside or payment of any dividend or other distribution with
respect to the capital stock of the Company,  or any  redemption,  repurchase or
other  reacquisition of any of the capital stock of the Company;  (C) any change
by the  Company  in  accounting  principles,  practices  or  methods  materially
affecting the reported consolidated assets, liabilities or results of operations
of the  Company;  (D) any  increase  in the  compensation  of any officer of the
Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  or grant of any general  salary or benefits
increase to the employees of the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  other than
in the  ordinary  course of business  consistent  with past  practices;  (E) any
issuance or sale of any capital stock or other  securities  (including any Stock
Rights) by the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries of any kind,  other than upon
exercise  of  Stock  Rights  issued  by or  binding  upon the  Company;  (F) any
modification, amendment or change to the terms or conditions of any Stock Right;
or (G) any split, combination, reclassification, redemption, repurchase or other
reacquisition  of any capital stock or other securities of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries.

          (j) COMPLIANCE.  Except  as  set  forth  in ss.3(j)  of  the   Company
Disclosure  Letter or in Company  Reports  filed prior to the date  hereof,  the
Company and its  Subsidiaries  are in compliance  with all  applicable  foreign,
federal,  state and local  laws,  rules and  regulations  and all court  orders,
judgments and decrees to which any of them is a party,  except where the failure
to be in compliance  would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material
Adverse Effect.

          (k)  BROKERS' AND OTHER FEES.  Except as  set forth in ss.3(k)  of the
Company  Disclosure  Letter,  none of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  has any
liability or obligation to pay any fees or commissions to any broker,  finder or
agent with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

          (l)  LITIGATION AND LIABILITIES. Except as disclosed in ss.3(l) of the
Company  Disclosure Letter or in Company Reports filed prior to the date hereof,
there are (i) no actions,  suits or proceedings  pending or, to the knowledge of
the Company,  threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,  or any
facts or  circumstances  known to the Company  which may give rise to an action,
suit or proceeding  against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,  which would
reasonably be expected to have a Company  Material  Adverse Effect,  and (ii) no
obligations or liabilities  of the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries,  whether

                                      -17-
<PAGE>

accrued, contingent or otherwise, known to the Company which would reasonably be
expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

          (m) TAXES.  Except  as  set forth in ss.3(m) of the Company Disclosure
Letter or in Company  Reports  filed prior to the date  hereof,  the Company and
each of its  Subsidiaries  have duly  filed or caused to be duly  filed on their
behalf all federal, state, local and foreign Tax Returns required to be filed by
them, and have duly paid,  caused to be paid or made adequate  provision for the
payment of all Taxes  required to be paid in respect of the  periods  covered by
such Tax  Returns,  except  where the failure to file such Tax Returns or to pay
such Taxes would not reasonably be expected to have a Company  Material  Adverse
Effect.  Except as set forth in ss.3(m) of the  Company  Disclosure  Letter,  no
claims  for  Taxes  have  been  asserted  against  the  Company  or  any  of its
Subsidiaries  and no  material  deficiency  for any  Taxes  has  been  proposed,
asserted  or  assessed  which  has not been  resolved  or paid in  full.  To the
knowledge of the Company,  no Tax Return or taxable period of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries is under  examination by any taxing  authority,  and neither
the Company  nor any of its  Subsidiaries  has  received  written  notice of any
pending audit by any taxing  authority.  There are no outstanding  agreements or
waivers  extending  the  statutory  period of  limitation  applicable to any Tax
Return for any period of the Company or any or its  Subsidiaries.  Except as set
forth in ss.3(m) of the Company Disclosure Letter,  there are no tax liens other
than liens for Taxes not yet due and  payable  relating to the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries. The Company has no reason to believe that any conditions exist
that could  reasonably  be expected to prevent the Merger from  qualifying  as a
reorganization  within  the  meaning of  Section  368(a) of the Code.  Except as
provided in ss.3(m) of the Company  Disclosure  Letter,  neither the Company nor
any of its  Subsidiaries  is a party to any  agreement  or contract  which would
result in payment  of any  "excess  parachute  payment"  within  the  meaning of
Section 280G of the Code as of the date of this  Agreement.  Neither the Company
nor any of its  Subsidiaries has filed any consent pursuant to Section 341(f) of
the  Code  or  agreed  to  have  Section  341(f)(2)  of the  Code  apply  to any
disposition  of a  subsection  (f)  asset  owned  by the  Company  or any of its
Subsidiaries.  The Company has not been and is not a United Stated real property
holding  company  (as  defined  in  Section  897(c)(2)  of the Code)  during the
applicable period specified in Section 897(c)(1)(A)(ii) of the Code. None of the
Company  or its  Subsidiaries  (x) has been a member of an  "affiliated  group,"
within the meaning of Section 1504(a) of the Code, other than a group the common
acquiror of which was the Company or (y) has any  liability for the Taxes of any
person,  other  than  any of the  Company  or its  Subsidiaries  under  Treasury
Regulation ss.1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of state, local or foreign law)
as a transferee, successor, by contract or otherwise.

          (n) FAIRNESS OPINION.  Tucker  Anthony Cleary Gull has  delivered  the
Company  Fairness  Opinion to the Company  Board,  and a true and complete  copy
thereof has been furnished to Acquiror.

          (o) EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.

              (i)  All material pension,  profit-sharing, deferred compensation,
          savings,  stock bonus and stock option plans, and all employee benefit
          plans,  whether  or not  covered  by the  Employee  Retirement  Income
          Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), which are sponsored by the
          Company,  any Subsidiary of the Company or any Company ERISA Affiliate
          (as  defined  below)  of the  Company  or to which  the  Company,  any

                                      -18-
<PAGE>

          Subsidiary  of the  Company  or any  Company  ERISA  Affiliate  of the
          Company makes contributions,  and which cover employees of the Company
          or any Subsidiary (the "COMPANY EMPLOYEES") or former employees of the
          Company or any Subsidiary,  all employment or severance contracts with
          employees  of the  Company  or its  Subsidiaries,  and any  applicable
          "change of control"  or similar  provisions  in any plan,  contract or
          arrangement  that  cover  Company  Employees  (collectively,  "COMPANY
          BENEFIT  PLANS"  and   individually  a  "COMPANY  BENEFIT  PLAN")  are
          accurately and completely  listed inss.3(o) of the Company  Disclosure
          Letter.  No  Company  Benefit  Plan is a  multi-employer  plan,  money
          purchase  plan,  defined  benefit  plan,  multiple  employer  plan  or
          multiple  employer welfare  arrangement and no Company Benefit Plan is
          covered by Title IV of ERISA.  True and complete copies of all Company
          Benefit Plans have been provided to Acquiror.

               (ii)   All Company  Benefit Plans to the extent subject to ERISA,
          are in  compliance  in all material  respects with ERISA and the rules
          and  regulations  promulgated  thereunder.  Each Company  Benefit Plan
          which is an  "employee  pension  benefit  plan"  within the meaning of
          Section 3(2) of ERISA  ("COMPANY  PENSION PLAN") and which is intended
          to be qualified  under Section 401(a) of the Internal  Revenue Code of
          1986, as amended (the "CODE"), has received a favorable  determination
          letter from the Internal Revenue Service,  which determination  letter
          is currently in effect,  and there are no  proceedings  pending or, to
          the   knowledge   of  the  Company,   threatened,   or  any  facts  or
          circumstances  known to the Company,  which are  reasonably  likely to
          result in revocation of any such favorable determination letter. There
          is no  pending  or,  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Company,  threatened
          litigation relating to the Company Benefit Plans.  Neither the Company
          nor any of its  Subsidiaries has engaged in a transaction with respect
          to any Company Benefit Plan that,  assuming the taxable period of such
          transaction  expired as of the date hereof,  is  reasonably  likely to
          subject  the  Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  to a tax or penalty
          imposed by either Section 4975 of the Code or Section 502(i) of ERISA.

               (iii)   No  liability  under  Title  IV of ERISA  has  been or is
          reasonably  likely  to be  incurred  by  the  Company  or  any  of its
          Subsidiaries with respect to any ongoing, frozen or terminated Company
          Benefit Plan that is a "single-employer  plan",  within the meaning of
          Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA,  currently or formerly maintained by any
          of them, or the single-employer plan of any entity which is considered
          a  predecessor  of the Company or one employer  with the Company under
          Section 4001 of ERISA (a "COMPANY ERISA AFFILIATE"). All contributions
          required to be made under the terms of any Company  Benefit  Plan have
          been  timely made or  reserves  therefor  on the balance  sheet of the
          Company have been established,  which reserves are adequate. Except as
          required by Part 6 of Title I of ERISA,  the Company does not have any
          unfunded  obligations  for retiree  health and life benefits under any
          Company Benefit Plan.

          (p)  MASSACHUSETTS   BUSINESS  CORPORATION   LAW. The  execution  and
delivery of this Agreement and consummation of transactions  contemplated hereby
will not be subject to Sections  110C-110F of the Massachusetts  General Laws in

                                      -19-
<PAGE>

the   consummation  of  the  Merger  or  this  Agreement  or  the   transactions
contemplated by either thereof.

         (q)  YEAR 2000. Except  as  disclosed  in  the previously filed Company
Reports,  the Company's products and information systems are Year 2000 Compliant
except to the extent  that their  failure to be Year 2000  Compliant  would not,
individually  or in the  aggregate,  reasonably  be  expected  to have a Company
Material Adverse Effect.  For purposes of this Agreement,  "YEAR 2000 COMPLIANT"
shall mean that a Person's products and information  systems  accurately process
date/time  data  (including,  but not limited  to,  calculating,  comparing  and
sequencing) from, into and between the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, and
the years 1999 and 2000 and leap year calculations.

          (r)  ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS. Except for such matters that, individually
or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material
Adverse  Effect  or would  not  otherwise  require  disclosure  pursuant  to the
Securities  Exchange  Act,  or are listed in ss.3(r) of the  Company  Disclosure
Letter or described in Company Reports filed prior to the date hereof,  (i) each
of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  has complied and is in compliance with all
applicable  Environmental Laws (as defined below); (ii) the properties currently
owned or operated by the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  (including  soils,
groundwater,  surface water, buildings or other structures) are not contaminated
with Hazardous  Substances (as defined below); (iii) neither the Company nor any
of its Subsidiaries is subject to liability for any Hazardous Substance disposal
or contamination  on any third party property;  (iv) neither the Company nor any
or its  Subsidiaries  has had any release or threat of release of any  Hazardous
Substance;  (v) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any
notice,  demand,  threat, letter, claim or request for information alleging that
it or  any of its  Subsidiaries  may be in  violation  of or  liable  under  any
Environmental  Law (including any claims relating to  electromagnetic  fields or
microwave  transmissions);  (vi) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
is subject to any orders,  decrees,  injunctions or other  arrangements with any
governmental or regulatory authority of competent  jurisdiction or is subject to
any  indemnity  or other  agreement  with any third party  relating to liability
under any Environmental Law or relating to Hazardous Substances; and (vii) there
are  no  circumstances  or  conditions  involving  the  Company  or  any  of its
Subsidiaries  that  would  reasonably  be  expected  to  result  in any  claims,
liabilities,  investigations,  costs or  restrictions  on the ownership,  use or
transfer of any of its properties pursuant to any Environmental Law.

                  As  used  herein,  the  term  "ENVIRONMENTAL  LAW"  means  any
federal,  state, local,  foreign or other law (including common law),  statutes,
ordinances  or  codes  relating  to:  (i)  the  protection,   investigation   or
restoration of the environment,  health,  safety or natural resources,  (ii) the
handling,  use,  presence,  disposal,  release  or  threatened  release  of  any
Hazardous Substance, or (iii) noise, odor, wetlands, pollution, contamination or
any  injury or threat of injury to person or  property  in  connection  with any
Hazardous Substance.

                  As used  herein,  the term  "HAZARDOUS  SUBSTANCES"  means any
substance that is listed,  classified or regulated pursuant to any Environmental
Law,   including  any  petroleum  product  or  by-product,   asbestos-containing
material,   lead-containing  paint  or  plumbing,   polychlorinated   biphenyls,
radioactive materials or radon.

                                      -20-
<PAGE>


          (s)  INTELLECTUAL  PROPERTY.  Except as disclosed  in  ss.3(s)  of the
Company  Disclosure  Letter or in the  Company  Reports  filed prior to the date
hereof,  the Company and its Subsidiaries have all right, title and interest in,
or a valid and binding  license to use,  all Company  Intellectual  Property (as
defined below).  Except as disclosed in ss.3(s) of the Company Disclosure Letter
or in the Company  Reports  filed prior to the date hereof,  the Company and its
Subsidiaries (i) have not defaulted in any material respect under any license to
use  any  Company  Intellectual  Property,  (ii)  are  not  the  subject  of any
proceeding  or  litigation  for  infringement  of any third  party  intellectual
property,  (iii) have no knowledge  of  circumstances  that would be  reasonably
expected  to give rise to any such  proceeding  or  litigation  and (iv) have no
knowledge of circumstances  that are causing or would be reasonably  expected to
cause the loss or impairment of any Company Intellectual Property,  other than a
default, proceeding,  litigation, loss or impairment that is not having or would
not be reasonably expected to have,  individually or in the aggregate, a Company
Material Adverse Effect.

                  For  purposes  of  this   Agreement,   "COMPANY   INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY"  means patents and patent  rights,  trademarks  and trademark  rights,
trade  names and trade name  rights,  service  marks and  service  mark  rights,
copyrights and copyright rights, trade secret and trade secret rights, and other
intellectual property rights, and all pending applications for and registrations
of any of the foregoing that are  individually  or in the aggregate  material to
the  conduct of the  business of the  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  taken as a
whole.

          (t)  INSURANCE.  Except  as  set  forth  in  ss.3(t) of  the   Company
Disclosure  Letter,  each of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  is insured  with
financially  responsible  insurers in such  amounts  and against  such risks and
losses as are customary for  companies  conducting  the business as conducted by
the Company and its Subsidiaries.

          (u)  CERTAIN CONTRACTS.  Except as set forth in ss.3(u) of the Company
Disclosure  Letter,  all  material  contracts to which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries  is a party or may be bound that are required by Item 610(b)(10) of
Regulation S-K to be filed as exhibits to, or  incorporated by reference in, the
Company  10-K  or the  Company  10-Q  have  been so  filed  or  incorporated  by
reference.   All  material  contracts  to  which  the  Company  or  any  of  its
Subsidiaries  is a party or may be bound that have been  entered  into as of the
date hereof and will be  required by Item  610(b)(10)  of  Regulation  S-K to be
filed or incorporated by reference into the Company's  Quarterly  Report on Form
10-Q for the period  ending  September 30, 1999,  but which have not  previously
been filed or incorporated  by reference into any Company Report,  are set forth
in ss.3(u) of the Company Disclosure Letter. All contracts,  licenses, consents,
royalty  or  other  agreements  which  are  material  to  the  Company  and  its
Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole, to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
is a party (the "Company  Contracts")  are valid and in full force and effect on
the date hereof except to the extent they have previously  expired in accordance
with their  terms or, to the extent  such  invalidity  would not  reasonably  be
expected  to have a  Company  Material  Adverse  Effect  and,  to the  Company's
knowledge,  neither the Company nor any of its  Subsidiaries  has  violated  any
provision  of, or  committed  or failed to perform any act which with or without
notice,  lapse of time or both would  constitute a default under the  provisions
of, any Company  Contract,  except for defaults  which  individually  and in the
aggregate  would not  reasonably  be  expected  to result in a Company  Material
Adverse Effect.

                                      -21-
<PAGE>


          (v)   ACCOUNTING AND TAX MATTERS. To the Company's knowledge,  neither
the Company nor any of its Affiliates has taken or agreed to take any action, or
knows of any  circumstances,  that (without regard to any action taken or agreed
to be taken or agreed to be taken by  Acquiror or any of its  Affiliates)  would
prevent the Merger from  qualifying  as a  reorganization  within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Code.

     4.  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF ACQUIROR.  Acquiror  represents   and
warrants to the Company:

         (a)  ORGANIZATION, QUALIFICATION AND CORPORATE POWER. Acquiror has been
duly  organized,  validly  existing and in good  standing  under the laws of the
State  of  Delaware.   If  applicable  to  such  country,   each  of  Acquiror's
Subsidiaries  operating in such country has been duly  incorporated or otherwise
organized and is validly existing. Each of Acquiror and its Subsidiaries is duly
authorized to conduct  business  and, if applicable to such country,  is in good
standing  under  the  laws of each  jurisdiction  where  such  qualification  is
required,  except where the lack of such  qualification or failure to be in good
standing would not  reasonably be expected to have a material  adverse effect on
the business,  financial  condition or results of operations of Acquiror and its
Subsidiaries  taken as a whole or on the ability of Acquiror to  consummate  the
transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement  (an "Acquiror  Material  Adverse
Effect").  Each of Acquiror and its  Subsidiaries  has full corporate  power and
corporate  authority,  and all foreign,  federal,  state and local  governmental
permits, licenses and consents,  required to carry on the businesses in which it
is engaged and to own and use the  properties  owned and used by it,  except for
such  permits,  licenses  and  consents  the  failure of which to have would not
reasonably be expected to have a Acquiror Material Adverse Effect. Acquiror does
not own any equity interest in any corporation,  partnership,  limited liability
company,  joint  venture or other entity other than the  Subsidiaries  listed in
ss.4(a)  of  Acquiror's  disclosure  letter  accompanying  this  Agreement  (the
"ACQUIROR  DISCLOSURE  LETTER").  Acquiror has  delivered to the Company a true,
complete and correct copy of its certificate of incorporation and by-laws,  each
as amended to date. Neither Acquiror nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation
of any provision of its  certificate of  incorporation  (or  comparable  charter
document) or by-laws.

          (b)  CAPITALIZATION.  The  entire authorized capital stock of Acquiror
consists of 15,249,599  shares of preferred stock,  $.01 par value per share, of
which 298,187  shares are issued and  outstanding as of September 1, 1999 and no
shares of Acquiror  preferred  stock were held in Treasury  as of  September  1,
1999, and 29,000,000  Acquiror Shares, of which 11,562,906  Acquiror Shares were
issued and  outstanding as of September 1, 1999 and no Acquiror Shares were held
in treasury on September  1, 1999.  All of the issued and  outstanding  Acquiror
Shares  have  been  duly  authorized  and are  validly  issued,  fully  paid and
nonassessable,  and none have been  issued in  violation  of any  preemptive  or
similar right. Except as set forth in ss.4(b) of the Acquiror Disclosure Letter,
neither  Acquiror nor any of its  Subsidiaries has any outstanding or authorized
Stock Rights. There are no outstanding or authorized stock appreciation, phantom
stock, profit participation or similar rights with respect to Acquiror or any of
its Subsidiaries.  There are no rights,  contracts,  commitments or arrangements
obligating  Acquiror or any of its Subsidiaries to redeem,  purchase or acquire,
or offer to  purchase,  redeem or  acquire,  any  outstanding  shares of, or any
outstanding options, warrants or rights of any kind to acquire any shares of, or
any outstanding  securities that are  convertible  into or exchangeable  for any
shares  of,  capital  stock of  Acquiror.  The  Acquiror  Shares to be issued in
connection  with the Merger  (including the Acquiror  Shares to be issued to the

                                      -22-
<PAGE>

holders of Company  Shares  and the  Acquiror  Shares to be issued to holders of
Stock Rights to purchase or otherwise  acquire  Company Shares upon the exercise
and  according to the terms of such Stock  Rights) have been duly  authorized by
all necessary  corporate action, and when issued in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement,  will be validly issued,  fully paid and  nonassessable  and not
subject to any  preemptive  rights,  and will be issued in  compliance  with the
requirements of the Securities Act and applicable  state  securities or Blue Sky
laws.

