WAVE SYSTEMS CORP
8-K, 1997-06-03
COMPUTER PERIPHERAL EQUIPMENT, NEC
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 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)     May 30, 1997


                               Wave Systems Corp.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


           Delaware                  0-24752                    13-3477246
(State or other jurisdiction       (Commission                (IRS Employer
      of incorporation)            File Number)            Identification No.)


         480 Pleasant Street, Lee, Massachusetts                01238
         (Address of principal executive offices)             (Zip Code)


     Registrant's telephone number, including area code     (413) 243-1600



<PAGE>



Item 5.           Other Events


         On May 30, 1997 Wave Systems Corp. (the "Company") issued 80,000 shares
of newly created  Series D Convertible  Preferred  Stock,  at a price of $20 per
share,  for an  aggregate  of  $1,600,000.  The  shares  were  sold  to one  (1)
accredited  investor  pursuant to Regulation D promulgated  under the Securities
Act of 1933. The Series D Convertible  Preferred  Stock is convertible  into the
Class A Common  Stock of the  Company at an  effective  conversion  price of the
lower of (i) $1.35,  or (ii) 80% of the average  closing bid price on the Nasdaq
National  Market System of the  Company's  Class A Common Stock for the five (5)
trading  days  immediately  preceding  the Date of  Conversion,  defined  in the
Certificate of Designation of the Series D Convertible  Preferred Stock attached
hereto as Exhibit 3.1.

Item 7.           Financial Statements and Exhibits

         Exhibit 3.1      Certificate of Designation of Series D Preferred Stock
                          of Wave Systems Corp. as filed with the Delaware 
                          Secretary of State on May 30, 1997.

         Exhibit 4.1      Purchase Agreement between Wave Systems Corp. and  JNC
                          Opportunity Fund Ltd., dated as of May 30, 1997.

         Exhibit 4.2      Registration Rights  Agreement  between  Wave  Systems
                          Corp. and JNC Opportunity Fund Ltd., dated as of May 
                          30, 1997.

         Exhibit 99.1     Press Release dated June 3, 1997.


<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.




                                               Wave Systems Corp.




Date: June 3, 1997                           By:      /s/ Peter J. Sprague
                                                  ------------------------------
                                               Name:  Peter J. Sprague
                                               Title: Chairman and Chief 
                                                      Executive Officer

<PAGE>


                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
                                 -------------


          Item No.                      Description
          --------                      -----------

         Exhibit 3.1      Certificate of Designation of Series D Preferred Stock
                          of Wave Systems Corp. as filed with the Delaware 
                          Secretary of State on May 30, 1997.

         Exhibit 4.1      Purchase Agreement between Wave Systems Corp. and  JNC
                          Opportunity Fund Ltd., dated as of May 30, 1997.

         Exhibit 4.2      Registration Rights  Agreement  between  Wave  Systems
                          Corp. and JNC Opportunity Fund Ltd., dated as of May 
                          30, 1997.

         Exhibit 99.1     Press Release dated June 3, 1997.







                                                                     Exhibit 3.1


                          CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION OF
                     SERIES D CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK OF
                               WAVE SYSTEMS CORP.

                  The  undersigned,  Peter J.  Sprague and James  Stokes  Hatch,
hereby certify that:

                           I.  They are the duly elected and acting Chairman and
Secretary,  respectively,  of Wave Systems  Corp., a Delaware  corporation  (the
"Company").

                           II.  The Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the
Company  authorizes  2,000,000  shares of  preferred  stock,  par value $.01 per
share,  of  which  the  following  have  been  authorized  and  are  issued  and
outstanding:  Series A Cumulative  Redeemable Preferred Stock 360 authorized and
360  outstanding,  Series  B  Preferred  Stock  500  authorized  and  no  shares
outstanding,  and Series C Convertible  Preferred  Stock 150,000  authorized and
75,000 shares outstanding.

                           III.      The following is a true and correct copy of
resolutions duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board of
Directors") at a meeting duly held May 29, 1997, which constituted all requisite
action on the part of the Company for adoption of such resolutions.

                                   RESOLUTIONS

                  WHEREAS,  the Board of Directors is  authorized to provide for
the  issuance  of the  shares  of  preferred  stock in  series,  and by filing a
certificate  pursuant  to the  applicable  law  of the  State  of  Delaware,  to
establish  from time to time the  number of shares to be  included  in each such
series,  and to fix the designations,  preferences and relative,  participating,
optional  or other  special  rights of the shares of each such  series,  and the
qualifications or restrictions thereof;

                  WHEREAS,  the  Board of  Directors  desires,  pursuant  to its
authority as aforesaid,  to designate a new series of preferred  stock,  set the
number of shares  constituting  such  series  and fix the  rights,  preferences,
privileges and restrictions of such series.