          (c)  SUBSIDIARIES.  Except  as  set forth in  ss.4(a) of the  Acquiror
Disclosure  Letter,  Acquiror,   directly  or  indirectly,   owns  100%  of  the
outstanding  shares of capital stock of each of its Subsidiaries  free and clear
of any  Security  Interest  and each such share of  capital  stock has been duly
authorized and is validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and none of such
shares of  capital  stock has been  issued in  violation  of any  preemptive  or
similar right. No shares of capital stock of, or other equity  interests in, any
Subsidiary  of Acquiror are reserved for  issuance,  and there are no contracts,
agreements,  commitments  or  arrangements  obligating  Acquiror  or  any of its
Subsidiaries (i) to offer, sell, issue,  grant,  pledge,  dispose of or encumber
any shares of capital  stock of, or other equity  interests  in, or any options,
warrants  or rights of any kind to acquire  any  shares of capital  stock of, or
other  equity  interests  in, any of the  Subsidiaries  of  Acquiror  or (ii) to
redeem,  purchase or acquire,  or offer to purchase or acquire,  any outstanding
shares of capital  stock of, or other equity  interests  in, or any  outstanding
options,  warrants or rights of any kind to acquire any shares of capital  stock
of,  or  other  equity  interest  in,  or any  outstanding  securities  that are
convertible  into or exchangeable  for, any shares of capital stock of, or other
equity interests in, any of the Subsidiaries of Acquiror.

          (d)   VOTING  ARRANGEMENTS.  There  are  no voting trusts,  proxies or
other  similar  agreements  or  understandings  to which  Acquiror or any of its
Subsidiaries is a party or by which Acquiror or any of its Subsidiaries is bound
with respect to the voting of any shares of capital  stock of Acquiror or any of
its Subsidiaries. There are no issued or outstanding bonds, debentures, notes or
other  indebtedness of Acquiror having the right to vote on any matters on which
stockholders of Acquiror may vote.

          (e)   AUTHORIZATION  OF  TRANSACTION.  Acquiror  has  full  power  and
authority  (including  full corporate  power and corporate  authority),  and has
taken all  required  action,  necessary  to properly  execute  and deliver  this
Agreement  and  to  perform  its  obligations  hereunder,   and  this  Agreement
constitutes the valid and legally binding obligation of Acquiror, enforceable in
accordance  with its terms and  conditions,  except as limited by (i) applicable
bankruptcy,  insolvency,  reorganization,  moratorium  and other laws of general
application  affecting  enforcement  of  creditors'  rights  generally  and (ii)
general principles of equity,  regardless of whether asserted in a proceeding in
equity or at law; PROVIDED,  HOWEVER, that Acquiror cannot consummate the Merger
unless and until it receives the Requisite  Stockholder Approval of the Acquiror
Stockholders.

          (f)  NONCONTRAVENTION.  Except as disclosed in ss.4(h) of the Acquiror
Disclosure Letter, neither the execution and the delivery of this Agreement, nor
the consummation of the transactions  contemplated  hereby, will (i) violate any
constitution,  statute, regulation, rule, injunction, judgment, order, decree or
other  restriction  of any  Government  Entity to which  Acquiror  or any of its
Subsidiaries  is subject or any  provision of the charter or by-laws of Acquiror

                                      -23-
<PAGE>

or any of its  Subsidiaries  or (ii)  conflict  with,  result  in a  breach  of,
constitute a default under,  result in the  acceleration of, create in any party
the right to accelerate, terminate, modify or cancel or require any notice under
any agreement,  contract,  lease,  license,  instrument or other  arrangement to
which either  Acquiror or any of its  Subsidiaries  is a party or by which it is
bound or to which  any of its  assets is  subject,  except in the case of clause
(ii) where the violation, conflict, breach, default, acceleration,  termination,
modification,  cancellation  or failure to give notice would not  reasonably  be
expected  to have a Acquiror  Material  Adverse  Effect.  Other than as required
under the provisions of the  Hart-Scott-Rodino  Act, Foreign  Competition  Laws,
Nasdaq,  the Securities  Exchange Act, the  Securities Act and state  securities
laws neither Acquiror nor any of its  Subsidiaries  needs to give any notice to,
make any filing  with or obtain any  authorization,  consent or  approval of any
Government  Entity in order  for the  Parties  to  consummate  the  transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, except where the failure to give notice, to file
or to obtain any  authorization,  consent or approval  would not  reasonably  be
expected to have a Acquiror  Material  Adverse  Effect or except as set forth in
ss.4(f) of the Acquiror  Disclosure  Letter.  "Required Acquiror Consents" means
any  authorization,  consent or approval of a  Government  Entity or other Third
Party required to be obtained pursuant to any Foreign  Competition Laws or state
securities  laws or so that a  matter  set  forth  in ss.  4(f) of the  Acquiror
Disclosure  Letter would not be reasonably  expected to have a Acquiror Material
Adverse Effect for purposes of this ss.4(f).

          (g)  FILINGS WITH  THE SEC. Acquiror has made all filings with the SEC
that it has been required to make under the  Securities  Act and the  Securities
Exchange  Act  (collectively,  the  "Acquiror  Reports").  Each of the  Acquiror
Reports has complied with the Securities Act and the Securities  Exchange Act in
all material  respects.  None of the Acquiror  Reports,  as of their  respective
dates,  contained any untrue  statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements  made therein,  in light
of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

          (h)  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

               (i)   Acquiror  has  filed  an  Annual  Report  on Form 10-K (the
          "ACQUIROR  10-K") for the fiscal  year ended  December  31, 1998 and a
          Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q (the  "ACQUIROR  10-Q")  for the fiscal
          quarter ended June 30, 1999. The financial  statements included in the
          Acquiror 10-K and the Acquiror 10-Q  (including  the related notes and
          schedules)  have been  prepared from the books and records of Acquiror
          and its  Subsidiaries  in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent
          basis  throughout the periods covered  thereby,  and present fairly in
          all  material  respects  the  financial  condition of Acquiror and its
          Subsidiaries  as of the indicated  dates and the results of operations
          and cash flows of Acquiror  and its  Subsidiaries  for the periods set
          forth therein (subject in the case of quarterly  financial  statements
          to the absence of complete  footnotes  and subject to normal  year-end
          audit adjustments).

               (ii)   From January 1, 1999  until the  date of  this  Agreement,
          Acquiror and its  Subsidiaries  have not incurred any liabilities that
          are of a nature that would be required  to be  disclosed  on a balance
          sheet  of  Acquiror  and its  Subsidiaries  or the  footnotes  thereto
          prepared in conformity with GAAP, other than (A) liabilities  incurred

                                      -24-
<PAGE>

          in the ordinary course of business that would not,  individually or in
          the  aggregate,  reasonably  be expected  to have a Acquiror  Material
          Adverse Effect or (B) liabilities disclosed in ss.4(h) of the Acquiror
          Disclosure  Letter  or in  Acquiror  Reports  filed  prior to the date
          hereof.

          (i)   EVENTS SUBSEQUENT TO JANUARY 1, 1999.  From  January  1, 1999 to
the date of this  Agreement,  except as disclosed in the Acquiror  Reports filed
prior to the date  hereof or except  as set  forth in ss.  4(i) of the  Acquiror
Disclosure  Letter,  (i)  Acquiror and its  Subsidiaries  have  conducted  their
respective  businesses  only in, and have not engaged in any  transaction  other
than  according to, the ordinary and usual course of such  businesses,  and (ii)
there  has not been (A) any  change  in the  financial  condition,  business  or
results of operations of Acquiror or any of its Subsidiaries, or any development
or combination of developments  relating to Acquiror or any of its  Subsidiaries
of which  management of Acquiror has  knowledge,  and which would  reasonably be
expected to have an  Acquiror  Material  Adverse  Effect;  (B) any  declaration,
setting aside or payment of any dividend or other  distribution  with respect to
the  capital  stock  of  Acquiror,  or  any  redemption,   repurchase  or  other
reacquisition  of any of the  capital  stock  of  Acquiror;  (C) any  change  by
Acquiror in accounting principles, practices or methods; (D) any increase in the
compensation  of any officer of Acquiror or any of its  Subsidiaries or grant of
any general  salary or benefits  increase to the employees of Acquiror or any of
its Subsidiaries  other than in the ordinary course of business  consistent with
past  practices;  (E) any  issuance  or  sale  of any  capital  stock  or  other
securities  (including any Stock Rights) by Acquiror or any of its  Subsidiaries
of any kind,  other than upon exercise of Stock Rights issued by or binding upon
Acquiror;  (F) any modification,  amendment or change to the terms or conditions
of any Stock Right; or (G) any split, combination, reclassification, redemption,
repurchase or other  reacquisition  of any capital stock or other  securities of
Acquiror or any of its Subsidiaries.

          (j)  COMPLIANCE.  Except  as  set  forth  in  ss.4(j)  of the Acquiror
Disclosure  Letter  or in  Acquiror  Reports  filed  prior to the  date  hereof,
Acquiror and its  Subsidiaries  are in compliance  with all applicable  foreign,
federal,  state and local  laws,  rules and  regulations  and all court  orders,
judgments  and decrees to which any of them is a party  except where the failure
to be in compliance would not reasonably be expected to have a Acquiror Material
Adverse Effect.

          (k)  BROKERS'  AND OTHER  FEES.  Except as set forth in ss.4(k) of the
Acquiror  Disclosure  Letter,  none of  Acquiror  and its  Subsidiaries  has any
liability or obligation to pay any fees or commissions to any broker,  finder or
agent with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

          (l) LITIGATION AND LIABILITIES.  Except as disclosed in ss.4(l) of the
Acquiror  Disclosure  Letter  or in  Acquiror  Reports  filed  prior to the date
hereof,  there  are (i) no  actions,  suits or  proceedings  pending  or, to the
knowledge of Acquiror,  threatened  against Acquiror or any of its Subsidiaries,
or any  facts or  circumstances  known to  Acquiror  which  may give  rise to an
action,  suit or proceeding  against Acquiror or any of its Subsidiaries,  which
would reasonably be expected to have a Acquiror Material Adverse Effect and (ii)
no obligations or  liabilities of Acquiror or any of its  Subsidiaries,  whether
accrued, contingent or otherwise, to Acquiror which would reasonably be expected
to have an Acquiror Material Adverse Effect.

                                      -25-
<PAGE>


          (m)  TAXES.  Except as set forth in ss.4(m) of the Acquiror Disclosure
Letter or in Acquiror Reports filed prior to the date hereof,  Acquiror and each
of its  Subsidiaries  have duly filed or caused to be duly filed on their behalf
all federal,  state, local and foreign Tax Returns required to be filed by them,
and have duly paid, caused to be paid or made adequate provision for the payment
of all Taxes  required to be paid in respect of the periods  covered by such Tax
Returns,  except  where the  failure to file such Tax  Returns or pay such Taxes
would not reasonably be expected to have an Acquiror  Material  Adverse  Effect.
Except as set forth in ss.4(m) of the Acquiror  Disclosure Letter, no claims for
Taxes have been  asserted  against  Acquiror or any of its  Subsidiaries  and no
material deficiency for any Taxes has been proposed,  asserted or assessed which
has not been  resolved or paid in full.  To the  knowledge of  Acquiror,  no Tax
Return  or  taxable  period  of  Acquiror  or any of its  Subsidiaries  is under
examination  by any  taxing  authority,  and  neither  Acquiror  nor  any of its
Subsidiaries  has  received  written  notice of any pending  audit by any taxing
authority.  There  are  no  outstanding  agreements  or  waivers  extending  the
statutory  period of  limitation  applicable to any Tax Return for any period of
Acquiror  or any or its  Subsidiaries.  Except  as set forth in  ss.4(m)  of the
Acquiror  Disclosure  Letter,  there are no tax liens other than liens for Taxes
not  yet  due and  payable  relating  to  Acquiror  or any of its  Subsidiaries.
Acquiror  has no  reason  to  believe  that  any  conditions  exist  that  could
reasonably be expected to prevent the Merger from qualifying as a reorganization
within the meaning of Section  368(a) of the Code.  Neither  Acquiror nor any of
its  Subsidiaries  is a party to any agreement or contract which would result in
payment of any "excess parachute  payment" within the meaning of Section 280G of
the Code as a result of the transactions  contemplated hereby.  Neither Acquiror
nor any of its  Subsidiaries has filed any consent pursuant to Section 341(f) of
the  Code  or  agreed  to  have  Section  341(f)(2)  of the  Code  apply  to any
disposition  of a  subsection  (f)  asset  owned  by  Acquiror  or  any  of  its
Subsidiaries.  Acquiror  has not been and is not a United  States real  property
holding  company  (as  defined  in  Section  897(c)(2)  of the Code)  during the
applicable  period  specified in Section  897(c)(1)(A)(ii)  of the Code. None of
Acquiror or its  Subsidiaries  (x) has been a member of an  "affiliated  group,"
within the meaning of Section 1504(a) of the Code, other than a group the common
acquiror of which was the Acquiror or (y) has any liability for the Taxes of any
person, other than any of Acquiror or its Subsidiaries under Treasury Regulation
ss.1.1502-6  (or any  similar  provision  of state,  local or foreign  law) as a
transferee, successor, by contract or otherwise.

          (n)  FAIRNESS OPINION. Kaufman   Brothers,  L.P.  has  delivered   the
Acquiror  Fairness  Opinion to the Acquiror Board,  and a true and complete copy
thereof has been furnished to the Company.

          (o)   EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.

                (i)   All   pension,   profit-sharing,   deferred  compensation,
          savings,  stock bonus and stock option plans, and all employee benefit
          plans,  whether  or not  covered  by  ERISA  which  are  sponsored  by
          Acquiror,  any Subsidiary of Acquiror or any Acquiror ERISA  Affiliate
          (as defined below) of Acquiror or to which Acquiror, any Subsidiary of
          Acquiror  or  any  Acquiror   ERISA   Affiliate   of  Acquiror   makes
          contributions, and which cover employees of Acquiror or any Subsidiary
          of Acquiror (the "ACQUIROR EMPLOYEES") or former employees of Acquiror
          or any Subsidiary of Acquiror,  all employment or severance  contracts
          with  employees of Acquiror or any  Subsidiary  of  Acquiror,  and any
          applicable  "change of  control"  or similar  provisions  in any plan,

                                      -26-
<PAGE>

          contract or arrangement that cover Acquiror  Employees  (collectively,
          "ACQUIROR  BENEFIT PLANS" and individually a "ACQUIROR  BENEFIT PLAN")
          are  accurately  and  completely  listed  inss.4(o)  of  the  Acquiror
          Disclosure Letter. No Acquiror Benefit Plan is a multi-employer  plan,
          money purchase plan,  defined benefit plan,  multiple employer plan or
          multiple employer welfare  arrangement and no Acquiror Benefit Plan is
          covered by Title IV of ERISA. True and complete copies of all Acquiror
          Benefit Plans (other than medical and other similar welfare plans made
          generally   available  to  all  Acquiror  Employees)  have  been  made
          available to the Company.

               (ii)   All Acquiror Benefit Plans to the extent subject to ERISA,
          are in  compliance  in all material  respects with ERISA and the rules
          and regulations  promulgated  thereunder.  Each Acquiror  Benefit Plan
          which is an  "employee  pension  benefit  plan"  within the meaning of
          Section 3(2) of ERISA ("ACQUIROR  PENSION PLAN") and which is intended
          to be  qualified  under  Section  401(a) of the Code,  has  received a
          favorable  determination  letter from the  Internal  Revenue  Service,
          which  determination  letter is currently in effect,  and there are no
          proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of Acquiror,  threatened,  or
          any facts or  circumstances  known to Acquiror,  which are  reasonably
          likely to result in  revocation  of any such  favorable  determination
          letter.  There  is no  pending  or,  to  the  knowledge  of  Acquiror,
          threatened  litigation relating to the Acquiror Benefit Plans. Neither
          Acquiror nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in a transaction with
          respect to any Acquiror Benefit Plan that, assuming the taxable period
          of such  transaction  expired  as of the date  hereof,  is  reasonably
          likely to  subject  Acquiror  or any of its  Subsidiaries  to a tax or
          penalty  imposed by either  Section 4975 of the Code or Section 502(i)
          of ERISA.

               (iii)   No  liability  under  Title  IV  of  ERISA has been or is
          reasonably   likely  to  be   incurred  by  Acquiror  or  any  of  its
          Subsidiaries  with  respect  to  any  ongoing,  frozen  or  terminated
          Acquiror  Benefit Plan that is a  "single-employer  plan",  within the
          meaning  of  Section  4001(a)(15)  of  ERISA,  currently  or  formerly
          maintained by any of them, or the  single-employer  plan of any entity
          which is  considered a  predecessor  of Acquiror or one employer  with
          Acquiror under Section 4001 of ERISA (a "ACQUIROR  ERISA  AFFILIATE").
          All contributions  required to be made under the terms of any Acquiror
          Benefit Plan have been timely made or reserves therefor on the balance
          sheet of Acquiror have been established,  which reserves are adequate.
          Except as  required by Part 6 of Title I of ERISA,  Acquiror  does not
          have any unfunded  obligations  for retiree  health and life  benefits
          under any Acquiror Benefit Plan.

               (iv)   Acquiror  and  its  Subsidiaries  have  not  incurred  any
          liability under, and have complied in all material  respects with, the
          WARN  Act,  and no  fact or  event  exists  that  could  give  rise to
          liability under such act.

          (p)  YEAR 2000.  Except as disclosed in the previously  filed Acquiror
Reports,  Acquiror's  products and  information  systems are Year 2000 Compliant
except to the extent  that their  failure to be Year 2000  Compliant  would not,

                                      -27-
<PAGE>

individually  or in the  aggregate,  reasonably  be expected to have an Acquiror
Material Adverse Effect.

          (q)  ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS. Except for such matters that, individually
or in the  aggregate,  would not  reasonably  be  expected  to have an  Acquiror
Material Adverse Effect or would not otherwise  require  disclosure  pursuant to
the Securities Exchange Act, or are listed in ss.4(q) of the Acquiror Disclosure
Letter or described in Acquiror Reports filed prior to the date hereof, (i) each
of Acquiror and its  Subsidiaries  has complied  and is in  compliance  with all
applicable  Environmental Laws; (ii) the properties  currently owned or operated
by Acquiror or any of its Subsidiaries  (including soils,  groundwater,  surface
water,  buildings  or other  structures)  are not  contaminated  with  Hazardous
Substances  (as  defined  below);   (iii)  neither   Acquiror  nor  any  of  its
Subsidiaries  is subject to liability  for any Hazardous  Substance  disposal or
contamination on any third party property;  (iv) neither Acquiror nor any or its
Subsidiaries  has  had  any  release  or  threat  of  release  of any  Hazardous
Substance;  (v) neither  Acquiror nor any of its  Subsidiaries  has received any
notice,  demand,  threat, letter, claim or request for information alleging that
it or  any of its  Subsidiaries  may be in  violation  of or  liable  under  any
Environmental  Law (including any claims relating to  electromagnetic  fields or
microwave  transmissions);  (vi) neither Acquiror nor any of its Subsidiaries is
subject to any  orders,  decrees,  injunctions  or other  arrangements  with any
governmental or regulatory authority of competent  jurisdiction or is subject to
any  indemnity  or other  agreement  with any third party  relating to liability
under any Environmental Law or relating to Hazardous Substances; and (vii) there
are no circumstances or conditions involving Acquiror or any of its Subsidiaries
that  would  reasonably  be  expected  to  result  in any  claims,  liabilities,
investigations,  costs or restrictions on the ownership,  use or transfer of any
of its properties pursuant to any Environmental Law.