                  NOW,  THEREFORE,  BE IT RESOLVED,  that the Board of Directors
hereby  designates  a new  series of  preferred  stock and the  number of shares
constituting  such  series and fixes the  rights,  preferences,  privileges  and
restrictions relating to such series as follows:

                  1. Designation,  Amount and Par Value. The series of preferred
stock  shall be  designated  as the Series D  Convertible  Preferred  Stock (the
"Preferred  Stock"),  and the  number of shares  so  designated  shall be 80,000
(which shall not be subject to  increase).  Each share of Preferred  Stock shall
have a par  value of $.01 per share  and a stated  value of $20 per  share  (the
"Stated Value").

                  2.  Dividends.

                           (a)  Holders of  Preferred Stock shall be entitled to
receive,  when and as declared by the Board of  Directors  out of funds  legally
available therefor,  and the Company shall pay, cumulative dividends at the rate
per share (as a percentage of the Stated Value per share) equal to 6% per annum,
payable  quarterly in arrears on March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31
in each year, commencing on June 30, 1997, in cash or (subject to the provisions
of Sections  2(b) and  5(a)(ii))  shares of Class A Common  Stock (as defined in
Section 7) (determined  based upon the  Conversion  Price (as defined in Section
5(c)) on such  dividend  payment  date.  Any arrears in the payment of dividends
hereunder shall be paid on the Conversion Date (as defined in Section 5(a)(ii)).
Commencing the Original  Issue Date (as defined in Section 7),  dividends on the
Preferred  Stock shall  accrue  daily in each  quarterly  period  based upon the
actual number of days elapsed in a 360-day year and shall be deemed to accrue on
such  date  whether  or not  earned or  declared  and  whether  or not there are
profits, surplus or other funds of the Company legally available for the payment
of dividends.  The party that holds the Preferred Stock on an applicable  record
date for any dividend  payment will be entitled to receive such dividend payment
and any other accrued and unpaid  dividends which accrued prior to such dividend
payment date,  without regard to any sale or disposition of such Preferred Stock
subsequent to the applicable  record date but prior to the  applicable  dividend
payment date.  Except as otherwise  provided herein,  if at any time the Company
pays less than the total  amount of  dividends  then  accrued  on account of the
Preferred Stock, such payment shall be distributed  ratably among the holders of
the Preferred Stock based upon the number of shares held by each holder. Payment
of dividends on the  Preferred  Stock is further  subject to the  provisions  of
Section 5(c)(i).

                  (b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein,
the Company may not issue shares of Class A Common Stock in payment of dividends
on the Preferred Stock if:

                           i)  the number of shares of Class A  Common  Stock at
the time  authorized,  unissued  and  unreserved  for all  purposes,  or held as
treasury  stock, is insufficient to issue such dividends to be paid in shares of
Class A Common Stock;

                           ii) the shares of Class A Common Stock  to be  issued
in respect of such  dividends  are not  registered  for  resale  pursuant  to an
effective  registration statement that names the recipient of such dividend as a
selling stockholder thereunder;

                           iii) the shares of Class A Common Stock to  be issued
in respect of such  dividends  are not listed on the Nasdaq  National  Market or
Nasdaq SmallCap Market, and any other exchange on which the Class A Common Stock
is then listed for trading; or

                           iv) the issuance of such shares would  result in  the
recipient  thereof  beneficially  owning  more  than  4.9%  of  the  issued  and
outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock.

                  (c)  So long as  any Preferred Stock shall remain outstanding,
neither  the  Company  nor any  subsidiary  thereof  shall  redeem,  purchase or
otherwise  acquire  directly or indirectly any Junior  Securities (as defined in
Section 7), nor shall the  Company  directly  or  indirectly  pay or declare any
dividend  or make  any  distribution  (other  than a  dividend  or  distribution
described in Section 5) upon, nor shall any  distribution be made in respect of,
any Junior  Securities,  nor shall any monies be set aside for or applied to the
purchase  or  redemption  (through a sinking  fund or  otherwise)  of any Junior
Securities  unless all  dividends on the  Preferred  Stock for all past dividend
periods shall have been paid.

                  3. Voting Rights. Except as otherwise  provided  herein and as
otherwise  required by law,  the  Preferred  Stock shall have no voting  rights.
However,  so long as any shares of Preferred Stock are outstanding,  the Company
shall not,  without  the  affirmative  vote of the  holders of a majority of the
shares of the Preferred Stock then  outstanding,  (a) alter or change  adversely
the powers,  preferences or rights given to the Preferred Stock or (b) authorize
or create any class of stock ranking as to dividends or  distribution  of assets
upon a  Liquidation  (as defined in Section 4) senior to, prior to or pari passu
with the Preferred Stock.