          (r)  INTELLECTUAL  PROPERTY.  Except as  disclosed  in ss.4(r)  of the
Acquiror  Disclosure  Letter or in the Acquiror  Reports filed prior to the date
hereof,  Acquiror and its Subsidiaries have all right, title and interest in, or
a valid and binding  license to use,  all  Acquiror  Intellectual  Property  (as
defined below). Except as disclosed in ss.4(r) of the Acquiror Disclosure Letter
or in the  Acquiror  Reports  filed prior to the date  hereof,  Acquiror and its
Subsidiaries (i) have not defaulted in any material respect under any license to
use  any  Acquiror  Intellectual  Property,  (ii)  are not  the  subject  of any
proceeding  or  litigation  for  infringement  of any third  party  intellectual
property,  (iii) have no knowledge  of  circumstances  that would be  reasonably
expected  to give rise to any such  proceeding  or  litigation  and (iv) have no
knowledge of circumstances  that are causing or would be reasonably  expected to
cause the loss or impairment of any Acquiror Intellectual Property, other than a
default, proceeding,  litigation, loss or impairment that is not having or would
not be  reasonably  expected  to  have,  individually  or in the  aggregate,  an
Acquiror Material Adverse Effect.

                  For  purposes  of  this  Agreement,   "ACQUIROR   INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY"  means patents and patent  rights,  trademarks  and trademark  rights,
trade  names and trade name  rights,  service  marks and  service  mark  rights,
copyrights and copyright rights, trade secret and trade secret rights, and other
intellectual property rights, and all pending applications for and registrations
of any of the foregoing that are  individually  or in the aggregate  material to
the conduct of the business of Acquiror and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

                                      -28-
<PAGE>


          (s)   INSURANCE. Except  as  set  forth  in  ss.4(s)  of  the Acquiror
Disclosure  Letter,  each of  Acquiror  and its  Subsidiaries  is  insured  with
financially  responsible  insurers in such  amounts  and against  such risks and
losses as are customary for  companies  conducting  the business as conducted by
Acquiror and its Subsidiaries.

          (t)   CERTAIN CONTRACTS. Except  as  set  forth  in  ss.4(t)  of   the
Acquiror  Disclosure  Letter,  all  material  to  which  Acquiror  or any of its
Subsidiaries  is a party or may be bound that are required by Item 610(b)(10) of
Regulation S-K to be filed as exhibits to, or  incorporated by reference in, the
Acquiror  10-K or the  Acquiror  10-Q  have  been so  filed or  incorporated  by
reference.  All material  contracts to which Acquiror or any of its Subsidiaries
is a party or may be bound that have been entered into as of the date hereof and
will  be  required  by  Item  610(b)(10)  of  Regulation  S-K  to  be  filed  or
incorporated by reference into Acquiror's  Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
period ending  September 30, 1999, but which have not  previously  been filed or
incorporated by reference into any Acquiror Reports, are set forth in ss.4(t) of
the Acquiror Disclosure Letter. All contracts,  licenses,  consents,  royalty or
other agreements which are material to Acquiror and its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole,  to which Acquiror or any of its  Subsidiaries  is a party (the "ACQUIROR
CONTRACTS")  are valid and in full force and effect on the date hereof except to
the extent they have  previously  expired in accordance  with their terms or, to
the extent such invalidity  would not reasonably be expected to have an Acquiror
Material Adverse Effect and, to Acquiror's  knowledge,  neither Acquiror nor any
of its  Subsidiaries  has violated any  provision  of, or committed or failed to
perform  any act  which  with or  without  notice,  lapse of time or both  would
constitute a default under the provisions of, any Acquiror Contract,  except for
defaults  which  individually  and in the  aggregate  would  not  reasonably  be
expected to result in an Acquiror Material Adverse Effect.

          (u)  ACCOUNTING AND TAX MATTERS.  To  Acquiror's   knowledge,  neither
Acquiror nor any of its  Affiliates  has taken or agreed to take any action,  or
knows of any  circumstances,  that (without regard to any action taken or agreed
to be taken or agreed to be taken by the Company or any of its Affiliates) would
prevent the Merger from  qualifying  as a  reorganization  within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Code.

     5.  COVENANTS. The Parties agree as follows with respect to the period from
and after the  execution of this  Agreement  through and including the Effective
Time (except for ss.5(j),  ss.5(l) and ss.5(q),  which will apply from and after
the Effective Time in accordance with their  respective  terms and ss.5(p) which
will apply from the date hereof and shall survive after the Closing).

          (a)  GENERAL.  Each of the Parties will use all reasonable  efforts to
take all actions and to do all things  necessary in order to consummate and make
effective  the   transactions   contemplated   by  this   Agreement   (including
satisfaction,  but not  waiver,  of the  closing  conditions  set  forth in ss.6
below).

          (b)  NOTICES AND  CONSENTS.  The  Company  and Acquiror  will give any
notices  (and  will  cause  each of their  respective  Subsidiaries  to give any
notices) to third parties,  and will use all  reasonable  efforts to obtain (and
will cause each of their respective  Subsidiaries to use all reasonable  efforts
to obtain) any third-party consents, that may be required in connection with the
matters  referred  to in ss.3(f) and ss.4(f)  above  (regardless  of whether the

                                      -29-
<PAGE>

failure to give such notice or obtain  such  consent  would  result in a Company
Material Adverse Effect or a Acquiror Material Adverse Effect).

          (c)  REGULATORY  MATTERS AND APPROVALS.  Each of the Parties, promptly
after the date hereof,  will (and the Company,  promptly  after the date hereof,
will cause each of its  Subsidiaries  to) give any  notices to, make any filings
with and use all reasonable efforts to obtain any  authorizations,  consents and
approvals of Government  Entities in connection with the matters  referred to in
ss.3(f) and ss.4(f) above. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing:

               (i)   FEDERAL  SECURITIES  LAWS. As  promptly    as   practicable
          following the date hereof,  Acquiror  shall,  in cooperation  with the
          Company,  prepare and file with the SEC  preliminary  proxy  materials
          which  shall  constitute  the Joint Proxy  Statement/Prospectus  (such
          proxy statement/prospectus, and any amendments or supplements thereto,
          the "JOINT PROXY  STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS")  and a registration statement
          on Form S-4  with  respect  to the  issuance  of  Acquiror  Shares  in
          connection  with the  Merger  (such  registration  statement,  and any
          amendments or supplements thereto, the "REGISTRATION STATEMENT"),  and
          file with state securities administrators such registration statements
          or other  documents as may be required under  applicable blue sky laws
          to qualify or  register  such  Acquiror  Shares in such  states as are
          designated  by the Company (the "BLUE SKY  FILINGS").  The Joint Proxy
          Statement/Prospectus will be included in the Registration Statement as
          Acquiror's prospectus.  The Registration Statement and the Joint Proxy
          Statement/Prospectus  shall comply as to form in all material respects
          with the applicable  provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange
          Act and the rules and regulations  thereunder.  Acquiror shall use all
          reasonable  efforts  to  have  the  Registration   Statement  declared
          effective by the SEC as promptly as practicable  after filing with the
          SEC and to keep the  Registration  Statement  effective  as long as is
          necessary to consummate the Merger.  Acquiror  agrees that none of the
          information  supplied or to be supplied by Acquiror  for  inclusion or
          incorporation  by reference in the  Registration  Statement and/or the
          Joint Proxy  Statement/Prospectus  and each  amendment  or  supplement
          thereto, at the time of mailing thereof and at the time of the Company
          Special  Meeting or the  Acquiror  Special  Meeting,  will  contain an
          untrue  statement of a material  fact or omit to state a material fact
          required  to be stated  therein or  necessary  to make the  statements
          therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
          misleading.  The Company agrees that none of the information  supplied
          or to be supplied by the Company for  inclusion  or  incorporation  by
          reference in the Joint Proxy  Statement/Prospectus  and each amendment
          or supplement  thereto, at the time of mailing thereof and at the time
          of the Company Special Meeting or the Acquiror Special  Meeting,  will
          contain  an untrue  statement  of a  material  fact or omit to state a
          material fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the
          statements  therein,  in light of the  circumstances  under which they
          were made,  not  misleading.  For  purposes  of the  foregoing,  it is
          understood  and  agreed  that  information  concerning  or  related to
          Acquiror and the Acquiror  Special Meeting will be deemed to have been
          supplied by Acquiror,  and  information  concerning  or related to the
          Company and the Company  Special  Meeting shall be deemed to have been
          supplied by the  Company.  Acquiror  will  provide the Company  with a

                                      -30-
<PAGE>

          reasonable  opportunity  to review  and  comment  on the  Joint  Proxy
          Statement/Prospectus  and any amendment or supplement thereto prior to
          filing such with the SEC,  will provide the Company with a copy of all
          such filings concurrent with their filing with the SEC and will notify
          the  Company  as  promptly  as  practicable  after the  receipt of any
          comments  from  the SEC or its  staff  or from  any  state  securities
          administrators  and of any  request  by the SEC or its staff or by any
          state securities  administrators  for amendments or supplements to the
          Registration  Statement  or any Blue  Sky  Filings  or for  additional
          information,  and will supply the Company and its legal  counsel  with
          copies  of  all   correspondence   between  Acquiror  or  any  of  its
          representatives,  on the one hand, and the SEC, its staff or any state
          securities  administrators,  on the other  hand,  with  respect to the
          Registration  Statement.  No change,  amendment or  supplement  to the
          information  supplied by the Company for  inclusion in the Joint Proxy
          Statement/Prospectus  shall  be  made  without  the  approval  of  the
          Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.
          If, at any time prior to the Effective Time, any event relating to the
          Company or Acquiror or any of their respective Affiliates, officers or
          directors is  discovered  by the Company or Acquiror,  as the case may
          be, that is required by the Securities Act or the Securities  Exchange
          Act to be set forth in an amendment to the Registration Statement or a
          supplement  to the Joint  Proxy  Statement/Prospectus,  the Company or
          Acquiror,  as the case may be, will as promptly as practicable  inform
          the other,  and such  amendment or supplement  will be promptly  filed
          with the SEC and  disseminated to the  stockholders of the Company and
          Acquiror,  to the extent required by applicable  securities  laws. All
          documents  which the Company or Acquiror files or is  responsible  for
          filing with the SEC and any other regulatory agency in connection with
          the Merger (including,  without limitation, the Registration Statement
          and the Joint Proxy  Statement/Prospectus)  will comply as to form and
          content in all material  respects  with the  provisions  of applicable
          law.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company, on the one hand, and
          Acquiror,  on the other hand,  make no  representations  or warranties
          with respect to any  information  that has been supplied in writing by
          the other, or the other's auditors,  attorneys or financial  advisors,
          specifically for use in the Registration  Statement or the Joint Proxy
          Statement/Prospectus,  or in any other  documents to be filed with the
          SEC or any other  regulatory  agency  expressly  for use in connection
          with the transactions contemplated hereby.

               (ii)  STATE  CORPORATION  LAW. The  Company will take all action,
          to the  extent  necessary  in  accordance  with  applicable  law,  its
          certificate of incorporation  and by-laws to convene a special meeting
          of its  stockholders  (the  "COMPANY  SPECIAL  MEETING"),  as  soon as
          reasonably practicable in order that its stockholders may consider and
          vote upon the  adoption  of this  Agreement  and the  approval  of the
          Merger in accordance with the Massachusetts  Business Corporation Law.
          Acquiror will take all action,  to the extent  necessary in accordance
          with applicable law, its certificate of  incorporation  and by-laws to
          convene a special meeting of its stockholders  (the "ACQUIROR  SPECIAL
          MEETING"),  as  soon as  reasonably  practicable  in  order  that  its
          stockholders may consider and vote upon the adoption of this Agreement
          and the  approval  of the  Merger  in  accordance  with  the  Delaware

                                      -31-
<PAGE>

          Business   Corporation   Law,  the  issuance  of  Acquiror  Shares  in
          connection  with the Merger as provided in this  Agreement as required
          by the  rules  of  Nasdaq  and an  amendment  to  the  certificate  of
          incorporation  of  Acquiror  to  increase  the  number  of  authorized
          Acquiror  Shares.  The Company and Acquiror shall mail the Joint Proxy
          Statement/Prospectus to their respective  stockholders  simultaneously
          and as soon  as  reasonably  practicable.  Subject  toss.5(h)(iv)  and
          ss.5(i)(iv) below, the Joint Proxy  Statement/Prospectus shall contain
          the  affirmative  unanimous  recommendations  of the Company  Board in
          favor of the adoption of this Agreement and the approval of the Merger
          and of the Acquiror  Board in favor of issuance of Acquiror  Shares in
          connection with the Merger as provided in the Agreement as required by
          the rules of  Nasdaq  and the  increase  in the  number of  authorized
          Acquiror  Shares in accordance with the Delaware  General  Corporation
          Law.

               (iii)    PERIODIC REPORTS. Each  of  the  Parties and its counsel
          shall be given an  opportunity  to review each Form 10-K and Form 10-Q
          (and any amendments  thereto) to be filed by the other Party under the
          Securities  Exchange  Act prior to their  being filed with the SEC and
          Nasdaq,  and shall be provided with final copies thereof  concurrently
          with their filing with the SEC.

          (d)  OPERATION OF THE COMPANY'S BUSINESS.  Except as set forth in ss.5
(d) of the Company Disclosure Letter or as otherwise  expressly  contemplated by
this  Agreement,  the Company  will not (and will not cause or permit any of its
Subsidiaries  to),  without the written consent of Acquiror,  take any action or
enter  into any  transaction  other  than in the  ordinary  course  of  business
consistent with past practice. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
except as  expressly  provided  in this  Agreement  or  ss.5(d)  of the  Company
Disclosure Letter, without the written consent of Acquiror:

               (i)   none of the Company  and its  Subsidiaries  will  authorize
          or  effect  any  change  in  its  charter  or  by-laws  or  comparable
          organizational document;

               (ii)  none of the Company and  its Subsidiaries  will  grant  any
          Stock Rights or issue, sell,  authorize or otherwise dispose of any of
          its capital stock, (x) except upon the conversion or exercise of Stock
          Rights outstanding as of the date of this Agreement and (y) except for
          stock options issued to employees of the Company and its  Subsidiaries
          in a manner consistent with past practice which (I) do not provide for
          the  issuance  of more than  200,000  Company  Shares in any  calendar
          quarter,  (II) are issued only to new employees and employees promoted
          after the date  hereof,  (III) are  issued at not less than the market
          price of the Company  Stock on the date of grant,  (IV) are not issued
          to any  executive  officer or  director  of the Company and (V) do not
          provide for accelerated vesting as a result of the Merger;

               (iii)  none of the Company and its Subsidiaries will sell, lease,
          encumber or otherwise  dispose of, or otherwise agree to sell,  lease,
          encumber  or  otherwise  dispose  of,  any of  its  assets  which  are
          material,  individually  or in the  aggregate,  to the Company and its
          Subsidiaries  taken  as a  whole,  other  than  equipment  sales  from

                                      -32-
<PAGE>

          inventory  arising in the ordinary course of business  consistent with
          past practice;

               (iv)   none  of  the  Company  and  its Subsidiaries (other  than
          wholly-owned Subsidiaries) will declare, set aside or pay any dividend
          or distribution  with respect to its capital stock (whether in cash or
          in kind);

               (v)    none  of  the  Company  and  its Subsidiaries  will split,
          combine or reclassify  any of its capital stock or redeem,  repurchase
          or otherwise acquire any of its capital stock;

               (vi)   none  of  the  Company  and  its Subsidiaries will acquire
          or agree to acquire by merger or consolidation  with, or by purchasing
          a  substantial  equity  interest  in or a  substantial  portion of the
          assets  of, or by any other  manner,  any  business  of any  Person or
          division  thereof or otherwise  acquire or agree to acquire any assets
          (other  than  assets  used in the  operation  of the  business  of the
          Company and its  Subsidiaries in the ordinary  course  consistent with
          past practice);

               (vii)  none of  Company  or its Subsidiaries will incur or commit
          to any capital expenditures other than capital  expenditures  incurred
          or  committed to in the ordinary  course of business  consistent  with
          past practice and which,  together with all such expenditures incurred
          or  committed  since  January  1,  1999,  are  not  in  excess  of the
          respective  amounts by category or in the  aggregate  set forth in the
          Company's  capital  expenditure  budget,  as  previously  disclosed to
          Acquiror or, if the Closing  Date has not  occurred  prior to December
          31, 1999, such additional  amounts for any subsequent period as may be
          consented  to  by  Acquiror,  such  consent  not  to  be  unreasonably
          withheld,  or, if Acquiror shall not have so consented,  an amount not
          greater than an amount  equal to a pro rata  portion of the  Company's
          1999 capital expenditure budget;

               (viii)  none of the Company  or its  Subsidiaries  will (x) other
          than in  connection  with actions  permitted  byss.5(d)(vi),  make any
          loans,  advances or capital  contributions  to, or investments in, any
          other Person, other than by the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company
          to or in the  Company  or any  Subsidiary  of the  Company,  (y)  pay,
          discharge or satisfy any claims, liabilities or obligations (absolute,
          accrued, asserted or unasserted,  contingent or otherwise), other than
          payments,  discharges or satisfactions incurred or committed to in the
          ordinary course of business consistent with past practice or (z) other
          than in  connection  with  actions  permitted  byss.5(d)(vi),  create,
          incur,  assume or suffer to exist any indebtedness,  issuances of debt
          securities,  guarantees,  Security Interests, loans or advances not in
          existence  as of the date of this  Agreement  except  pursuant  to the
          credit  facilities,  indentures and other arrangements in existence on
          the date of this  Agreement  and  incurred in the  ordinary  course of
          business  consistent  with past practice,  and any other  indebtedness
          existing  on the date of this  Agreement,  in each case as such credit
          facilities,   indentures,   other   arrangements  and  other  existing
          indebtedness may be amended, extended,  modified, refunded, renewed or
          refinanced after the date of this Agreement, but only if the aggregate

                                      -33-
<PAGE>

          principal amount thereof is not increased thereby, the term thereof is
          not extended thereby and the other terms and conditions thereof, taken
          as a  whole,  are  not  less  advantageous  to  the  Company  and  its
          Subsidiaries than those in existence as of the date of this Agreement;

               (ix)  none  of  the  Company  and its Subsidiaries  will make any
          change in  employment  terms for any of its  directors,  officers  and
          employees other than (A) customary  increases to employees whose total
          annual cash compensation is less than $120,000 awarded in the ordinary
          course of business  consistent with past practices,  and (B) customary
          employee bonuses (including to employees who are officers) approved by
          the  Company  Board  and  paid  in the  ordinary  course  of  business
          consistent  with past practices and (C) immaterial  changes to Company
          Benefit  Plans;

               (x)   except as disclosed in the Company  Reports filed  prior to
          the date of this Agreement, the Company will not change its methods of
          accounting  in  effect at  December  31,  1998 in a manner  materially
          affecting  the   consolidated   assets,   liabilities  or  results  of
          operations  of the  Company,  except as required by changes in GAAP as
          concurred in by the Company's  independent  auditors,  and the Company
          will not (i)  change  its fiscal  year or (ii) make any  material  tax
          election,  other than in the  ordinary  course of business  consistent
          with past practice; and

               (xi)  none  of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  will resolve or
          commit to any of the foregoing.

          In the event the Company shall request  Acquiror to consent in writing
to an action otherwise prohibited by this ss.5(d), Acquiror shall use reasonable
efforts to respond in a prompt and timely  fashion  (but in no event  later than
ten (10) business  days  following  such  request),  but may  otherwise  respond
affirmatively or negatively in its sole discretion.

          (e)  OPERATION OF ACQUIROR'S BUSINESS.  Except as set forth in ss.5(e)
of  the  Acquiror  Disclosure  Letter  or  as  otherwise  contemplated  by  this
Agreement:

               (i)  none  of  Acquiror  and  its  Subsidiaries will authorize or
          effect   any  change  in  its   charter   or  by-laws  or   comparable
          organizational  document  except for such  amendments  to its charter,
          by-laws or other comparable  charter or organizational  documents that
          do not have an adverse affect on the Merger and the other transactions
          contemplated hereby;

               (ii)  none of Acquiror and its Subsidiaries  will grant any Stock
          Rights or issue,  sell,  authorize or otherwise  dispose of any of its
          capital  stock,  except (x) upon the  conversion  or exercise of Stock
          Rights outstanding as of the date of this Agreement or issued pursuant
          to the  following  clauses (y) and (z);  (y) stock  options  issued to
          employees of the Acquiror and its Subsidiaries in a manner  consistent
          with past  practice  which (I) do not provide for the issuance of more
          than 200,000 Acquiror Shares in any calendar quarter,  (II) are issued

                                      -34-
<PAGE>

          only to new employees and  employees  promoted  after the date hereof,
          (III) are  issued at not less than the  market  price of the  Acquiror
          Stock  on the date of  grant,  (IV) are not  issued  to any  executive
          officer  or  director  of the  Acquiror  and  (V) do not  provide  for
          accelerated  vesting as a result of the Merger;  and (z) Stock  Rights
          and  capital  stock  issued  as  consideration   for  acquisitions  as
          permitted byss.5(e)(vi);

               (iii)   none of Acquiror and its Subsidiaries will  sell,  lease,
          encumber  or  otherwise  dispose  of,  or  otherwise  agree to sell or
          otherwise   dispose  of,  any  of  its  assets  which  are   material,
          individually  or in the  aggregate,  to Acquiror and its  Subsidiaries
          taken as a whole, other than equipment sales from inventory arising in
          the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;

               (iv)    none  of Acquiror and its Subsidiaries (other than wholly
          owned  Subsidiaries)  will  declare,  set aside or pay any dividend or
          distribution  with respect to its capital stock (whether in cash or in
          kind);

               (v)     none  of  Acquiror  and  its  Subsidiaries   will  split,
          combine or reclassify  any of its capital stock or redeem,  repurchase
          or otherwise acquire any of its capital stock;

               (vi)    without  Prior Consultation,  none  of  Acquiror and  its
          Subsidiaries   will   acquire   or  agree  to  acquire  by  merger  or
          consolidation  with, or by purchasing a substantial equity interest in
          or a substantial portion of the assets of, or by any other manner, any
          business of any Person or  division  thereof or  otherwise  acquire or
          agree to acquire any  substantial  assets in a single  transaction  or
          series of related transactions;

               (vii)    without  Prior  Consultation,  none  of Acquiror or  its
          Subsidiaries  will incur or commit to any capital  expenditures  other
          than  capital  expenditures  incurred or  committed to in the ordinary
          course of business consistent with past practice;

               (viii)   without Prior  Consultation,  none  of Acquiror  or  its
          Subsidiaries  will (A) other than in connection with actions permitted
          by ss.5(e)(vii), make any loans, advances or capital contributions to,
          or  investments  in, any other  Person,  other than by  Acquiror  or a
          Subsidiary  of  Acquiror  to or  in  Acquiror  or  any  Subsidiary  of
          Acquiror,  (B) pay,  discharge or satisfy any claims,  liabilities  or
          obligations (absolute, accrued, asserted or unasserted,  contingent or
          otherwise),   other  than  loans,  advances,   capital  contributions,
          investments,   payments,   discharges  or  satisfactions  incurred  or
          committed to in the ordinary  course of business  consistent with past
          practice  or (C)  other  than in  connection  with  actions  permitted
          byss.5(e)(vii),   create,   incur,  assume  or  suffer  to  exist  any
          indebtedness,  issuances  of  debt  securities,  guarantees,  Security
          Interests,  loans or advances  not in existence as of the date of this
          Agreement  except  pursuant to the credit  facilities,  indentures and
          other  arrangements  in  existence on the date of this  Agreement  and
          incurred  in the  ordinary  course of  business  consistent  with past
          practice,  and any  other  indebtedness  existing  on the date of this
          Agreement, in each case as such credit facilities,  indentures,  other

                                      -35-
<PAGE>

          arrangements and other existing indebtedness may be amended, extended,
          exchanged, modified, refunded, renewed or refinanced after the date of
          this Agreement,  but only if the aggregate principal amount thereof is
          not increased  thereby,  the term thereof is not extended  thereby and
          the other terms and conditions thereof, taken as a whole, are not less
          advantageous to Acquiror and its Subsidiaries  than those in existence
          as of the date of this Agreement;

               (ix)   none of the Acquiror  and  its  Subsidiaries will make any
          change in  employment  terms for any of its  directors,  officers  and
          employees other than (A) customary  increases to employees whose total
          annual cash compensation is less than $120,000 awarded in the ordinary
          course of business  consistent with past practices,  and (B) customary
          employee bonuses (including to employees who are officers) approved by
          the  Acquiror  Board  and  paid in the  ordinary  course  of  business
          consistent with past practices and (C) immaterial  changes to Acquiror
          Benefit Plans;

               (x)    Acquiror will  not  change  its  methods of  accounting in
          effect at  December  31,  1998 in a manner  materially  affecting  the
          consolidated  assets,  liabilities  or operating  results of Acquiror,
          except as required by changes in GAAP as  concurred  in by  Acquiror's
          independent auditors, and Acquiror will not (i) change its fiscal year
          or (ii) make any  material  tax  election,  other than in the ordinary
          course of business consistent with past practice; and

               (xi)   none of Acquiror and  its  Subsidiaries  will  resolve  or
          commit  to any of the  foregoing  (A)  which  requires  the  Company's
          consent  unless it has  obtained  such  consent or (B) which  requires
          Prior Consultation unless it has afforded Prior Consultation.

          In the event  Acquiror shall request the Company to consent in writing
to an action  otherwise  prohibited  by this ss.  5(e),  the  Company  shall use
reasonable  efforts to respond in a prompt and timely  fashion  (but in no event
later than ten (10) business days  following  such  request),  but may otherwise
respond affirmatively or negatively in its sole discretion.

          (f)  ACCESS.  Each Party will (and will cause each of its Subsidiaries
to) permit  representatives  of the other Party to have access at all reasonable
times and in a manner so as not to materially interfere with the normal business
operations   of  the  Company  and  its   Subsidiaries,   or  Acquiror  and  its
Subsidiaries,  as applicable,  to all premises,  properties,  personnel,  books,
records (including without limitation tax and financial records),  contracts and
documents of or pertaining to such Party.  Each Party and all of its  respective
representatives  will  treat and hold as such any  Confidential  Information  it
receives from the other Party or any of its  representatives  in accordance with
the Confidentiality Agreement.

          (g)  NOTICE OF  DEVELOPMENTS.  Each Party  will  give  prompt  written
notice to the others of any material adverse development causing a breach of any
of its own  representations and warranties in ss.3 and ss.4 above. No disclosure
by any Party  pursuant  to this  ss.5(g),  however,  shall be deemed to amend or

                                      -36-
<PAGE>

supplement the Company  Disclosure  Letter or Acquiror  Disclosure  Letter or to
prevent or cure any misrepresentation, breach of warranty or breach of covenant.

          (h)  COMPANY EXCLUSIVITY.

               (i)   The Company shall, and  shall  cause its  Subsidiaries  and
          Representatives  to,  immediately  cease and  terminate  any  existing
          solicitation,   initiation,  encouragement,  activity,  discussion  or
          negotiation with any Persons conducted  heretofore by the Company, its
          Subsidiaries  or  any  of  their  respective   Affiliates,   officers,
          directors,  employees,  financial advisors,  agents or representatives
          (each a "REPRESENTATIVE")  with respect to any proposed,  potential or
          contemplated Acquisition Proposal.

               (ii)   From and after the date hereof,  without the prior written
          consent of Acquiror,  the Company will not  authorize or permit any of
          its   Subsidiaries   to,   and   shall   cause  any  and  all  of  its
          Representatives not to, directly or indirectly, (A) solicit, initiate,
          or encourage  any  inquiries or proposals  that  constitute,  or could
          reasonably  be expected to lead to, an  Acquisition  Proposal,  or (B)
          engage in negotiations or discussions with any Third Party concerning,
          or provide any non-public information to any person or entity relating
          to, an Acquisition  Proposal,  or (C) enter into any letter of intent,
          agreement in principle or any  acquisition  agreement or other similar
          agreement with respect to any Acquisition Proposal; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
          that nothing contained in thisss.5(h)(ii) shall prevent the Company or
          the  Company  Board  prior to  receipt  of the  Requisite  Stockholder
          Approval  of the  Company  Stockholders,  from  furnishing  non-public
          information to, or entering into discussions or negotiations with, any
          Third  Party in  connection  with an  unsolicited,  bona fide  written
          proposal for an Acquisition  Proposal by such Third Party, if and only
          to the extent that (1) such Third Party has made a written proposal to
          the Company  Board to  consummate  an  Acquisition  Proposal,  (2) the
          Company  Board  determines  in good faith,  based upon the advice of a
          financial  advisor  of  nationally  recognized  reputation,  that such
          Acquisition  Proposal  is  reasonably  capable of being  completed  on
          substantially the terms proposed, and would, if consummated, result in
          a transaction  that would provide  greater value to the holders of the
          Company Shares than the transaction  contemplated by this Agreement (a
          "SUPERIOR  Proposal"),  (3) the failure to take such action would,  in
          the reasonable good faith judgment of the Company Board,  based upon a
          written  opinion of Company  outside legal counsel,  be a violation of
          its fiduciary  duties to the Company's  stockholders  under applicable
          law, and (4) prior to furnishing  such  non-public  information to, or
          entering into  discussions  or  negotiations  with,  such Person,  the
          Company Board  receives  from such Person an executed  confidentiality
          agreement  with material  terms no less  favorable to the Company than
          those  contained in the  Confidentiality  Agreement and provides prior
          notice of its  decision to take such action to  Acquiror.  The Company
          agrees not to release any Third Party from, or waive any provision of,
          any standstill agreement to which it is a party or any confidentiality
          agreement  between  it and  another  Person  who has made,  or who may
          reasonably be  considered  likely to make,  an  Acquisition  Proposal,

                                      -37-
<PAGE>

          unless the failure to take such action would,  in the reasonable  good
          faith  judgment of the Company  Board,  based upon written  opinion of
          Company outside legal counsel,  be a violation of its fiduciary duties
          to the Company  Stockholders  under  applicable law and such action is
          taken prior to receipt of the  Requisite  Stockholder  Approval of the
          Company Stockholders. Without limiting the foregoing, it is understood
          that any  violation  of the  restrictions  set forth in the  preceding
          sentence  by  any   Representative  of  the  Company  or  any  of  its
          Subsidiaries  shall be  deemed to be a breach  of  thisss.5(h)  by the
          Company.

               (iii)   The Company shall notify Acquiror promptly  after receipt
          by the Company or the Company's knowledge of the receipt by any of its
          Representatives  of  any  Acquisition  Proposal  or  any  request  for
          non-public  information in connection with an Acquisition  Proposal or
          for access to the  properties,  books or records of the Company by any
          Person that  informs such party that it is  considering  making or has
          made an Acquisition Proposal.  Such notice shall be made orally and in
          writing and shall  indicate  the identity of the offeror and the terms
          and conditions of such proposal, inquiry or contact. The Company shall
          keep  Acquiror  informed  of the status  (including  any change to the
          material  terms)  of any such  Acquisition  Proposal  or  request  for
          non-public information.

               (iv)    The Company Board may not withdraw or modify,  or propose
          to withdraw or modify,  in a manner adverse to Acquiror,  the approval
          or recommendation by the Company Board of this Agreement or the Merger
          unless,  following  the  receipt of a Superior  Proposal  but prior to
          receipt  of  the  Requisite   Stockholder   Approval  of  the  Company
          Stockholders,  in the  reasonable  good faith  judgment of the Company
          Board,  based upon the  written  opinion of  Company's  outside  legal
          counsel,  the  failure to do so would be a  violation  of the  Company
          Board's   fiduciary  duties  to  the  Company's   stockholders   under
          applicable  law;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that,  the Company  Board shall
          submit this Agreement and the Merger to the Company's stockholders for
          adoption and  approval,  whether or not the Company  Board at any time
          subsequent  to the date hereof  determines  that this  Agreement is no
          longer  advisable or recommends  that the  stockholders of the Company
          reject it or  otherwise  modifies  or  withdraws  its  recommendation.
          Unless the Company  Board has  withdrawn  its  recommendation  of this
          Agreement  in  compliance  herewith,  the  Company  shall use its best
          efforts to solicit from the Company's stockholders proxies in favor of
          the  adoption  and  approval of this  Agreement  and the Merger and to
          secure the vote or consent of the Company's  stockholders  required by
          the  Massachusetts  Business  Corporation  Law  and  its  articles  of
          incorporation  and by-laws to adopt and approve this Agreement and the
          Merger.

          (i)   ACQUIROR EXCLUSIVITY.

                (i)   Acquiror shall,  and shall cause  its   Subsidiaries   and
          Representatives  to,  immediately  cease and  terminate  any  existing
          solicitation,   initiation,  encouragement,  activity,  discussion  or
          negotiation  with any Persons  conducted  heretofore by Acquiror,  its

                                      -38-
<PAGE>

          Subsidiaries  or  any  of  its  Representatives  with  respect  to any
          proposed,  potential or contemplated Acquiror Acquisition Proposal the
          consummation of which would be reasonably  expected to (x) result in a
          material  delay in the Effective  Time or (y) materially and adversely
          impact the  likelihood  of obtaining any Required  Company  Consent or
          Required  Acquiror  Consent  other than those the  failures  to obtain
          would not  result in either a  Company  Material  Adverse  Effect or a
          Acquiror Material Adverse Effect (a "PROHIBITED  ACQUIROR  ACQUISITION
          PROPOSAL").

               (ii)   From and after the date hereof,  Acquiror  will notify the
          Company of any Acquiror  Acquisition Proposal of which notice is given
          to the  Acquiror  Board.  Such  notice  to the  Company  will  be made
          promptly  after  such  notice  to the  Acquiror  Board,  but  will  be
          conditional upon an appropriate confidentiality Agreement. Without the
          prior written  consent of the Company,  Acquiror will not authorize or
          permit any of its  Subsidiaries to, and shall cause any and all of its
          Representatives not to, directly or indirectly, (A) solicit, initiate,
          or encourage  any  inquiries or proposals  that  constitute,  or could
          reasonably be expected to lead to, a Prohibited  Acquiror  Acquisition
          Proposal,  or (B)  engage  in  negotiations  or  discussions  with any
          Acquiror Third Party concerning,  or provide any nonpublic information
          to any person or entity relating to, a Prohibited Acquiror Acquisition
          Proposal,  or (C)  enter  into any  letter  of  intent,  agreement  in
          principle or any acquisition agreement or other similar agreement with
          respect to any Prohibited  Acquiror  Acquisition  Proposal;  PROVIDED,
          HOWEVER,  that nothing  contained  in  thisss.5(i)(ii)  shall  prevent
          Acquiror or the Acquiror Board from, prior to receipt of the Requisite
          Stockholder   Approval  of  the  Acquiror   Stockholders,   furnishing
          nonpublic information to, or entering into discussions or negotiations
          with, any Acquiror Third Party in connection with an unsolicited, bona
          fide written proposal for a Prohibited Acquiror  Acquisition  Proposal
          by such Acquiror Third Party,  if and only to the extent that (1) such
          Acquiror Third Party has made a written proposal to the Acquiror Board
          to  consummate a Prohibited  Acquiror  Acquisition  Proposal,  (2) the
          Acquiror  Board  determines in good faith,  based upon the advice of a
          financial  advisor  of  nationally  recognized  reputation,  that such
          Prohibited  Acquiror  Acquisition  Proposal is  reasonably  capable of
          being completed on  substantially  the terms  proposed,  and would, if
          consummated,  result in a transaction that would provide greater value
          to  the  holders  of  the   Acquiror   Shares  than  the   transaction
          contemplated by this Agreement (an "ACQUIROR SUPERIOR PROPOSAL"),  (3)
          the failure to take such action would,  in the  reasonable  good faith
          judgment  of the  Acquiror  Board,  based  upon a written  opinion  of
          Acquiror's  outside  legal  counsel,  be a violation of its  fiduciary
          duties to the Acquiror's  stockholders  under  applicable law, and (4)
          prior to furnishing  such nonpublic  information  to, or entering into
          discussions  or  negotiations  with,  such Person,  the Acquiror Board
          receives from such Person an executed  confidentiality  agreement with
          material terms no less  favorable to Acquiror than those  contained in
          the  Confidentiality  Agreement.  Acquiror  agrees not to release  any
          Acquiror  Third Party from, or waive any provision of, any  standstill
          agreement  to  which it is a party  or any  confidentiality  agreement
          between it and another  Person who has made, or who may  reasonably be
          considered likely to make, a Prohibited Acquiror Acquisition Proposal,

                                      -39-


<PAGE>

          unless the failure to take such action would,  in the reasonable  good
          faith judgment of the Acquiror  Board,  based upon the written opinion
          of Acquiror's  outside legal counsel,  be a violation of its fiduciary
          duties to the Acquiror's  stockholders  under  applicable law and such
          action is taken prior to receipt of the Requisite Stockholder Approval
          of the Acquiror  Stockholders.  Without limiting the foregoing,  it is
          understood  that any  violation of the  restrictions  set forth in the
          preceding  sentence  by any  director or officer of Acquiror or any of
          its Subsidiaries or any investment bank, financial advisor,  attorney,
          accountant  or  other   representative  of  Acquiror  or  any  of  its
          Subsidiaries  shall be  deemed to be a breach  of  thisss.5(i)(ii)  by
          Acquiror. A Acquiror Acquisition Proposal shall be deemed a Prohibited
          Acquiror  Acquisition  Proposal  at the  time  (and  not  before)  the
          Acquiror  Board  is  first  notified  of  such  Acquiror   Acquisition
          Proposal,  and at any time that the  Acquiror  Board is  notified of a
          significant  development  with  respect to such  Acquiror  Acquisition
          Proposal, unless the Acquiror Board in good faith determines that such
          Acquiror  Acquisition Proposal is not, and is not reasonably likely to
          become, a Prohibited Parent Acquisition Proposal.