                  4. Liquidation.  Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding-
up of the Company,  whether  voluntary or  involuntary  (a  "Liquidation"),  the
holders of Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive out of the assets of the
Company, whether such assets are capital or surplus, for each share of Preferred
Stock an amount equal to the Stated Value plus all accrued but unpaid  dividends
per share,  whether declared or not, before any distribution or payment shall be
made to the holders of any Junior  Securities,  and if the assets of the Company
shall be insufficient to pay in full such amounts,  then the entire assets to be
distributed shall be distributed among the holders of Preferred Stock ratably in
accordance  with the respective  amounts that would be payable on such shares if
all amounts payable thereon were paid in full. A sale, conveyance or disposition
of all or substantially  all of the assets of the Company or the effectuation by
the Company of a  transaction  or series of related  transactions  in which more
than 50% of the voting power of the Company is disposed  of, or a  consolidation
or merger of the Company with or into any other  company or companies  shall not
be treated as a  Liquidation,  but instead shall be subject to the provisions of
Section 5. The Company shall mail written  notice of any such  Liquidation,  not
less than 45 days prior to the  payment  date  stated  therein,  to each  record
holder of Preferred Stock.

                  5. Conversion.

                  (a) (i) Each share of  Preferred  Stock  shall be  convertible
into shares of Class A Common Stock  (subject to  reduction  pursuant to Section
5(a)(ii)) at the Conversion Ratio (as defined in Section 7) at the option of the
holder in whole or in part at any time after the  expiration  of the  earlier to
occur  of (A) 60 days  after  the  Original  Issue  Date  and (B) the  date  the
Securities and Exchange  Commission (the "Commission")  declares effective under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities  Act"), the registration
statement contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement,  dated the Original
Issue Date (the "Registration Rights Agreement"), by and between the Company and
the original holder of Preferred Stock,  pursuant to which the Company is, among
other  things,  required to register  the resale of the shares of Class A Common
Stock issuable upon  conversion of the Preferred Stock (the  "Underlying  Shares
Registration Statement"). Holders of Preferred Stock shall effect conversions by
surrendering  the  certificate  or  certificates   representing  the  shares  of
Preferred  Stock  to be  converted  to the  Company,  together  with the form of
conversion notice attached hereto as Exhibit A (the "Conversion  Notice").  Each
Conversion  Notice shall  specify the number of shares of Preferred  Stock to be
converted and the date on which such  conversion  is to be effected,  which date
may not be prior to the date the  holder  delivers  such  Conversion  Notice  by
facsimile  (the  "Conversion  Date").  If no  Conversion  Date is specified in a
Conversion  Notice,  the  Conversion  Date shall be the date that the Conversion
Notice is deemed  delivered  pursuant to Section 5(i).  Subject to Sections 5(b)
and  5(a)(ii)  and,  as to the  original  holder (or its  designee),  subject to
Section  4.10  of the  Purchase  Agreement  (as  defined  in  Section  7),  each
Conversion Notice, once given, shall be irrevocable. If the holder is converting
less than all  shares of  Preferred  Stock  represented  by the  certificate  or
certificates  tendered by the holder  with the  Conversion  Notice,  the Company
shall promptly deliver to such holder a certificate for such number of shares as
have not been converted.

                      (ii)  Certain Regulatory Approval.   If on  the Conversion
Date  applicable  to any  conversion  under this Section  5(a),  (A) the Class A
Common Stock is then listed for trading on the Nasdaq National Market or, if the
rules of the Nasdaq  Stock Market are  hereafter  amended to extend Rule 4460(i)
promulgated  thereby to the Nasdaq  SmallCap  Market and the  Company's  Class A
Common Stock is then listed for trading on such market, (B) the Conversion Price
then in  effect is such  that the  aggregate  number of shares of Class A Common
Stock that would then be issuable upon conversion of all  outstanding  shares of
Preferred  Stock,  together  with any shares of Class A Common Stock  previously
issued upon  conversion  of  Preferred  Stock,  would equal or exceed 20% of the
number of shares of Common Stock  outstanding  on the  Original  Issue Date (the
"Issuable Maximum"), and (C) the Company has not previously obtained Shareholder
Approval  (as defined  below),  then the Company  shall issue to the  converting
holder of the  Preferred  Stock the Issuable  Maximum  and,  with respect to any
shares of Class A Common  Stock that would be issuable to such holder in respect
of the Conversion Notice at issue in excess of the Issuable Maximum,  the holder
shall have the  option to require  the  Company  to either  (1) as  promptly  as
possible, but in no event later than 60 days after such Conversion Date, convene
a meeting of the holders of the Common Stock and obtain the Shareholder Approval
or (2)  redeem,  from  funds  legally  available  therefor  at the  time of such
redemption, the balance of the Preferred Stock subject to such Conversion Notice
at a price per share equal to the  product of (i) the  average Per Share  Market
Value for the five Trading Days immediately preceding (A) the Conversion Date or
(B)  the  date of  payment  in full by the  Company  of such  redemption  price,
whichever  is  greater,  and (ii) the  Conversion  Ratio  calculated  on (A) the
Conversion  Date or (B) the date of  payment by the  Company of such  redemption
price,  whichever  date  yields a lower  Conversion  Price  denominator  for the
determination of the Conversion Ratio; provided, however, that if the holder has
requested that the Company obtain the  Shareholder  Approval under paragraph (1)
above and the Company fails for any reason to obtain such  Shareholder  Approval
within the time period set forth in (1) above, the Company shall be obligated to
redeem the Preferred  Stock not converted as a result of the  provisions of this
Section in accordance  with the  provisions of paragraph (2) above,  and in such
case the interest  contemplated by the immediately  succeeding sentence shall be
deemed to accrue from the Conversion  Date. If the holder has requested that the
Company redeem shares of Preferred  Stock pursuant to this Section and fails for
any reason to pay the  redemption  price under (2) above within seven days after
the Conversion Date, the Company will pay interest on such redemption price at a
rate of 15% per annum to the converting holder of Preferred Stock, accruing from
the Conversion Date until the redemption price plus any accrued interest thereon
is paid in full. The entire redemption price,  including interest thereon, shall
be paid in cash.  "Shareholder Approval" means the approval by a majority of the
total  votes cast on the  proposal,  in person or by proxy,  at a meeting of the
shareholders  of the Company held in accordance  with the Company's  articles of
organization  and  by-laws,  of the issuance by the Company of shares of Class A
Common Stock  exceeding the Issuable  Maximum as a consequence of the conversion
of Preferred Stock into Class A Common Stock at a price less than the greater of
the  book or  market  value  on the  Original  Issue  Date as and to the  extent
required  pursuant to Rule 4460(i) of the Nasdaq Stock Market (or any  successor
or replacement provision thereof).