               (iii)   Acquiror shall notify the Company  promptly after receipt
          by  Acquiror  or  Acquiror's  knowledge  of the  receipt by any of its
          Representatives of any Prohibited Acquiror Acquisition Proposal or any
          request for  non-public  information  in connection  with a Prohibited
          Acquiror Acquisition  Proposal or for access to the properties,  books
          or records of Acquiror by any Person that  informs  such party that it
          is considering  making or has made a Prohibited  Acquiror  Acquisition
          Proposal.  Such  notice  shall be made orally and in writing and shall
          indicate the identity of the offeror and the terms and  conditions  of
          such  proposal,  inquiry or contact.  Acquiror  shall keep the Company
          informed of the status (including any change to the material terms) of
          any such  Prohibited  Acquiror  Acquisition  Proposal  or request  for
          nonpublic information.

               (iv)   The Acquiror Board may not withdraw or modify,  or propose
          to  withdraw  or  modify,  in a manner  adverse  to the  Company,  the
          approval or  recommendation by the Acquiror Board of this Agreement or
          the Merger  unless,  following  the  receipt  of a  Acquiror  Superior
          Proposal but prior to receipt of the Requisite Stockholder Approval of
          the Acquiror  stockholders,  in the reasonable  good faith judgment of
          the  Acquiror  Board,  based upon the  written  opinion of  Acquiror's
          outside  legal  counsel,  the failure to do so would be a violation of
          the Acquiror Board's  fiduciary duties to the Acquiror's  stockholders
          under applicable law; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Acquiror Board shall
          submit  the  Merger to the  Acquiror  stockholders  for  adoption  and
          approval,  whether or not the Acquiror Board at any time subsequent to
          the date hereof  determines that this Agreement is no longer advisable
          or recommends that the  stockholders of the Acquiror reject the Merger
          or otherwise  modifies or  withdraws  its  recommendation.  Unless the
          Acquiror  Board has  withdrawn  its  recommendation  of the  Merger in
          compliance  herewith,  Acquiror  shall use its best efforts to solicit
          from the  Acquiror  stockholders  proxies in favor of the adoption and

                                      -40-


<PAGE>

          approval  of the  Merger  and to  secure  the vote or  consent  of the
          Acquiror's  stockholders  required by Nasdaq and the Delaware  General
          Corporation Law.

               (v)   Prior to taking any action  with  respect   to  a  Acquiror
          Acquisition  Proposal which is not a Prohibited  Acquiror  Acquisition
          Proposal  equivalent to those  permitted by clauses (A), (B) or (C) of
          ss.5(i)(ii),  Acquiror shall notify each Acquiror Third Party which is
          the  object  of or a  party  to  such  action  of  the  limitation  on
          Prohibited Acquiror  Acquisition  Proposals set forth in this ss.5(i),
          and Acquiror  shall not enter into any letter of intent,  agreement in
          principle or any acquisition agreement or other similar agreement with
          respect to any  Acquiror  Acquisition  Proposal  unless such letter or
          agreement  includes a covenant of the applicable  Acquiror Third Party
          not to take any action  which  would cause such  Acquiror  Acquisition
          Proposal to become a Prohibited Acquiror Acquisition Proposal.

          (j)   INSURANCE AND INDEMNIFICATION.

                (i)   Surviving  Corporation  will provide each  individual  who
          served as a director  or  officer of the  Company at any time prior to
          the Effective Time with liability  insurance for a period of six years
          after the Effective Time no less favorable in coverage and amount than
          any applicable insurance of the Company in effect immediately prior to
          the Effective Time; PROVIDED,  HOWEVER, that if the existing liability
          insurance  expires,  or is  terminated  or canceled  by the  insurance
          carrier during such six-year  period,  the Surviving  Corporation will
          use its reasonable best efforts to obtain comparable insurance for the
          remainder of such period on a commercially  reasonable basis; PROVIDED
          FURTHER,  HOWEVER,  that in the event any claim or claims are asserted
          within such period,  all rights to  indemnification in respect of such
          claim or claims shall continue until the final disposition thereof;

               (ii)   After the Effective Time, Surviving  Corporation  (A) will
          not take or  permit to be taken  any  action  to alter or  impair  any
          exculpatory  or   indemnification   provisions  now  existing  in  the
          certificate  of   incorporation,   by-laws  or   indemnification   and
          employment  agreements of the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  for
          the benefit of any  individual  who served as a director or officer of
          the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  (an  "INDEMNIFIED  PARTY") at
          any time prior to the  Effective  Time  (except as may be  required by
          applicable  law),  and (B) shall cause the  Surviving  Corporation  to
          honor and fulfill  such  provisions  until the date which is six years
          from the Effective Time (except as may be required by applicable law);
          PROVIDED,  HOWEVER, that in the event any claim or claims are asserted
          within such period,  all rights to  indemnification in respect of such
          claim or claims shall continue until the final disposition thereof.

               (iii)   To the extent  clauses (i) and (ii) above shall not serve
          to  indemnify  and  hold  harmless  an  Indemnified  Party,  Surviving
          Corporation, subject to the terms and conditions of this clause (iii),
          will indemnify,  for a period of six years from the Effective Time, to
          the fullest extent  permitted under  applicable law, each  Indemnified

                                      -41-


<PAGE>

          Party  from  and  against  any and all  actions,  suits,  proceedings,
          hearings,   investigations,   charges,  complaints,  claims,  demands,
          injunctions,  judgments,  orders,  decrees,  rulings,  damages,  dues,
          penalties,  fines,  costs,  amounts paid in  settlement,  liabilities,
          obligations,  taxes, liens,  losses,  expenses and fees, including all
          court costs and  reasonable  attorneys'  fees and expenses,  resulting
          from,  arising out of,  relating to or caused by this Agreement or any
          of the transactions  contemplated herein;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER, that in
          the event any claim or claims are asserted or  threatened  within such
          six-year period,  all rights to indemnification in respect of any such
          claim or claims shall continue until final  disposition of any and all
          such claims.  Any Indemnified  Party wishing to claim  indemnification
          under this clause (iii),  notwithstanding  anything to the contrary in
          the   provisions   set  forth  in  the   Company's  or  the  Surviving
          Corporation's   certificate   of   incorporation,   by-laws  or  other
          agreements respecting  indemnification of directors or officers,  upon
          learning of any such claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation,
          shall promptly notify Surviving  Corporation  thereof, but the failure
          to so notify shall not relieve Surviving  Corporation of any liability
          it may  have to  such  Indemnified  Party  if such  failure  does  not
          materially prejudice Surviving  Corporation.  In the event of any such
          claim,  action,  suit,  proceeding or  investigation  (whether arising
          before or after the  Effective  Time),  (A) Acquiror or the  Surviving
          Corporation  shall  have the right  following  the  Effective  Time to
          assume the defense  thereof  and  Surviving  Corporation  shall not be
          liable to such  Indemnified  Parties  for any legal  expenses of other
          counsel  or  any  other   expenses   subsequently   incurred  by  such
          Indemnified  Parties in connection  with the defense  thereof,  except
          that if Acquiror  or the  Surviving  Corporation  fails to assume such
          defense or counsel for the  Indemnified  Party  advises that there are
          issues  which  raise  conflicts  of interest  between  Acquiror or the
          Surviving  Corporation,  on the one hand, and the Indemnified Parties,
          on  the  other  hand,  the  Indemnified  Parties  may  retain  counsel
          satisfactory to them, and the Company, Surviving Corporation shall pay
          all reasonable  fees and expenses of such counsel for the  Indemnified
          Parties  promptly  as  statements  therefor  are  received;  PROVIDED,
          HOWEVER, that Surviving Corporation shall be obligated to pay for only
          one firm of counsel for all  Indemnified  Parties in any  jurisdiction
          unless  the use of one  counsel  for such  Indemnified  Parties  would
          present  such  counsel  with a  conflict  of  interest,  in which case
          Surviving Corporation need only pay for separate counsel to the extent
          necessary to resolve such conflict;  (B) the Indemnified  Parties will
          reasonably  cooperate  in the  defense  of any  such  matter;  and (C)
          Surviving   Corporation   shall  not  be  liable  for  any  settlement
          effectuated without its prior written consent, which consent shall not
          be unreasonably  withheld or delayed.  Surviving Corporation shall not
          settle  any  action or claim  identified  in  thisss.5(j)(iii)  in any
          manner that would impose any  liability  or penalty on an  Indemnified
          Party not paid by Acquiror or the Surviving  Corporation  without such
          Indemnified Party's prior written consent,  which consent shall not be
          unreasonably withheld or delayed.

               (iv)   Notwithstanding  anything contained in clause (iii) above,
          Surviving  Corporation shall not have any obligation  hereunder to any
          Indemnified Party (A) if the indemnification of such Indemnified Party
          by  Surviving   Corporation  in  the  manner  contemplated  hereby  is

                                      -42-


<PAGE>

          prohibited by applicable law, (B) the conduct of the Indemnified Party
          relating to the matter for which  indemnification  is sought  involved
          bad faith or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Party, or (C) with
          respect to actions taken by any such  Indemnified  Party in his or its
          individual capacity,  including, without limitations,  with respect to
          any matters relating, directly or indirectly, to the purchase, sale or
          trading of  securities  issued by the  Company  other than a tender or
          sale pursuant to a stock tender  agreement or (D) if such  Indemnified
          Party shall have breached its  obligation to cooperate  with Surviving
          Corporation   in  the  defense  of  any  claim  in  respect  of  which
          indemnification is sought and such breach (x) materially and adversely
          affects  Surviving  Corporation's  defense  of such  claim or (y) will
          materially and adversely  affect  Surviving  Corporation's  defense of
          such claim if such breach is not cured within ten days after notice of
          such breach is delivered to the  Indemnified  Party and such breach is
          not cured during such period.

          (k)   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

                (i)   As soon as they are made  available  to  and  reviewed  by
          senior management of the Company,  the Company shall make available to
          Acquiror  the  internally  generated  monthly,   quarterly  (including
          quarterly  statements for the  three-month  period ended September 25,
          1999) and annual  financial  statements of the Company,  consisting of
          consolidated balance sheets, and consolidated statements of income and
          of cash flows.

               (ii)   As soon as  they  are  made  available  to and reviewed by
          senior  management of Acquiror,  Acquiror  shall make available to the
          Company  the  internally  generated  monthly,   quarterly  (including,
          quarterly  statements for the  three-month  period ended September 30,
          1999) and annual  financial  statements,  consisting  of  consolidated
          balance  sheets,  and  consolidated  statements  of income and of cash
          flows.

          (l)  CONTINUITY    OF   BUSINESS   ENTERPRISE.  Acquiror,    Surviving
Corporation  or any other member of the qualified  group (as defined in Treasury
Regulation  ss.1.368-1(d)) shall, for the foreseeable future,  continue at least
one  significant  historic  business  line  of the  Company  or use at  least  a
significant portion of the Company's historic business assets in a business,  in
each case within the meaning of Treasury Regulation ss.1.368-1(d).

          (m)  ACQUIROR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.   At  or before the Effective  Time,
the Board of Directors of Acquiror  will take all action  necessary to cause the
number of directors  constituting the Acquiror Board of Directors to be fixed at
nine directors and to elect the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and three
independent  directors (as defined in National Association of Securities Dealers
Rule  4200(a)(13))  designated  by the Company Board to the Acquiror  Board.  In
addition,  at the next annual meeting of Acquiror's  stockholders held after the
Effective  Time,  Acquiror  shall  cause to be  nominated,  and  Acquiror  shall
undertake its commercially reasonable efforts to cause to be elected:

                                      -43-


<PAGE>


               (i)    the Chief Executive Officer of the  Company  as a Class II
          director,   to  serve  until  the  annual   meeting  of  the  Acquiror
          Stockholders in 2003;

               (ii)   two of  such  independent  directors  designated  by   the
          Company Board, as Class I directors, to serve until the annual meeting
          of the Acquiror's Stockholders in 2002; and

               (iii)  the other such  independent   director  designated  by the
          Company  Board as a Class III  director,  to serve  until  the  annual
          meeting of the Acquiror Stockholders in 2001.

          (n)  RULE 145 AFFILIATES. Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall
deliver to Acquiror a letter  identifying  all persons who were,  at the date of
the Company  Special  Meeting,  "affiliates" of the Company for purposes of Rule
145 under the Securities  Act. The Company shall use its  reasonable  efforts to
cause each such person to deliver to Acquiror on or prior to the Closing  Date a
written agreement substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A.

          (o)  NASDAQ  LISTING.  Acquiror  shall use all  reasonable  efforts to
cause the Acquiror  Shares to be issued in connection  with the Merger and under
the  Company  Benefit  Plans to be approved  for  listing on Nasdaq,  subject to
official notice of issuance, prior to the Closing Date.

          (p)  TAX FREE TREATMENT. The Parties intend the Merger to qualify as a
reorganization under Section 368(a) of the Code. Each Party shall use reasonable
efforts,  and shall undertake  reasonable efforts to cause its Affiliates to use
reasonable efforts, to cause the Merger to so qualify and to obtain the opinions
referred to in ss. 6(a)(ix) and ss. 6(b)(vii).  For purposes of the tax opinions
described in ss. 6(a)(ix) and ss.  6(b)(vii),  counsel may receive and rely upon
representations,  including  those  contained  in this  Agreement or in separate
certificates,  of the parties  hereto and others.  Acquiror  and the Company and
each of their respective Affiliates shall not take any action and shall not fail
to take any action or suffer to exist any  condition  which action or failure to
act or condition would prevent,  or would be reasonably  likely to prevent,  the
Merger from qualifying as a reorganization  within the meaning of Section 368(a)
of the Code.

          (q)  COMPANY  EMPLOYEE  PLANS.  After  the  Effective Time,  Surviving
Corporation shall arrange for each employee  participating in any of the Company
Benefits Plans to participate  in any  counterpart  benefit plans of Acquiror or
its Subsidiaries  (as  appropriate) in accordance with the eligibility  criteria
thereof, provided that (i) such participants shall receive full credit for years
of service with the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  prior to the  Effective
Time for all purposes for which such  service was  recognized  under the Company
Benefit  Plans and (ii) such  participants  shall  participate  in the  Acquiror
Benefit  Plans on terms no less  favorable  than those  offered by  Acquiror  to
similarly  situated  employees  of  Acquiror  or  its  Subsidiaries.   Surviving
Corporation  shall give credit under its  applicable  employee  welfare  benefit
plans for all copayments,  deductibles and out-of-pocket  maximums  satisfied by
employees (and their eligible dependents) of the Company (and its Subsidiaries),
in respect of the  calendar  year in which the Closing  Date  occurs.  Surviving
Corporation shall waive all pre-existing  conditions (to the extent waived under
the  applicable   employee   welfare  benefit  plans  of  the  Company  and  its

                                      -44-


<PAGE>

Subsidiaries)   otherwise  applicable  to  employees  of  the  Company  and  its
Subsidiaries under Acquiror's  employee welfare benefit plans in which employees
of the Company  (and its  Subsidiaries)  become  eligible to  participate  on or
following the Closing.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, Surviving Corporation may
continue (or cause the  Surviving  Corporation  to continue)  one or more of the
Company Benefit Plans, in which case Surviving  Corporation shall have satisfied
its obligations  hereunder with respect to the benefits so provided if the terms
of the Company  Benefit Plans which are continued  are no less  favorable,  as a
whole,  than the terms of the counterpart plans of Acquiror and its Subsidiaries
(as applicable).

          (r)  LETTER  OF THE COMPANY'S  ACCOUNTANTS.  The Company shall use all
reasonable  efforts to cause to be delivered to Acquiror a letter of BDO Seidman
LLP, the Company's independent  auditors,  dated a date within two business days
before the date on which the  Registration  Statement shall become effective and
addressed to Acquiror, in form reasonably satisfactory to Acquiror and customary
in scope and substance for letters delivered by independent  public  accountants
in  connection  with  registration   statements   similar  to  the  Registration
Statement.

          (s)  LETTER   OF  ACQUIROR'S  ACCOUNTANTS.  Acquiror  shall  use   all
reasonable  efforts to cause to be  delivered  to the Company a letter of Arthur
Andersen LLP, Acquiror's independent auditors,  dated a date within two business
days before the date on which the Registration  Statement shall become effective
and addressed to the Company, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Company and
customary in scope and substance  for letters  delivered by  independent  public
accountants  in  connection  with   registration   statements   similar  to  the
Registration Statement.

     6.   CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATION TO CLOSE.

          (a)  CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATION OF ACQUIROR. The obligation of  Acquiror
to consummate the Merger is subject to satisfaction or waiver by Acquiror of the
following conditions at or prior to the Closing Date:

               (i)   this Agreement  and  the  Merger  shall  have  received the
          Requisite Stockholder Approvals;

               (ii)  the  Company and its Subsidiaries shall have  obtained  the
          Required Company Consents,  other than those Required Company Consents
          the  failure of which to obtain  would not  reasonably  be expected to
          have a  Company  Material  Adverse  Effect  and  Acquiror  shall  have
          obtained the Required  Acquiror  Consents,  other than those  Required
          Acquiror  Consents the failure of which to obtain would not reasonably
          be expected to have an Acquiror Material Adverse Effect;

               (iii)  the representations and warranties set forth in ss.3 above
          shall be true and  correct in all  material  respects at and as of the
          Closing Date,  except for those  representations  and warranties which
          address  matters only as of a  particular  date (which shall have been
          true and correct as of such date);

               (iv)   the Company shall have performed  and complied with all of
          its covenants hereunder in all material respects through the Closing;

                                      -45-


<PAGE>


               (v)    neither any statute, rule, regulation, order,  stipulation
          or  injunction  (each  an  "ORDER")  shall  be  enacted,  promulgated,
          entered,  enforced  or deemed  applicable  to the Merger nor any other
          action  shall  have  been  taken by any  Government  Entity  (A) which
          prohibits the  consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated by the
          Merger; (B) which prohibits  Acquiror's  ownership or operation of all
          or any material portion of their or the Company's  business or assets,
          or which  compels  Acquiror to dispose of or hold  separate all or any
          material portion of Acquiror's or the Company's  business or assets as
          a result of the  transactions  contemplated  by the Merger;  (C) which
          makes the Merger illegal;  (D) which imposes  material  limitations on
          the ability of Acquiror to consummate the Merger; or (E) which imposes
          any limitations on the ability of Acquiror or any of its  Subsidiaries
          effectively  to  control  in any  material  respect  the  business  or
          operations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;

               (vi)   the Company shall have delivered to Acquiror a certificate
          to  the  effect  that  each  of  the  conditions  specified  above  in
          ss.6(a)(i)-ss.6(a)(iv)   is  satisfied  in  all  respectS;   PROVIDED,
          HOWEVWE,  with  respect  to  ss.6(a)(i),  the  Company  shall  only be
          required to certify that this  Agreement  and the Merger  received the
          Requisite Stockholder Approval of the Company Stockholders;

               (vii)   the  Acquiror  Shares to be issued in connection with the
          Merger shall have been approved  upon official  notice of issuance for
          quotation on Nasdaq, subject to official notice of issuance;

               (viii)  the  Registration   Statement  shall  have  been declared
          effective  by the SEC  under the  Securities  Act,  and no stop  order
          suspending the effectiveness of the Registration  Statement shall have
          been issued by the SEC and no proceedings  for that purpose shall have
          been initiated or threatened by the SEC;

               (ix)    Acquiror shall have received a written opinion,  dated as
          of the  Closing  Date,  from  Kelley,  Drye & Warren  LLP,  counsel to
          Acquiror,  to the  effect  that the Merger  will be  treated  for U.S.
          federal income tax purposes as a reorganization  within the meaning of
          Section  368(a) of the Code,  and that  Acquiror  and the Company will
          each be a party to that  reorganization  within the meaning of Section
          368(b)  of the  Code;  such  counsel  shall be  entitled  to rely upon
          customary representations provided by the Parties; and

               (x)     holders  of  not more than $2,500,000 in value of Company
          Shares  (calculated  based upon the Closing Price per Company Share as
          of the date preceding the scheduled Closing Date) shall have exercised
          and not withdrawn dissenters' rights with respect to their shares.