                  (b)   Not later  than three Trading Days after  the Conversion
Date, the Company will deliver to the holder (i) a certificate  or  certificates
which shall be free of restrictive legends and trading  restrictions (other than
those  then  required  by law  and  as set  forth  in  the  Purchase  Agreement)
representing  the number of shares of Class A Common Stock being  acquired  upon
the conversion of shares of Preferred  Stock  (subject to reduction  pursuant to
Section 5(a)(ii)) and (ii) one or more  certificates  representing the number of
shares of Preferred  Stock not converted;  provided,  however,  that the Company
shall not be obligated to issue  certificates  evidencing  the shares of Class A
Common Stock  issuable upon  conversion  of any shares of Preferred  Stock until
certificates  evidencing such shares of Preferred Stock are either delivered for
conversion to the Company or any transfer agent for the Preferred Stock or Class
A Common Stock,  or the holder of such Preferred Stock notifies the Company that
such  certificates  have been lost,  stolen or destroyed and provides a bond (or
other  adequate  security  reasonably  acceptable  to  the  Company)  reasonably
satisfactory  to the Company to indemnify  the Company from any loss incurred by
it in connection therewith. The Company shall, upon request of the holder of the
Preferred Stock, use its best efforts to deliver any certificate or certificates
required to be delivered by the Company  under this Section 5(b)  electronically
through  the  Depository  Trust  Corporation  or  another  established  clearing
corporation  performing similar  functions.  If such certificate or certificates
are not delivered by the date required under this Section 5(b), the holder shall
be  entitled  by  written  notice to the  Company  at any time on or before  its
receipt  of  such  certificate  or  certificates  thereafter,  to  rescind  such
conversion, in which event the Company shall immediately return the certificates
representing  the shares of  Preferred  Stock  tendered for  conversion.  If the
Company fails to deliver to the holder such certificate or certificates pursuant
to this  Section,  including for purposes  hereof,  any shares of Class A Common
Stock to be issued on the  Conversion  Date on  account  of  accrued  but unpaid
dividends  hereunder,  prior to the fifth Trading Day after the Conversion Date,
the Company shall pay to such holder, in cash, as liquidated damages, $1,500 for
each day after such fifth Trading Day until such certificates are delivered.  If
the Company  fails to deliver to the holder  such  certificate  or  certificates
pursuant to this Section prior to the 30th day after the  Conversion  Date,  the
Company shall, at the holder's option (i) redeem,  from funds legally  available
therefor  at the time of such  redemption,  such  number of shares of  Preferred
Stock then held by such holder,  as  requested by such holder,  and (ii) pay all
accrued but unpaid  dividends  on account of the  Preferred  Stock for which the
Company shall have failed to issue Class A Common Stock certificates  hereunder,
in cash. The redemption price per share shall be equal to the product of (A) the
average Per Share Market Value for the five Trading Days  immediately  preceding
(1) the  Conversion  Date or (2) the date of payment  in full by the  Company of
such  redemption  price,  whichever  is greater,  and (B) the  Conversion  Ratio
calculated on (1) the Conversion  Date or (2) the date of payment in full by the
Company of such redemption price, whichever date yields a lower Conversion Price
denominator  for the  determination  of the Conversion  Ratio. If the holder has
requested  that the Company  redeem shares of Preferred  Stock  pursuant to this
Section and the Company fails for any reason to pay the  redemption  price under
(2) above within seven days after such notice,  the Company will pay interest on
the  redemption  price  at a rate of 15%  per  annum,  in  cash to such  holder,
accruing  from  such  seventh  day until the  redemption  price and any  accrued
interest thereon is paid in full.