          Subject to the  provisions of applicable  law, Acquiror may waive,  in
whole or in part,  any  condition  specified  in this  ss.6(a) if they execute a
writing so stating at or prior to the Closing.

                                      -46-


<PAGE>


          (b)   CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATION OF THE COMPANY.  The  obligation of the
Company to  consummate  the Merger is subject to  satisfaction  or waiver by the
Company of the following conditions at or prior to the Closing Date:

               (i)   this  Agreement  and  the  Merger  shall  have received the
          Requisite Stockholder Approvals;

               (ii)  Acquiror  and  its  Subsidiaries  shall  have  obtained the
          Required  Acquiror  Consents,   other  than  those  Required  Acquiror
          Consents  the  failure  of which to  obtain  would not  reasonably  be
          expected to have a Acquiror  Material Adverse Effect,  and the Company
          and its Subsidiaries shall have obtained the Required Company Consents
          other than those  Required  Company  Consents  the failure of which to
          obtain  would not  reasonably  be expected to have a material  adverse
          effect on the business,  financial  condition or results of operations
          of Acquiror, the Surviving Corporation and their Affiliates taken as a
          whole;

               (iii)  the representations and warranties set forth in ss.4 above
          shall be true and  correct in all  material  respects at and as of the
          Closing Date,  except for those  representations  and warranties which
          address  matters only as of a  particular  date (which shall have been
          true and correct as of such date);

               (iv)   Acquiror shall have performed and complied with all of its
          covenants hereunder in all material respects through the Closing;

               (v)    neither any Order shall be enacted, promulgated,  entered,
          enforced or deemed applicable to the Merger nor any other action shall
          have been  taken by any  Government  Entity  (A) which  prohibits  the
          consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger; (B) which
          prohibits  Acquiror's  ownership  or  operation of all or any material
          portion of their or the Company's business or assets, or which compels
          Acquiror to dispose of or hold separate all or any material portion of
          Acquiror's  or the  Company's  business  or  assets as a result of the
          transactions contemplated by the Merger; or (C) which makes the Merger
          illegal;

               (vi)   Acquiror shall have delivered to the Company a certificate
          to  the  effect  that  each  of  the  conditions  specified  above  in
          ss.6(b)(i)-(iv) is satisfied in all respects;  PROVIDED, HOWEVEr, with
          respect to ss.6(b)(i), Acquiror shall only be required to certify that
          this  Agreement  and the Merger  received  the  Requisite  Stockholder
          Approval of the Acquiror Stockholders;

               (vii)  the Company shall have received a  written  opinion, dated
          as of the Closing  Date,  from Swidler  Berlin  Shereff  Friedman LLP,
          counsel to the Company,  to the effect that the Merger will be treated
          for U.S.  Federal income tax purposes as a  reorganization  within the
          meaning of Section  368(a) of the Code and as to such other matters as
          are customary for transactions  such as the Merger,  and that Acquiror
          and the Company will each be a party to that reorganization within the
          meaning of Section  368(b) of the Code;  it being  understood  that in

                                      -47-


<PAGE>

          rendering  such  opinion,  such tax counsel  shall be entitled to rely
          upon customary representations provided by the Parties;

               (viii)   the Acquiror  Shares to be issued in connection with the
          Merger shall have been approved  upon official  notice of issuance for
          quotation on Nasdaq, subject to official notice of issuance;

               (ix)     the  Registration  Statement  shall  have  been declared
          effective  by  the  SEC  under  the  Securities  Act,  no  stop  order
          suspending the effectiveness of the Registration  Statement shall have
          been issued by the SEC and no proceedings  for that purpose shall have
          been initiated or threatened by the SEC; and

               (x)       holders of not more than $2,500,000 in value of Company
          Shares  (calculated  based upon the Closing Price per Company Share as
          of the date preceding the scheduled Closing Date) shall have exercised
          and not withdrawn dissenters' rights with respect to their shares.

          Subject to the  provisions of applicable  law, the Company may
waive,  in whole or in part,  any  condition  specified  in this  ss.6(b)  if it
executes a writing so stating at or prior to the Closing.

          7.  TERMINATION.

              (a)    TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT.  The  Parties  may terminate this
Agreement with the prior authorization of their respective board of directors as
provided below:

                     (i)   The Parties  may  terminate this  Agreement,  and the
               Merger may be abandoned,  by mutual  written  consent at any time
               prior to the  Effective  Time before or after the approval by the
               Company Stockholders or the Acquiror Stockholders;

                    (ii)   This Agreement  may  be  terminated  and  the  Merger
               may be  abandoned  by action of the Board of  Directors of either
               Acquiror  or the  Company,  before or after the  approval  by the
               Company  Stockholders  or the Acquiror  Stockholders,  (A) if the
               Effective  Time shall not have occurred by February 29, 2000 (the
               "OUTSIDE  DATE")  (unless the failure to consummate the Merger by
               such  date is due to the  action or  failure  to act of the Party
               seeking to terminate)  or (B) if any condition to the  obligation
               of the  terminating  Party to  consummate  the Merger  shall have
               become  incapable of being satisfied prior to the Outside Date as
               of a result of an Order that is final and non-appealable;

                    (iii)   This  Agreement may  be terminated  and  the  Merger
               may be abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Time,  before
               or after the approval by the Company Stockholders or the Acquiror
               Stockholders,  by action of the Company Board,  in the event that
               Acquiror   shall  have  breached  any  of  its   representations,
               warranties  or covenants  under this  Agreement  which breach (A)
               would  give  rise to the  failure  of a  condition  set  forth in
               ss.6(b) above,  and (B) cannot be or has not been cured within 30

                                      -48-


<PAGE>

               days  after  the  giving of  written  notice  by the  Company  to
               Acquiror of such breach (provided that the Company is not then in
               material  breach  of any  representation,  warranty  or  covenant
               contained in this Agreement);

                    (iv)   This Agreement may be terminated and the  Merger  may
               be abandoned at any time prior to the Effective  Time,  before or
               after the  approval by the Company  Stockholders  or the Acquiror
               Stockholders,  by action of the Acquiror Board, in the event that
               the  Company  shall  have  breached  any of its  representations,
               warranties  or covenants  under this  Agreement  which breach (A)
               would  give  rise to the  failure  of a  condition  set  forth in
               ss.6(a) above,  and (B) cannot be or has not been cured within 30
               days  after the  giving of  written  notice  by  Acquiror  to the
               Company of such  breach  (provided  that  Acquiror is not then in
               material  breach  of any  representation,  warranty  or  covenant
               contained in this Agreement);

                    (v)     This Agreement may be terminated  by  Acquiror,  and
               the Merger may be abandoned,  (A) if the Company Board (i) enters
               into  or  publicly  announces  its  intention  to  enter  into an
               agreement  or   agreement   in  principle   with  respect  to  an
               Acquisition  Proposal,  (ii) withdraws its  recommendation to the
               Company  Stockholders  of this  Agreement  or the Merger or (iii)
               after the receipt of an  Acquisition  Proposal,  fails to confirm
               publicly,  within ten days after the  request  of  Acquiror,  its
               recommendation  to the  Company  Stockholders  that  the  Company
               Stockholders  adopt and approve this  Agreement and the Merger or
               (B) if the Company or any of its Representatives takes any of the
               actions that would be  proscribed  byss.5(h)  above,  but for the
               exceptions  therein allowing certain actions to be taken pursuant
               to the proviso in the first sentence ofss.5(h)(ii) above;

                    (vi)   This Agreement may be terminated by the Company,  and
               the Merger may be abandoned, (A) if the Acquiror Board (i) enters
               into  or  publicly  announces  its  intention  to  enter  into an
               agreement or agreement in principle  with respect to a Prohibited
               Acquiror Acquisition Proposal,  (ii) withdraws its recommendation
               to the  Acquiror  Stockholders  that  the  Acquiror  Stockholders
               approve the issuance of Acquiror  Shares in  connection  with the
               Merger as provided by the Agreement  or, if  necessary,  that the
               Acquiror  Stockholders approve an amendment to the certificate of
               incorporation  of Acquiror to increase the  authorized  number of
               Acquiror Shares or (iii) after receipt of a Acquiror  Acquisition
               Proposal,  fails to publicly  confirm,  within ten days after the
               request  of the  Company,  its  recommendation  to  the  Acquiror
               Stockholders  described  in the  foregoing  clause (ii) or (B) if
               Acquiror or any of its  Representatives  takes any of the actions
               that would be proscribed byss.5(i) but for the exceptions therein
               allowing  certain  actions to be taken pursuant to the proviso in
               the first sentence ofss.5(i)(ii);

                    (vii)    Either Party may terminate this Agreement,  and the
               Merger may be abandoned,  by giving  written  notice to the other
               Party at any time after the Company  Special Meeting in the event
               that  (1) this  Agreement  and the  Merger  fail to  receive  the

                                      -49-


<PAGE>


               Requisite Stockholder Approval by the Company Stockholders or (2)
               or  dissenters  rights are  exercised  by the  holders of Company
               Shares  having an aggregate  value (based upon the Closing  Sales
               Price  per  Company  Share on the date  immediately  prior to the
               scheduled Closing Date) in excess of $2,500,000; and

                    (viii)    Either Party may terminate this Agreement, and the
               Merger may be abandoned,  by giving  written  notice to the other
               Party at any time after the Acquiror Special Meeting in the event
               that this  Agreement and the Merger fail to receive the Requisite
               Stockholder Approval by the Acquiror Stockholders.

               (b)    EFFECT OF TERMINATION.

                      (i)   Except as provided in clauses  (ii) or (iii) of this
               ss.7(b),  if any Party  terminates  this  Agreement  pursuant  to
               ss.7(a)  above,   all  rights  and  obligations  of  the  Parties
               hereunder shall  terminate  without any liability of either Party
               to the other Party (except for any liability of any Party then in
               breach);   PROVIDED,   HOWEVER,   that  the   provisions  of  the
               Confidentiality  Agreement,  this  ss.7(b) and ss.8 below,  shall
               survive any such termination.

                      (ii)   If  this Agreement is terminated (A) by the Company
               pursuant  to  ss.7(a)(vii)(1)  or (B)  by  Acquiror  pursuant  to
               ss.7(a)(v)  or  ss.7(a)(vii)(1),  or  (C)  any  Person  makes  an
               Acquisition  Proposal  that remains in effect on the date 60 days
               prior to the Outside Date and the Requisite  Stockholder Approval
               of the Company  Stockholders is not obtained prior to termination
               of this Agreement  pursuant to ss.7(a)(ii),  then, within 60 days
               after such termination, the Company shall pay Acquiror the sum of
               $1,000,000 in immediately available funds.

                     (iii)   If this  Agreement is  terminated  (A)  by Acquiror
               pursuant  to  ss.7(a)(viii)  or (B) by the  Company  pursuant  to
               ss.7(a)(vi) or ss.7(a)(viii) or (C) any person makes a Prohibited
               Acquiror  Acquisition Proposal that remains in effect on the date
               60 days prior to the Outside Date and the  Requisite  Stockholder
               Approval of the Acquiror  Stockholders  is not obtained  prior to
               termination  of this  Agreement  pursuant to  ss.7(a)(ii),  then,
               within 60 days after  such  termination,  Acquiror  shall pay the
               Company the sum of $1,000,000 in immediately available funds.

          8.   MISCELLANEOUS.

               (a)  SURVIVAL. None  of  the   representations,  warranties   and
covenants of the Parties (other than the provisions in ss.2  concerning  payment
of the Merger  Consideration,  the  provisions  in  ss.5(j),  ss.5(l),  ss.5(m),
ss.5(p) and ss.5(q) shall survive the Effective Time.

                (b) PRESS  RELEASES  AND PUBLIC  ANNOUNCEMENTS.  No Party  shall
issue any press release or make any public announcement  relating to the subject
matter  of this  Agreement  without  the  prior  written  approval  of the other
Parties;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that any Party may make any public  disclosure it
believes in good faith is required by  applicable  law or any listing or trading

                                      -50-


<PAGE>

agreement   concerning  its  publicly-traded   securities  (in  which  case  the
disclosing  Party will use all  reasonable  efforts to advise the other  Parties
prior to making the disclosure).

                (c)  NO THIRD-PARTY BENEFICIARIES.  This   Agreement  shall  not
confer any rights or remedies  upon any Person  other than the Parties and their
respective  successors and permitted assigns;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that (i) the
provisions in ss.2 above (A) concerning payment of the Merger  Consideration are
intended  for the benefit of the Company  Stockholders  and (B)  concerning  the
conversion  of the stock  options are intended for the benefit of the holders of
such stock options,  (ii) the provisions in ss.5(j) above  concerning  insurance
and  indemnification  are intended for the benefit of the individuals  specified
therein and their respective legal  representatives  and (iii) the provisions of
ss.5(l),  ss.5(m)  and  ss.5(p)  are  intended  for the  benefit of the  Company
Stockholders.

                (d)  ENTIRE  AGREEMENT.  This  Agreement  (including the
Confidentiality   Agreement  and  the  other   documents   referred  to  herein)
constitutes  the entire  agreement  among the Parties and  supersedes  any prior
understandings,  agreements or representations by or among the Parties,  written
or oral, to the extent they related in any way to the subject matter hereof.

                (e)  BINDING  EFFECT;   ASSIGNMENT.  This  Agreement  shall   be
binding  upon and inure to the  benefit  of the  Parties  and  their  respective
successors and permitted  assigns.  No Party may assign or delegate  either this
Agreement or any of its rights, interests or obligations hereunder, by operation
of law or otherwise,  without the prior written  approval of the other  Parties.
Any purported  assignment or delegation  without such approval shall be void and
of no effect.

                (f)  COUNTERPARTS.  This Agreement may be executed (including by
facsimile)  in one or more  counterparts,  each of  which  shall  be  deemed  an
original but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument.

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

                (h)  NOTICES.  All notices, requests, demands,  claims and other
communications hereunder shall be in writing. Any notice, request, demand, claim
or other  communication  hereunder  shall be deemed  duly given if (and then two
business days after) it is sent by registered or certified mail,  return receipt
requested,  postage prepaid and addressed to the intended recipient as set forth
below:

                                      -51-



<PAGE>


         IF TO THE COMPANY:              OpenROUTE Networks, Inc.
                                         Nine Technology Drive
                                         Westborough, Massachusetts 01581
                                         Attention:  President
                                         Telephone: (508) 898-2121
                                         Facsimile:   (508) 836-5396

         WITH A COPY TO:                 Swidler Berlin Shereff Friedman, LLP
                                         3000 K. Street, N.W., Suite 300
                                         Washington, D.C. 20007
                                         Attention:  Sean P. McGuinness, Esq.
                                         Telephone:  (202) 945-6979
                                         Facsimile:  (202) 424-7643

         IF TO ACQUIROR:                 Netrix Corporation
                                         13595 Dulles Technology Drive
                                         Herndon, Virginia 20171
                                         Attention:  Chairman
                                         Telephone:  (703) 742-6000
                                         Facsimile:  (703) 793-2060

         WITH A COPY TO:                 Kelley Drye & Warren LLP
                                         Two Stamford Plaza
                                         281 Tresser Boulevard
                                         Stamford, Connecticut 06901
                                         Attention:  Jay R. Schifferli
                                         Telephone:  (203) 351-8023
                                         Facsimile:  (203) 327-2669

Either Party may send any notice, request,  demand, claim or other communication
hereunder  to the  intended  recipient  at the  address  set forth  above  using
personal delivery,  expedited courier,  messenger service,  telecopy or ordinary
mail, but no such notice, request, demand, claim or other communication shall be
deemed to have been duly given  unless and until it  actually is received by the
intended  recipient.  Either  Party may  change the  address  to which  notices,
requests, demands, claims and other communications hereunder are to be delivered
by  giving  the other  Party  notice in the  manner  set forth in this  ss.8(h),
provided that no such change of address shall be effective  until it actually is
received by the intended recipient.

          (i)  GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND  CONSTRUED
IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH THE DOMESTIC  LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT  GIVING
EFFECT TO ANY CHOICE OR CONFLICT OF LAW  PROVISION OR RULE (WHETHER OF THE STATE
OF NEW YORK OR ANY OTHER  JURISDICTION)  THAT WOULD CAUSE THE APPLICATION OF THE
LAWS OF ANY JURISDICTION OTHER THAN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

          (j)  AMENDMENTS  AND  WAIVERS. The  Parties  may  mutually  amend  any
provision  of this  Agreement at any time prior to the  Effective  Time with the
prior authorization of their respective boards of directors;  PROVIDED, HOWEVER,

                                      -52-



<PAGE>

that any amendment effected subsequent to Requisite Stockholder Approval will be
subject to the restrictions  contained in the Massachusetts Business Corporation
Law and the  Delaware  General  Corporation  Law, to the extent  applicable.  No
amendment  of any  provision  of this  Agreement  shall be valid unless the same
shall be in writing and signed by all of the Parties.  No waiver by any Party of
any  default,  misrepresentation  or breach of warranty  or covenant  hereunder,
whether intentional or not, shall be deemed to extend to any prior or subsequent
default, misrepresentation or breach of warranty or covenant hereunder or affect
in any way any  rights  arising  by  virtue  of any  prior  or  subsequent  such
occurrence.

          (k)  SEVERABILITY.  Any  term or provision of this  Agreement  that is
invalid or unenforceable  in any situation in any jurisdiction  shall not affect
the validity or  enforceability  of the remaining terms and provisions hereof or
the validity or  enforceability  of the offending term or provision in any other
situation or in any other jurisdiction.

          (l)   EXPENSES.  Except  as  expressly  set  forth  elsewhere  in this
Agreement,  each of the Parties will bear its own costs and expenses  (including
legal fees and  expenses)  incurred in  connection  with this  Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby.

          (m)   CONSTRUCTION.  The  Parties  have  participated   jointly in the
negotiation  and  drafting  of this  Agreement.  In the  event an  ambiguity  or
question of intent or interpretation  arises,  this Agreement shall be construed
as if drafted jointly by the Parties and no presumption or burden of proof shall
arise  favoring or  disfavoring  any Party by virtue of the authorship of any of
the provisions of this Agreement.  Any reference to any federal, state, local or
foreign  statute  or law  shall  be  deemed  also  to  refer  to all  rules  and
regulations promulgated  thereunder,  unless the context otherwise requires. The
word "including" shall mean including without  limitation.  The phrase "business
day" shall mean any day other than a day on which banks in the State of New York
are required or authorized to be closed. Disclosure of any matter in the Company
Disclosure  Letter  or the  Acquiror  Disclosure  Letter  shall not be deemed an
admission that such matter is material.

           (n)  INCORPORATION  OF EXHIBITS.  The  Exhibits  identified  in  this
Agreement are incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.

           (o)  DEFINITION OF KNOWLEDGE.  As used herein, the words  "knowledge"
or "known" shall, (i) with respect to the Company,  mean the actual knowledge of
the  corporate  executive  officers  of the  Company,  in each case  after  such
individuals  have made due and diligent  inquiry as to the matters which are the
subject  of the  statements  which are  "known"  by the  Company  or made to the
"knowledge" of the Company,  and (ii) with respect to Acquiror,  mean the actual
knowledge of the corporate  executive  officers of Acquiror,  in each case after
such  individuals have made due and diligent inquiry as to the matters which are
the  subject of the  statements  which are  "known" by  Acquiror  or made to the
"knowledge" of Acquiror.

           (p)  WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH OF ACQUIROR AND THE COMPANY, AND EACH
INDEMNIFIED PARTY, HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY
LAW,  ALL  RIGHTS TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY  ACTION,  PROCEEDING  OR  COUNTERCLAIM

                                      -53-


<PAGE>

(WHETHER BASED UPON CONTRACT,  TORT OR OTHERWISE)  ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO
THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

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

                            OPENROUTE NETWORKS, INC.



                            By: /s/ Bryan R. Holley
                                 ___________________________________________
                            Name:   Bryan R. Holley
                            Title:  Chief Executive Officer and President



                            By: /s/ Henry Barber
                               ____________________________________________
                            Name:   Henry Barber
                            Title:  Vice President-Finance and Administration,
                                    Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Clerk

                            NETRIX CORPORATION



                            By: /s/ Steven T. Francesco
                               _____________________________________________
                            Name:  Steven T. Francesco
                            Title:











                                      -54-


<PAGE>


                                VOTING AGREEMENT

      VOTING AGREEMENT, dated as of September 30, 1999 (this "Agreement"), by
and between OpenROUTE Networks, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation (the
"Company"), and Howard Salwen, the holder (the "Holder") of shares of the common
stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Company Shares"), of the Company.

                                   WITNESSETH:

      WHEREAS, the Company and Netrix Corporation, a Delaware corporation
("Netrix"), propose to enter into an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of
the date hereof (the "Merger Agreement"; capitalized terms used herein and not
otherwise defined are used herein as defined in the Merger Agreement), pursuant
to which the Company will be merged (the "Merger") with and into Netrix, and
each of the outstanding Company Shares will be converted into the right to
receive one share of the common stock, par value $.01 per share, of Netrix (the
"Acquiror Shares"), pursuant to and in accordance with the terms and conditions
set forth in the Merger Agreement;

      WHEREAS, the Holder, individually or as trustee or custodian, is the owner
of the number of Company Shares set forth opposite the Holder's name on Schedule
I to this Agreement (the "Subject Shares"); and

      WHEREAS, as a condition of its entering into the Merger Agreement, the
Company has requested that the Holder agree, and the Holder has agreed, to vote
the Subject Shares and to grant the Company an irrevocable proxy to vote the
Subject Shares upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.

      NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
and covenants hereinafter set forth, and intending to be legally bound hereby,
the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

      1. AGREEMENT TO VOTE SHARES. At every annual or special meeting of the
shareholders of the Company and at every continuation or adjournment thereof,
and on every action or approval by written consent of the shareholders of the
Company in lieu of any such meeting, the Holder (i) shall vote the Subject
Shares in favor of approval of the Merger Agreement and the Merger and any
matter that could reasonably be expected to facilitate the Merger, and (ii)
shall vote the Subject Shares against any proposal made in opposition to
consummation of the Merger.

      2. IRREVOCABLE PROXY. Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement,
the Holder is delivering to the Company a proxy in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit A, which shall be irrevocable to the full extent permitted by law, with
respect to the Subject Shares.



<PAGE>


      3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE HOLDER. The Holder hereby
represents and warrants to the Company that:

      (a) This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Holder, and
      is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Holder;

      (b) No consent of any court, governmental authority, beneficiary,
      co-trustee or other person is necessary for the execution, delivery and
      performance of this Agreement by the Holder;

      (c) The Subject Shares are owned free and clear of any pledge, lien,
      security interest, charge, claim, equity or encumbrance of any kind, other
      than this Agreement;

      (d) The Holder has the present power and right to vote all of the Subject
      Shares; and

      (e) Except as provided herein, the Holder has not (i) granted any
      power-of-attorney or other authorization or interest with respect to any
      of the Subject Shares, (ii) deposited any of the Subject Shares into a
      voting trust, or (iii) entered into any voting agreement or other
      arrangement with respect to the voting of any of the Subject Shares.

      4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY. The Company hereby
represents and warrants to the Holder that:

      (a) This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company,
      and is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company;

      (b) No consent of any court, governmental authority, beneficiary,
      co-trustee or other person is necessary for the execution, delivery and
      performance of this Agreement by the Company; and

      (c) All of the Subject Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued
      and are fully paid and nonassessable.

      5. COVENANTS OF THE HOLDER. The Holder hereby agrees and covenants that
any shares of capital stock of the Company (including Company Shares) that the
Holder purchases or with respect to which the Holder otherwise acquires
beneficial ownership after the date of this Agreement and prior to the
termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 8 shall be considered "Subject
Shares" and subject to each of the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

      6. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY. The Company hereby agrees and covenants that:

                                       2


<PAGE>


      (a) The Company will not, and will cause its stock transfer agent not to,
      register the transfer of any of the Subject Shares on the stock transfer
      ledger of the Company at any time prior to the termination of this
      Agreement pursuant to Section 8; and

      (b) The Company agrees that any shares of capital stock of the Company
      (including the Company Shares) that the Holder purchases or with respect
      to which the Holder otherwise acquires beneficial ownership after the date
      of this Agreement and prior to the termination of this Agreement pursuant
      to Section 8 shall be considered "Subject Shares" and subject to each of
      the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

      7. ADJUSTMENT UPON CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION. In the event of any changes
in the Company Shares by reason of stock dividends, split-ups,
recapitalizations, combinations, exchanges of shares or the like, the number of
Subject Shares shall be adjusted appropriately.

      8. TERMINATION. This Agreement shall terminate on the earlier of (a) the
Effective Time, (b) at any time upon written notice by the Company to the Holder
terminating this Agreement, or (c) the later of March 31, 2000 or 30 calendar
days after the date on which the Merger Agreement is terminated.

      9. NOTICES. All notices and other communications given or made pursuant
hereto shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given or made
as of the date delivered, mailed or transmitted, and shall be effective upon
receipt, if delivered personally or mailed by registered or certified mail
(postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the parties at the following
addresses (or to such other address for a party as shall be specified by like
change of address), or sent by electronic transmission with confirmation
received, to the telecopy number specified below, if any:

            (a)   if to the Holder:

                  Howard Salwen
                  c/o OpenROUTE Networks, Inc.
                  Nine Technology Drive
                  Westborough, Massachusetts 01581

            (b)   if to the Company:

                  OpenROUTE Networks, Inc.
                  Nine Technology Drive
                  Westborough, Massachusetts 01581
                  Attention:  Chief Executive Officer
                  Facsimile:  (508) 836-5396

                                       3


<PAGE>


      10. HEADINGS. The headings contained in this Agreement are for reference
purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of
this Agreement.

      11. SEVERABILITY. If any term or other provision of this Agreement is
invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of law, or public
policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless
remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of
the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner adverse to
any party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid,
illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in
good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the
parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner to the end that
transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the extent possible.

      12. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and
supersedes all prior agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among
the parties, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof and,
except as otherwise expressly provided herein, are not intended to confer upon
any other person any rights or remedies hereunder.

      13. ASSIGNMENT. This Agreement shall not be assigned by operation of law
or otherwise.

      14. AMENDMENT. This Agreement may not be modified, amended or waived in
any manner except by an instrument in writing signed by each of the parties
hereto. Except as is provided in Section 8, this Agreement may only be
terminated in a writing signed by each of the parties hereto. The waiver by any
party of compliance with any provision of this Agreement by any other party
shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other provision of this
Agreement, or of any subsequent breach by such party of a provision of this
Agreement.

      15. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

      16. SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE. The parties hereto agree that irreparable damage
would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not
performed in accordance with their specified terms or were otherwise breached.
It is accordingly agreed that the parties shall be entitled to an injunction or
injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically
the terms and provisions hereof in any court of the United States or any state
thereof having jurisdiction, this being in addition to any other remedy to which
they are entitled at law or in equity.

      17. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each

                                       4



<PAGE>

of which when executed shall be deemed to be an original but all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been executed by each of the
parties hereto individually, by its duly authorized officer or in its capacity
as a duly authorized trustee or custodian, all as of the date first above
written.

                              OpenROUTE Networks, Inc.


                              By:  /s/
                                 -------------------------------
                              Name:
                              Title:

                              THE HOLDER

                                   /s/ Howard Salwen
                              --------------------------------------
                               Name: Howard Salwen











                                       5
<PAGE>



                                   SCHEDULE I



HOLDER                                          NUMBER OF SHARES

Howard Salwen


<PAGE>



                                                                       EXHIBIT A

                            FORM OF IRREVOCABLE PROXY

                                IRREVOCABLE PROXY

      The undersigned shareholder of OpenROUTE Networks, a Massachusetts
corporation (the "Company"), hereby irrevocably (to the full extent permitted by
law) appoints and constitutes Bryan Holley, Chief Executive Officer of the
Company, and Henry Barber, Vice President of Finance, Chief Financial Officer,
Treasurer and Clerk of the Company, in their respective capacities and officers
of the Company, and any individuals, who shall hereafter succeed to such
offices, and the Company, and each of them, the attorneys and proxies of the
undersigned with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to the full
extent of the undersigned's rights with respect to the shares of capital stock
of the Company beneficially owned by the undersigned, which shares are listed on
the final page of this Proxy (the "Shares"), and any and all other shares or
securities issued or issuable in respect thereof on or after the date hereof,
until such time as the Voting Agreement, dated as of September 30, 1999 (the
"Voting Agreement"), between the Company and the undersigned, shall be
terminated in accordance with its terms. Upon the execution hereof, all prior
proxies given by the undersigned with respect to the Shares and any and all
other shares or securities issued or issuable in respect thereof on or after the
date hereof are hereby revoked and no subsequent proxies will be given.

      This proxy is irrevocable (to the full extent permitted by law) and is
granted in connection with the Voting Agreement and is granted in consideration
of the Company entering into the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of
September 30, 1999 (the "Merger Agreement"), between the Company and Netrix
Corporation, a Delaware corporation.

      The attorneys and proxies named above will be empowered at any time prior
to termination of the Voting Agreement to exercise all voting and other rights
(including, without limitation, the power to execute and deliver written
consents with respect to the Shares) of the undersigned at every annual or
special meeting of the shareholders of the Company and at every continuation or
adjournment thereof, and on every action or approval by written consent of the
shareholders of the Company in lieu of any such meeting, (i) in favor of
approval of the Merger Agreement and the Merger and any matter that could
reasonably be expected to facilitate the Merger and (ii) against approval of any
proposal made in opposition to consummation of the Merger.







<PAGE>

      The attorneys and proxies named above may only exercise this proxy to vote
the Shares subject hereto at any time prior to termination of the Voting
Agreement at every annual or special meeting of the shareholders of the Company
and at every continuation or adjournment thereof, and on every action or
approval by written consent of the shareholders of the Company in lieu of any
such meeting, (i) in favor of approval of the Merger Agreement and the Merger
and any matter that could reasonably be expected to facilitate the Merger and
(ii) against approval of any proposal made in opposition to or competition with
consummation of the Merger. The undersigned shareholder may vote the Shares on
all other matters.

      Any obligation of the undersigned hereunder shall be binding upon the
successors and assigns of the undersigned.

      This proxy is irrevocable.


      Dated: September 30, 1999


      Signature of Shareholder:_____________________________________
      Print name of Shareholder: Howard Salwen


Shares beneficially owned: ______________ shares



















                                       2


<PAGE>
                                VOTING AGREEMENT

      VOTING AGREEMENT, dated as of September 30, 1999 (this "Agreement"), by
and between OpenROUTE Networks, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation (the
"Company"), and Bryan Holley, the holder (the "Holder") of shares of the common
stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Company Shares"), of the Company.

                                   WITNESSETH:

      WHEREAS, the Company and Netrix Corporation, a Delaware corporation
("Netrix"), propose to enter into an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of
the date hereof (the "Merger Agreement"; capitalized terms used herein and not
otherwise defined are used herein as defined in the Merger Agreement), pursuant
to which the Company will be merged (the "Merger") with and into Netrix, and
each of the outstanding Company Shares will be converted into the right to
receive one share of the common stock, par value $.01 per share, of Netrix (the
"Acquiror Shares"), pursuant to and in accordance with the terms and conditions
set forth in the Merger Agreement;

      WHEREAS, the Holder, individually or as trustee or custodian, is the owner
of the number of Company Shares set forth opposite the Holder's name on Schedule
I to this Agreement (the "Subject Shares"); and

      WHEREAS, as a condition of its entering into the Merger Agreement, the
Company has requested that the Holder agree, and the Holder has agreed, to vote
the Subject Shares and to grant the Company an irrevocable proxy to vote the
Subject Shares upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.

      NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
and covenants hereinafter set forth, and intending to be legally bound hereby,
the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

      1. AGREEMENT TO VOTE SHARES. At every annual or special meeting of the
shareholders of the Company and at every continuation or adjournment thereof,
and on every action or approval by written consent of the shareholders of the
Company in lieu of any such meeting, the Holder (i) shall vote the Subject
Shares in favor of approval of the Merger Agreement and the Merger and any
matter that could reasonably be expected to facilitate the Merger, and (ii)
shall vote the Subject Shares against any proposal made in opposition to
consummation of the Merger.

      2. IRREVOCABLE PROXY. Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement,
the Holder is delivering to the Company a proxy in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit A, which shall be irrevocable to the full extent permitted by law, with
respect to the Subject Shares.



<PAGE>


      3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE HOLDER. The Holder hereby
represents and warrants to the Company that:

      (a) This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Holder, and
      is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Holder;

      (b) No consent of any court, governmental authority, beneficiary,
      co-trustee or other person is necessary for the execution, delivery and
      performance of this Agreement by the Holder;

      (c) The Subject Shares are owned free and clear of any pledge, lien,
      security interest, charge, claim, equity or encumbrance of any kind, other
      than this Agreement;

      (d) The Holder has the present power and right to vote all of the Subject
      Shares; and

      (e) Except as provided herein, the Holder has not (i) granted any
      power-of-attorney or other authorization or interest with respect to any
      of the Subject Shares, (ii) deposited any of the Subject Shares into a
      voting trust, or (iii) entered into any voting agreement or other
      arrangement with respect to the voting of any of the Subject Shares.

      4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY. The Company hereby
represents and warrants to the Holder that:

      (a) This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company,
      and is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company;

      (b) No consent of any court, governmental authority, beneficiary,
      co-trustee or other person is necessary for the execution, delivery and
      performance of this Agreement by the Company; and

      (c) All of the Subject Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued
      and are fully paid and nonassessable.

      5. COVENANTS OF THE HOLDER. The Holder hereby agrees and covenants that
any shares of capital stock of the Company (including Company Shares) that the
Holder purchases or with respect to which the Holder otherwise acquires
beneficial ownership after the date of this Agreement and prior to the
termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 8 shall be considered "Subject
Shares" and subject to each of the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

      6. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY. The Company hereby agrees and covenants that:


                                       2


<PAGE>


      (a) The Company will not, and will cause its stock transfer agent not to,
      register the transfer of any of the Subject Shares on the stock transfer
      ledger of the Company at any time prior to the termination of this
      Agreement pursuant to Section 8; and

      (b) The Company agrees that any shares of capital stock of the Company
      (including the Company Shares) that the Holder purchases or with respect
      to which the Holder otherwise acquires beneficial ownership after the date
      of this Agreement and prior to the termination of this Agreement pursuant
      to Section 8 shall be considered "Subject Shares" and subject to each of
      the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

      7. ADJUSTMENT UPON CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION. In the event of any changes
in the Company Shares by reason of stock dividends, split-ups,
recapitalizations, combinations, exchanges of shares or the like, the number of
Subject Shares shall be adjusted appropriately.

      8. TERMINATION. This Agreement shall terminate on the earlier of (a) the
Effective Time, (b) at any time upon written notice by the Company to the Holder
terminating this Agreement or (c) the later of March 31, 2000 or 30 calendar
days after the date on which the Merger Agreement is terminated.

      9. NOTICES. All notices and other communications given or made pursuant
hereto shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given or made
as of the date delivered, mailed or transmitted, and shall be effective upon
receipt, if delivered personally or mailed by registered or certified mail
(postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the parties at the following
addresses (or to such other address for a party as shall be specified by like
change of address), or sent by electronic transmission with confirmation
received, to the telecopy number specified below, if any:

            (a)   if to the Holder:

                  Bryan Holley
                  c/o OpenROUTE Networks, Inc.
                  Nine Technology Drive
                  Westborough, Massachusetts 01581

            (b)   if to the Company:

                  OpenROUTE Networks, Inc.
                  Nine Technology Drive
                  Westborough, Massachusetts 01581
                  Attention:  Chief Executive Officer
                  Facsimile:  (508) 836-5396

                                       3


<PAGE>


      10. HEADINGS. The headings contained in this Agreement are for reference
purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of
this Agreement.

      11. SEVERABILITY. If any term or other provision of this Agreement is
invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of law, or public
policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless
remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of
the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner adverse to
any party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid,
illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in
good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the
parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner to the end that
transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the extent possible.

      12. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and
supersedes all prior agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among
the parties, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof and,
except as otherwise expressly provided herein, are not intended to confer upon
any other person any rights or remedies hereunder.

      13. ASSIGNMENT. This Agreement shall not be assigned by operation of law
or otherwise.

      14. AMENDMENT. This Agreement may not be modified, amended or waived in
any manner except by an instrument in writing signed by each of the parties
hereto. Except as is provided in Section 8, this Agreement may only be
terminated in a writing signed by each of the parties hereto. The waiver by any
party of compliance with any provision of this Agreement by any other party
shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other provision of this
Agreement, or of any subsequent breach by such party of a provision of this
Agreement.

      15. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

      16. SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE. The parties hereto agree that irreparable damage
would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not
performed in accordance with their specified terms or were otherwise breached.
It is accordingly agreed that the parties shall be entitled to an injunction or
injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically
the terms and provisions hereof in any court of the United States or any state

                                       4


<PAGE>

thereof having jurisdiction, this being in addition to any other remedy to which
they are entitled at law or in equity.

      17. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each
of which when executed shall be deemed to be an original but all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been executed by each of the
parties hereto individually, by its duly authorized officer or in its capacity
as a duly authorized trustee or custodian, all as of the date first above
written.

                              OpenROUTE Networks, Inc.