                   (c) (i)   The  conversion  price  for each share of Preferred
Stock (the  "Conversion  Price") in effect on any  Conversion  Date shall be the
lesser of (a) $1.35 (the "Initial  Conversion Price") and (b) 80% of the average
Per Share Market Value for the five (5) Trading Days  immediately  preceding the
Conversion  Date;  provided  that,  (a) if the  Underlying  Shares  Registration
Statement  is not  filed on or prior to the 10th day after  the  Original  Issue
Date, or (b) if the  Underlying  Shares  Registration  Statement is not declared
effective by the Commission on or prior to the 60th day after the Original Issue
Date, or (c) if an Underlying  Shares  Registration  Statement is filed with and
declared effective by the Commission but thereafter ceases to be effective as to
all of the then  Underlying  Shares at any time prior to the  expiration  of the
"Effectiveness  Period"  (as such term as  defined  in the  Registration  Rights
Agreement),  without  being  succeeded  within 10 Business  Days by a subsequent
Underlying Shares  Registration  Statement filed with and declared  effective by
the Commission, or (d) if trading in the Class A Common Stock shall be suspended
for any reason for more than three Trading Days, or (e) if the conversion rights
of the holders of Preferred  Stock  hereunder  are suspended for any reason (any
such failure  being  referred to as an "Event," and for purposes of clauses (a),
(b) and (e) the date on which such Event  occurs,  or for purposes of clause (c)
the date which such 10  Business  Day-period  is  exceeded,  or for  purposes of
clause (d) the date on which such three  Trading Day period is  exceeded,  being
referred to as "Event Date"),  the  Conversion  Price shall be decreased by 2.5%
each  month  (i.e.,  77.5%  as of the  Event  Date  and 75% as of the one  month
anniversary of the Event Date) until such time as a subsequent Underlying Shares
Registration  Statement is declared  effective by the  Commission,  or until any
Event  contemplated  by clause  (d) or (e),  as the case may be,  is cured.  Any
decrease in the Conversion Price pursuant to this Section 5(c)(i) shall continue
as long as shares of Preferred Stock remain outstanding.  The provisions of this
Section are not exclusive  and shall in no way limit the  Company's  obligations
under the Registration Rights Agreement.

                       (ii)  If the  Company, at  any time  while any  shares of
Preferred  Stock are  outstanding,  (a) shall pay a stock  dividend or otherwise
make a distribution or distributions on shares of its Junior Securities  payable
in shares of Common Stock, (b) subdivide outstanding shares of Common Stock into
a larger  number of shares,  or (c) combine  outstanding  shares of Common Stock
into a  smaller  number  of  shares,  the  Initial  Conversion  Price  shall  be
multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of
Common Stock (excluding  treasury shares, if any) outstanding  before such event
and of which the  denominator  shall be the  number  of  shares of Common  Stock
outstanding  after such event.  Any  adjustment  made  pursuant to this  Section
5(c)(ii)  shall  become  effective  immediately  after the  record  date for the
determination of stockholders  entitled to receive such dividend or distribution
and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a
subdivision or combination.

                       (iii)  If the Company, at any time  while  any shares  of
Preferred Stock are  outstanding,  shall issue rights or warrants to all holders
of Common Stock  entitling  them to subscribe  for or purchase  shares of Common
Stock at a price per share less than the Per Share  Market Value of Common Stock
at the record  date  mentioned  below,  the  Initial  Conversion  Price shall be
multiplied by a fraction, of which the denominator shall be the number of shares
of Common Stock (excluding  treasury shares,  if any) outstanding on the date of
issuance  of such  rights or warrants  plus the number of  additional  shares of
Common Stock offered for  subscription  or purchase,  and of which the numerator
shall be the number of shares of Common Stock  (excluding  treasury  shares,  if
any)  outstanding  on the date of issuance  of such rights or warrants  plus the
number  of shares  which the  aggregate  offering  price of the total  number of
shares so offered would purchase at such Per Share Market Value. Such adjustment
shall be made  whenever  such rights or warrants  are issued,  and shall  become
effective   immediately   after  the  record  date  for  the   determination  of
stockholders  entitled to receive  such rights or  warrants.  However,  upon the
expiration  of any right or warrant to  purchase  Common  Stock the  issuance of
which resulted in an adjustment in the Initial Conversion Price pursuant to this
Section 5(c)(iii),  if any such right or warrant shall expire and shall not have
been  exercised,  the  Initial  Conversion  Price  shall  immediately  upon such
expiration  be  recomputed  and effective  immediately  upon such  expiration be
increased  to the  price  which it would  have been  (but  reflecting  any other
adjustments in the Initial  Conversion  Price made pursuant to the provisions of
this Section 5 after the issuance of such rights or warrants) had the adjustment
of the  Initial  Conversion  Price  made  upon the  issuance  of such  rights or
warrants  been made on the basis of offering for  subscription  or purchase only
that number of shares of Common Stock  actually  purchased  upon the exercise of
such rights or warrants actually exercised.