                              By: /s/
                                 --------------------------------
                              Name:
                              Title:

                              THE HOLDER

                                   /s/ Bryan Holley
                              --------------------------------------
                               Name: Bryan Holley





                                       5

<PAGE>



                                   SCHEDULE I



HOLDER                                          NUMBER OF SHARES

Bryan Holley




























<PAGE>



                                                                       EXHIBIT A

                            FORM OF IRREVOCABLE PROXY

                                IRREVOCABLE PROXY

      The undersigned shareholder of OpenROUTE Networks, a Massachusetts
corporation (the "Company"), hereby irrevocably (to the full extent permitted by
law) appoints and constitutes Henry Barber, Vice President of Finance, Chief
Financial Officer, Treasurer and Clerk of the Company, in his capacities as an
officer of the Company, and any individual(s), who shall hereafter succeed to
such offices, and the Company, and each of them, the attorneys and proxies of
the undersigned with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to the full
extent of the undersigned's rights with respect to the shares of capital stock
of the Company beneficially owned by the undersigned, which shares are listed on
the final page of this Proxy (the "Shares"), and any and all other shares or
securities issued or issuable in respect thereof on or after the date hereof,
until such time as the Voting Agreement, dated as of September 30, 1999 (the
"Voting Agreement"), between the Company and the undersigned, shall be
terminated in accordance with its terms. Upon the execution hereof, all prior
proxies given by the undersigned with respect to the Shares and any and all
other shares or securities issued or issuable in respect thereof on or after the
date hereof are hereby revoked and no subsequent proxies will be given.

      This proxy is irrevocable (to the full extent permitted by law) and is
granted in connection with the Voting Agreement and is granted in consideration
of the Company entering into the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of
September 30, 1999 (the "Merger Agreement"), between the Company and Netrix
Corporation, a Delaware corporation.

      The attorneys and proxies named above will be empowered at any time prior
to termination of the Voting Agreement to exercise all voting and other rights
(including, without limitation, the power to execute and deliver written
consents with respect to the Shares) of the undersigned at every annual or
special meeting of the shareholders of the Company and at every continuation or
adjournment thereof, and on every action or approval by written consent of the
shareholders of the Company in lieu of any such meeting, (i) in favor of



<PAGE>

approval of the Merger Agreement and the Merger and any matter that could
reasonably be expected to facilitate the Merger and (ii) against approval of any
proposal made in opposition to consummation of the Merger.

      The attorneys and proxies named above may only exercise this proxy to vote
the Shares subject hereto at any time prior to termination of the Voting
Agreement at every annual or special meeting of the shareholders of the Company
and at every continuation or adjournment thereof, and on every action or
approval by written consent of the shareholders of the Company in lieu of any
such meeting, (i) in favor of approval of the Merger Agreement and the Merger
and any matter that could reasonably be expected to facilitate the Merger and
(ii) against approval of any proposal made in opposition to or competition with
consummation of the Merger. The undersigned shareholder may vote the Shares on
all other matters.

      Any obligation of the undersigned hereunder shall be binding upon the
successors and assigns of the undersigned.

      This proxy is irrevocable.


      Dated: September 30, 1999


      Signature of Shareholder:_____________________________________
      Print name of Shareholder: Bryan Holley


Shares beneficially owned: ______________ shares










                                       2




<PAGE>
                                VOTING AGREEMENT

      VOTING AGREEMENT,  dated as of September 30, 1999 (this  "Agreement"),  by
and between Netrix  Corporation,  a Delaware  corporation (the  "Company"),  and
Steven T.  Francesco,  the holder (the  "Holder") of shares of the common stock,
par value $.05 per share (the "Company Shares"), of the Company.

                                   WITNESSETH:

      WHEREAS,  the  Company  and  OpenROUTE  Networks,  Inc.,  a  Massachusetts
corporation ("OpenROUTE"), propose to enter into an Agreement and Plan of Merger
dated as of the date  hereof (the  "Merger  Agreement";  capitalized  terms used
herein  and not  otherwise  defined  are used  herein as  defined  in the Merger
Agreement),  pursuant to which  OpenROUTE will be merged (the "Merger") with and
into the Company,  and each of the outstanding  shares of OpenROUTE common stock
will be converted  into the right to receive one share of the common stock,  par
value $.05 per share,  of the Company,  pursuant to and in  accordance  with the
terms and conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement;

      WHEREAS, the Holder, individually or as trustee or custodian, is the owner
of Company Shares (the "Subject Shares"); and

      WHEREAS,  as a condition of its entering  into the Merger  Agreement,  the
Company has requested that the Holder agree, and the Holder has agreed,  to vote
the  Subject  Shares and to grant the Company an  irrevocable  proxy to vote the
Subject Shares upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.

      NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the mutual agreements
and covenants  hereinafter set forth,  and intending to be legally bound hereby,
the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

      1.  AGREEMENT  TO VOTE SHARES.  At every annual or special  meeting of the
shareholders of the Company and at every  continuation  or adjournment  thereof,
and on every action or approval by written  consent of the  shareholders  of the
Company in lieu of any such  meeting,  the  Holder:  (i) shall vote the  Subject
Shares in favor of  approval  of the  Merger  Agreement  and the  Merger and any
matter that could  reasonably  be expected to  facilitate  the Merger;  and (ii)
shall vote the  Subject  Shares  against  any  proposal  made in  opposition  to
consummation of the Merger.

      2. IRREVOCABLE  PROXY.  Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement,
the Holder is delivering  to the Company a proxy in the form attached  hereto as
Exhibit A, which shall be irrevocable to the full extent  permitted by law, with
respect to the Subject Shares.


<PAGE>


      3.  REPRESENTATIONS  AND  WARRANTIES  OF THE  HOLDER.  The  Holder  hereby
represents and warrants to the Company that:

     (a)  This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Holder, and
          is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Holder;

     (b)  No  consent  of  any  court,   governmental  authority,   beneficiary,
          co-trustee  or other person is necessary for the  execution,  delivery
          and performance of this Agreement by the Holder;

     (c)  The  Subject  Shares  are owned  free and clear of any  pledge,  lien,
          security interest,  charge,  claim, equity or encumbrance of any kind,
          other than this Agreement;

     (d)  The Holder has the present  power and right to vote all of the Subject
          Shares; and

     (e)  Except as  provided  herein,  the  Holder  has not:  (i)  granted  any
          power-of-attorney  or other  authorization or interest with respect to
          any of the Subject  Shares;  (ii)  deposited any of the Subject Shares
          into a voting  trust;  or (iii)  entered into any voting  agreement or
          other  arrangement  with  respect to the voting of any of the  Subject
          Shares.

      4.  REPRESENTATIONS  AND  WARRANTIES OF  THE  COMPANY.  The Company hereby
represents and warrants to the Holder that:

     (a)  This  Agreement  has been duly  executed and delivered by the Company,
          and is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company;

     (b)  No  consent  of  any  court,   governmental  authority,   beneficiary,
          co-trustee  or other person is necessary for the  execution,  delivery
          and performance of this Agreement by the Company; and

     (c)  All of the Subject Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued
          and are fully paid and nonassessable.

      5.  COVENANTS OF THE HOLDER.  The Holder hereby agrees and covenants  that
any shares of capital stock of the Company  (including  Company Shares) that the
Holder  purchases  or with  respect  to  which  the  Holder  otherwise  acquires
beneficial  ownership  after  the  date  of  this  Agreement  and  prior  to the
termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 8 shall be considered "Subject
Shares" and subject to each of the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

      6.  COVENANTS OF  THE  COMPANY.  The Company  hereby  agrees and covenants
that:


<PAGE>


      (a)   The Company  will not, and will cause its stock  transfer  agent not
            to,  register the transfer of any of the Subject Shares on the stock
            transfer  ledger of the Company at any time prior to the termination
            of this Agreement pursuant to Section 8; and

      (b)   The Company  agrees that any shares of capital  stock of the Company
            (including  the Company  Shares)  that the Holder  purchases or with
            respect to which the Holder otherwise acquires beneficial  ownership
            after the date of this  Agreement  and prior to the  termination  of
            this  Agreement  pursuant to Section 8 shall be considered  "Subject
            Shares"  and  subject  to each of the terms and  conditions  of this
            Agreement.

      7. ADJUSTMENT UPON CHANGES IN  CAPITALIZATION. In the event of any changes
in   the   Company   Shares   by   reason   of   stock   dividends,   split-ups,
recapitalizations,  combinations, exchanges of shares or the like, the number of
Subject Shares shall be adjusted appropriately.

      8.  TERMINATION. This Agreement shall terminate on the earlier of: (a) the
Effective Time; (b) at any time upon written notice by the Company to the Holder
terminating  this  Agreement;  or (c) the later of March 31, 2000 or 30 calendar
days after the date on which the Merger Agreement is terminated.

      9. NOTICES.  All notices and other  communications  given or made pursuant
hereto  shall be in writing  and shall be deemed to have been duly given or made
as of the date  delivered,  mailed or  transmitted,  and shall be effective upon
receipt,  if delivered  personally  or mailed by  registered  or certified  mail
(postage  prepaid,  return  receipt  requested)  to the parties at the following
addresses  (or to such other  address for a party as shall be  specified by like
change  of  address),  or  sent by  electronic  transmission  with  confirmation
received, to the telecopy number specified below, if any:

            (a)   if to the Holder:

                  Steven T. Francesco
                  c/o Netrix Corporation
                  13595 Dulles Technology Drive
                  Herndon, VA 20171

            (b)   if to the Company:

                  Netrix Corporation
                  Attention:  Chief Executive Officer
                  13595 Dulles Technology Drive
                  Herndon, VA 20171

      10.  HEADINGS.  The headings contained in this Agreement are for reference
purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or  interpretation  of
this Agreement.


<PAGE>


      11.  SEVERABILITY.  If any term or other  provision  of this  Agreement is
invalid,  illegal or incapable  of being  enforced by any rule of law, or public
policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless
remain in full force and effect so long as the  economic or legal  substance  of
the  transactions  contemplated  hereby is not affected in any manner adverse to
any party. Upon such  determination that any term or other provision is invalid,
illegal or incapable of being  enforced,  the parties hereto shall  negotiate in
good faith to modify this  Agreement so as to effect the original  intent of the
parties  as  closely  as  possible  in an  acceptable  manner  to the  end  that
transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the extent possible.

      12. ENTIRE AGREEMENT.  This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and
supersedes all prior agreements and  undertakings,  both written and oral, among
the  parties,  or any of them,  with respect to the subject  matter  hereof and,
except as otherwise  expressly  provided herein, are not intended to confer upon
any other person any rights or remedies hereunder.

      13.  ASSIGNMENT.  This  Agreement  shall  not  be assigned by operation of
law or otherwise.

      14.  AMENDMENT.  This Agreement may not be modified,  amended or waived in
any manner  except by an  instrument  in writing  signed by each of the  parties
hereto.  Except  as is  provided  in  Section  8,  this  Agreement  may  only be
terminated in a writing signed by each of the parties hereto.  The waiver by any
party of  compliance  with any  provision  of this  Agreement by any other party
shall not operate or be  construed  as a waiver of any other  provision  of this
Agreement,  or of any  subsequent  breach by such party of a  provision  of this
Agreement.

      15.  GOVERNING LAW.  This  Agreement  shall be  governed by, and construed
in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware.

      16. SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE. The parties hereto agree that irreparable damage
would occur in the event that any of the  provisions of this  Agreement were not
performed in accordance with their  specified terms or were otherwise  breached.
It is accordingly  agreed that the parties shall be entitled to an injunction or
injunctions to prevent  breaches of this  Agreement and to enforce  specifically
the terms and  provisions  hereof in any court of the United States or any state
thereof having jurisdiction, this being in addition to any other remedy to which
they are entitled at law or in equity.

      17.   COUNTERPARTS.  This  Agreement  may  be  executed  in  one  or  more
counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each
of which when executed  shall be deemed to be an original but all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.



<PAGE>



      IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF,  this  Agreement  has been  executed  by each of the
parties hereto  individually,  by its duly authorized officer or in its capacity
as a duly  authorized  trustee  or  custodian,  all as of the date  first  above
written.

                                 Netrix Corporation


                                  By: /s/ Peter Kendrick
                                     ------------------------------
                                      Name: Peter Kendrick
                                      Title: Chief Financial Officer


                                   THE HOLDER

                                         /s/ Steven T. Francesco
                                 --------------------------------------
                                      Name: Steven T. Francesco

<PAGE>



                            FORM OF IRREVOCABLE PROXY

                                IRREVOCABLE PROXY

      The undersigned shareholder of Netrix Corporation,  a Delaware corporation
(the  "Company"),  hereby  irrevocably  (to the full  extent  permitted  by law)
appoints and  constitutes  Peter J.  Kendrick,  Chief  Financial  Officer of the
Company, in his capacities as an officer of the Company,  and any individual(s),
who shall hereafter succeed to such offices,  and the Company, and each of them,
the attorneys and proxies of the undersigned with full power of substitution and
resubstitution,  to the full extent of the undersigned's  rights with respect to
the  shares  of  capital  stock  of  the  Company   beneficially  owned  by  the
undersigned,  which  shares  are  listed on the final  page of this  Proxy  (the
"Shares"),  and any and all other  shares or  securities  issued or  issuable in
respect  thereof  on or after the date  hereof,  until  such time as the  Voting
Agreement, dated as of September 30, 1999 (the "Voting Agreement"),  between the
Company and the  undersigned,  shall be terminated in accordance with its terms.
Upon the  execution  hereof,  all prior proxies  given by the  undersigned  with
respect  to the  Shares  and any and all other  shares or  securities  issued or
issuable in respect  thereof on or after the date hereof are hereby  revoked and
no subsequent proxies will be given.

      This proxy is  irrevocable  (to the full extent  permitted  by law) and is
granted in connection with the Voting  Agreement and is granted in consideration
of the  Company  entering  into the  Agreement  and Plan of Merger,  dated as of
September 30, 1999 (the "Merger  Agreement"),  between the Company and OpenROUTE
Networks, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation.

      The  attorneys and proxies named above will be empowered at any time prior
to termination  of the Voting  Agreement to exercise all voting and other rights
(including,  without  limitation,  the  power to  execute  and  deliver  written
consents  with  respect to the  Shares) of the  undersigned  at every  annual or
special meeting of the shareholders of the Company and at every  continuation or
adjournment  thereof,  and on every action or approval by written consent of the
shareholders  of the  Company  in lieu of any  such  meeting,  (i) in  favor  of
approval  of the Merger  Agreement  and the  Merger  and any  matter  that could
reasonably be expected to facilitate the Merger and (ii) against approval of any
proposal made in opposition to consummation of the Merger.

      The attorneys and proxies named above may only exercise this proxy to vote
the  Shares  subject  hereto  at any time  prior to  termination  of the  Voting
Agreement at every annual or special meeting of the  shareholders of the Company

<PAGE>

and at  every  continuation  or  adjournment  thereof,  and on every  action  or
approval by written  consent of the  shareholders  of the Company in lieu of any
such  meeting,  (i) in favor of approval of the Merger  Agreement and the Merger
and any matter that could  reasonably be expected to  facilitate  the Merger and
(ii) against  approval of any proposal made in opposition to or competition with
consummation of the Merger.  The undersigned  shareholder may vote the Shares on
all other matters.

      Any  obligation  of the  undersigned  hereunder  shall be binding upon the
successors and assigns of the undersigned.

      This proxy is irrevocable.


      Dated: September 30, 1999


      Signature of Shareholder:_____________________________________
      Print name of Shareholder: Steven T. Francesco


Shares beneficially owned: ______________ shares



<PAGE>


                                                   Netrix and OpenROUTE Networks
                                              Sign Definitive Agreement to Merge

CONTACTS::
NETRIX: Peter Kendrick/Tony Morris, Netrix Corporation (703) 742-6000
OpenROUTE: Henry Barber/Richard Sterry, OpenROUTE Networks (508) 898-2800
Investors: Richard Schineller/Victor Shalom, Morgen-Walke (212) 850-5600
Press: Jennifer Gery, Morgen-Walke (212) 850-5733

HERNDON, VA and WESTBORO, MA-- September 30, 1999 -- NETRIX Corporation (Nasdaq:
NTRX), a leader in Internet telephony technology, and OpenROUTE Networks, Inc.
(Nasdaq: OPEN), a leading provider of Internet access and solutions for Internet
Service Providers (ISPs), telcos, CLECs, and enterprises, today announced that
they have signed a definitive agreement to combine the two companies.

The transaction has been approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies,
but is still subject to normal conditions of closing, stockholder approval of
both companies and the required regulatory approvals. Under terms of the letter
of intent, NETRIX shareholders will retain their shares, and each share of
OpenROUTE common stock will be exchanged for one share of NETRIX common stock.

"I am pleased to have achieved this milestone," stated Steve Francesco, NETRIX's
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We can now aggressively move forward
toward closing the deal and bringing the truly state-of-the-art solutions to the
marketplace. We fully intend to be offering products based upon our combined
technologies by year end."

Bryan Holley, OpenROUTE's President and Chief Executive Officer commented, "I am
very happy that the definitive agreement has been unanimously approved by both
Boards. We can now focus on the integration and implementation elements that
will enable us as a viable player in the converged voice and data marketplace.
This will enable us to hit the ground running by the merger closing date."

NETRIX provides voice and data networking products designed to deliver
multi-service networks for the transport of voice and data. NETRIX customers
include multi-national corporations, emerging service providers, and government
agencies in over 60 countries worldwide. OpenROUTE designs and manufactures
products that connect corporate office to the Internet. OpenROUTE customers and
partners include first-tier ISPs such as PSInet, UUNET/WorldCom, MCI/Worldcom,
UltraNet/RCN and iCi/WinStar, as well as organizations like AT&T , Ameritech and
the U.S. Navy.

The merger represents a major development in the Internet telephony industry
through the melding of key product and market competencies from both companies.
NETRIX's world-class Voice over Internet Packet and Internet telephony solutions
combined with OpenROUTE's security, firewall, Virtual Private Network and
enhanced IP performance products and services will allow the merged organization
to offer a full range of scalable products delivering infrastructure-independent
virtual private voice and data networks.

ABOUT NETRIX

NETRIX Corporation is a leading worldwide provider of voice and data networking
products. NETRIX products are designed to deliver multi-service networks for the
transport of voice and data to enable its customers to provide a wide variety of
voice and data services. Combining patented, switched, compressed voice
technology and advanced networking capabilities, NETRIX delivers networking
solutions that improve network performance and deliver an array of tarrifable
network services. NETRIX's customers include multi-national corporations,
emerging service providers, and government agencies in over 60 countries
worldwide. Corporate headquarters are located at 13595 Dulles Technology Drive,
Herndon, Virginia 20171. Phone: (703) 742-6000 or 800/949-2737; Fax:
703/742-4048; Internet: http://www.netrix.com.



<PAGE>

ABOUT OPENROUTE NETWORKS

Founded in 1972, OpenROUTE developed the first multiprotocol router in 1985.
Today, OpenROUTE software powers more than 200,000 routers worldwide, and has
been licensed by IBM, Motorola, Ascend, and many other leading vendors. For
further information, contact OpenROUTE Networks, Inc., Westboro, Massachusetts
at 800/545-7464 or Internet: http://www.openroute.com.

                                      ###

This release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and
uncertainties. These statements may differ materially from actual future events
or results. Readers are referred to the documents filed by NETRIX and OpenROUTE
with the SEC, specifically the most recent reports which identify important risk
factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the
forward-looking statements, including potential fluctuations in quarterly
results, dependence on new product development, competition, ability to secure
protection for proprietary products and other intellectual property, rapid
technological and market change, failure to complete planned products on
schedule and on budget, financial risk management and future growth subject to
risks, the companies' ability to achieve Year 2000 compliance, adverse changes
in the regulatory or legislative environment, and failure to close the merger
timely or at all. The companies undertake no obligation to release publicly any
revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances
after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events


                                      -2-




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