                      (iv) If the Company, at any time while shares of Preferred
Stock are outstanding,  shall distribute to all holders of Common Stock (and not
to holders of Preferred Stock) evidences of its indebtedness or assets or rights
or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any security  (excluding those referred
to in Sections  5(c)(ii)  and (iii)  above),  then in each such case the Initial
Conversion  Price at which each share of  Preferred  Stock shall  thereafter  be
convertible  shall be determined by multiplying the Initial  Conversion Price in
effect  immediately  prior  to  the  record  date  fixed  for  determination  of
stockholders  entitled to receive such  distribution  by a fraction of which the
denominator shall be the Per Share Market Value of Common Stock determined as of
the record date mentioned  above,  and of which the numerator  shall be such Per
Share  Market  Value of the Common  Stock on such record date less the then fair
market  value at such  record  date of the portion of such assets or evidence of
indebtedness so distributed  applicable to one outstanding share of Common Stock
as determined by the Board of Directors in good faith;  provided,  however, that
in the event of a distribution  exceeding ten percent (10%) of the net assets of
the  Company,  such  fair  market  value  shall be  determined  by a  nationally
recognized  or major  regional  investment  banking firm or firm of  independent
certified public accountants of recognized  standing (which may be the firm that
regularly  examines the financial  statements  of the Company) (an  "Appraiser")
selected in good faith by the holders of a majority in interest of the shares of
Preferred Stock then outstanding; and provided, further, that the Company, after
receipt of the determination by such Appraiser shall have the right to select an
additional Appraiser,  in which case the fair market value shall be equal to the
average  of the  determinations  by each  such  Appraiser.  In  either  case the
adjustments  shall be  described  in a  statement  provided  to the  holders  of
Preferred  Stock of the  portion  of  assets or  evidences  of  indebtedness  so
distributed or such subscription rights applicable to one share of Common Stock.
Such adjustment  shall be made whenever any such  distribution is made and shall
become effective immediately after the record date mentioned above.

                      (v) All calculations under this Section 5 shall be made to
the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as the case may be.

                      (vi)  Whenever  the Initial  Conversion Price  is adjusted
pursuant to Section  5(c)(ii),(iii)  or (iv), the Company shall promptly mail to
each holder of Preferred  Stock, a notice  setting forth the Initial  Conversion
Price after such  adjustment  and setting  forth a brief  statement of the facts
requiring such adjustment.

                      (vii) In case of any reclassification of the Common Stock,
any  consolidation or merger of the Company with or into another person pursuant
to which the Company will not be the surviving  entity,  the sale or transfer of
all or  substantially  all of the assets of the Company or any compulsory  share
exchange  pursuant to which the Common Stock is converted into other securities,
cash or property, the holders of the Preferred Stock then outstanding shall have
the right thereafter to, at their option,  (A) convert such shares only into the
shares of stock and  other  securities,  cash and  property  receivable  upon or
deemed to be held by holders of Common Stock  following  such  reclassification,
consolidation,  merger, sale, transfer or share exchange, and the holders of the
Preferred  Stock  shall be  entitled  upon such event to receive  such amount of
securities,  cash or property  as the shares of the Common  Stock of the Company
into which such shares of Preferred Stock could have been converted  immediately
prior to such reclassification,  consolidation,  merger, sale, transfer or share
exchange  would have been  entitled or (B)  require the Company to redeem,  from
funds legally available  therefor at the time of such redemption,  its shares of
Preferred Stock at a price per share equal to the product of (i) the average Per
Share  Market  Value for the five Trading  Days  immediately  preceding  (1) the
effective  date  or the  date  of  the  closing,  as the  case  may  be,  of the
reclassification,  consolidation,  merger,  sale,  transfer  or  share  exchange
triggering  such  redemption  right  or (2) the date of  payment  in full by the
Company of the redemption  price hereunder,  whichever is greater,  and (ii) the
Conversion  Ratio  calculated  on (1) the date of the closing or the date of the
closing,  as the case may be, of the  reclassification,  consolidation,  merger,
sale,  transfer or share exchange  triggering such  redemption  right or (2) the
date of payment in full by the Company of such redemption price,  whichever date
yields  a  lower  Conversion  Price  denominator  for the  determination  of the
Conversion  Ratio.  The entire  redemption  price shall be paid in cash, and the
terms of payment of such redemption price shall be subject to the provisions set
forth in  Section  6(c).  The  terms of any such  consolidation,  merger,  sale,
transfer,  reclassification  or share exchange shall include such terms so as to
continue  to give to the  holder of  Preferred  Stock the right to  receive  the
securities,  cash or  property  set  forth in this  Section  5(c)(vii)  upon any
conversion or redemption  following such consolidation,  merger, sale, transfer,
reclassification  or share  exchange.  This provision  shall  similarly apply to
successive   reclassifications,   consolidations,   mergers,  sales,  transfers,
reclassifications or share exchanges.

                      (viii)   If:

                                A.       the Company shall declare a dividend 
                                         (or any other distribution) on its 
                                         Common Stock; or

                                B.       the Company shall declare a special
                                         nonrecurring cash dividend on or a 
                                         redemption of its Common Stock; or

                                C.       the Company shall authorize the 
                                         granting to all holders of the Common 
                                         Stock rights or warrants to subscribe 
                                         for or purchase any shares of capital 
                                         stock of any class or of any rights;
                                         or

                                D.       the approval of any stockholders of the
                                         Company shall be  required  (or shall 
                                         be sought) in connection with any  
                                         reclassification of the Common Stock,  
                                         any consolidation  or merger to which 
                                         the Company  is  a  party, any sale  or
                                         transfer of all or substantially  all
                                         of the assets of the Company,  or any
                                         compulsory share exchange whereby the
                                         Common Stock is converted  into other
                                         securities, cash or property,

then the Company shall cause to be filed at each office or agency maintained for
the purpose of  conversion of Preferred  Stock,  and shall cause to be mailed to
the holders of Preferred Stock at their last addresses as they shall appear upon
the  stock  books  of the  Company,  at  least  30  calendar  days  prior to the
applicable record or effective date hereinafter  specified, a notice stating (x)
the date on which a record  is to be taken  for the  purpose  of such  dividend,
distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken,
the date as of which the  holders of Common  Stock of record to be  entitled  to
such  dividend,  distributions,   redemption,  rights  or  warrants  are  to  be
determined  or (y)  the  date on  which  such  reclassification,  consolidation,
merger,  sale,  transfer or share  exchange is expected to become  effective  or
close,  and the date as of which it is expected  that holders of Common Stock of
record  shall  be  entitled  to  exchange  their  shares  of  Common  Stock  for
securities,  cash or other  property  deliverable  upon  such  reclassification,
consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided, however, that
the failure to mail such notice or any defect therein or in the mailing  thereof
shall not affect the validity of the corporate  action  required to be specified
in such notice. Holders are entitled to convert shares of Preferred Stock during
the 30-day period  commencing  the date of such notice to the effective  date of
the event triggering such notice.

                  (d)  If at any time conditions shall arise by reason of action
taken by the  Company  which in the  opinion of the Board of  Directors  are not
adequately covered by the other provisions hereof and which might materially and
adversely affect the rights of the holders of Preferred Stock (different than or
distinguished from the effect generally on rights of holders of any class of the
Company's  capital stock) or if at any time any such  conditions are expected to
arise by reason of any action  contemplated  by the Company,  the Company  shall
mail a  written  notice  briefly  describing  the  action  contemplated  and the
material  adverse  effects  of such  action  on the  rights  of the  holders  of
Preferred  Stock at least 30 calendar days prior to the  effective  date of such
action,  and an Appraiser selected by the holders of majority in interest of the
Preferred  Stock  shall  give  its  opinion  as to the  adjustment,  if any (not
inconsistent  with  the  standards  established  in  this  Section  5),  of  the
Conversion Price (including,  if necessary,  any adjustment as to the securities
into which shares of Preferred  Stock may  thereafter  be  convertible)  and any
distribution  which is or would be  required to preserve  without  diluting  the
rights of the holders of shares of Preferred Stock; provided,  however, that the
Company,  after receipt of the  determination by such Appraiser,  shall have the
right to select an additional  Appraiser,  in which case the adjustment shall be
equal to the average of the adjustments recommended by each such Appraiser.  The
Board of Directors  shall make the  adjustment  recommended  forthwith  upon the
receipt  of  such  opinion  or  opinions  or  the  taking  of  any  such  action
contemplated,  as the case may be; provided, however, that no such adjustment of
the  Conversion  Price  shall be made which in the  opinion of the  Appraiser(s)
giving the  aforesaid  opinion or  opinions  would  result in an increase of the
Conversion Price to more than the Conversion Price then in effect.

                  (e)   The  Company  covenants  that   it  will  at  all  times
reserve and keep  available out of its  authorized  and unissued  Class A Common
Stock solely for the purpose of issuance upon  conversion of Preferred Stock and
payment of dividends  on Preferred  Stock,  each as herein  provided,  free from
preemptive  rights or any other  actual  contingent  purchase  rights of persons
other than the  holders of  Preferred  Stock,  such  number of shares of Class A
Common  Stock as shall be issuable  (taking  into  account the  adjustments  and
restrictions of Section 5(c)) upon the conversion of all  outstanding  shares of
Preferred Stock and payment of dividends  hereunder.  The Company covenants that
all shares of Class A Common Stock that shall be so issuable shall,  upon issue,
be duly and validly authorized,  issued and fully paid, nonassessable and freely
tradeable.  If the  Company  shall not on any  Conversion  Date have  sufficient
available  shares of Class A Common  Stock in  accordance  with this  Section to
issue upon conversion of Preferred Stock and payments of dividends thereon,  the
Company  shall  redeem,  from funds legally  available  therefor,  the shares of
Preferred  Stock for which such shares of Class A Stock are not  available  at a
redemption  price per share  equal to the  product of (i) the  average Per Share
Market Value for the five Trading Days immediately  preceding (A) the Conversion
Date or (B) the date of payment in full by the Company of such redemption price,
whichever  is  greater,  and (ii) the  Conversion  Ratio  calculated  on (A) the
Conversion  Date  or (B) the  date of  payment  in full by the  Company  of such
redemption price,  whichever yields a lower Conversion Price denomenator for the
determination  of the Conversion  Ratio.  If the Company fails for any reason to
pay the  redemption  price within  seven days after such  Conversion  Date,  the
Company shall pay interest on such  redemption  price at a rate of 15% per annum
to the converting  holder,  accruing from the  Conversion  Date until the entire
redemption price, plus any interest accrued thereon, is paid in full, in cash.

                  (f)  Upon  a  conversion  hereunder  the Company shall not  be
required to issue stock certificates representing fractions of shares of Class A
Common Stock, but may if otherwise permitted,  make a cash payment in respect of
any final  fraction of a share based on the Per Share Market Value at such time.
If the Company elects not, or is unable, to make such a cash payment, the holder
of a share of Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, in lieu of the final
fraction of a share, one whole share of Class A Common Stock.

                  (g)  The  issuance  of  certificates  for  shares of  Class  A
Common Stock on  conversion of Preferred  Stock shall be made without  charge to
the  holders  thereof  for any  documentary  stamp or similar  taxes that may be
payable in respect of the issue or delivery of such  certificate,  provided that
the Company  shall not be required to pay any tax that may be payable in respect
of any transfer  involved in the  issuance and delivery of any such  certificate
upon  conversion  in a name  other  than that of the  holder  of such  shares of
Preferred  Stock so converted  and the Company shall not be required to issue or
deliver such certificates  unless or until the person or persons  requesting the
issuance  thereof shall have paid to the Company the amount of such tax or shall
have established to the satisfaction of the Company that such tax has been paid.

                  (h)  Shares   of  Preferred   Stock  converted  into Class   A
Common  Stock  shall be  canceled  and shall have the status of  authorized  but
unissued shares of undesignated stock.

                  (i)   Any   and   all  notices   or   other  communications or
deliveries  to be  provided  by the holders of the  Preferred  Stock  hereunder,
including,  without limitation,  any Conversion Notice,  shall be in writing and
delivered  personally,  by facsimile,  sent by a nationally recognized overnight
courier  service or sent by  certified  or  registered  mail,  postage  prepaid,
addressed  to the  attention of the  Secretary  of the Company at the  facsimile
telephone  number or address of the principal  place of business of the Company.
Any and all notices or other  communications or deliveries to be provided by the
Company  hereunder shall be in writing and delivered  personally,  by facsimile,
sent by a nationally  recognized  overnight courier service or sent by certified
or registered mail, postage prepaid, addressed to each holder of Preferred Stock
at the  facsimile  telephone  number or address of such holder  appearing on the
books of the  Company,  or if no such  facsimile  telephone  number  or  address
appears,  at the principal place of business of the holder.  Any notice or other
communication or deliveries hereunder shall be deemed given and effective on the
earliest of (i) the date of  transmission,  if such notice or  communication  is
delivered  via  facsimile at the facsimile  telephone  number  specified in this
Section prior to 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time), (ii) the date after the date
of  transmission,  if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at
the facsimile  telephone  number  specified in this Section later than 4:30 p.m.
(Eastern Standard Time) on any date and earlier than 11:59 p.m. (Easter Standard
Time) on such date,  (iii) four days after  deposit in the United  States mails,
(iv) the  Business  Day  following  the date of mailing,  if send by  nationally
recognized overnight courier service, or (v) upon actual receipt by the party to
whom such notice is required to be given.

                  6. Redemptions.

                  (a) The Company shall have the right,  exercisable at any time
upon 20 Trading Days notice to the holders of the  Preferred  Stock given at any
time after the Original  Issue Date,  to redeem,  from funds  legally  available
therefor  at the time of such  redemption,  all or any  portion of the shares of
Preferred Stock which have not previously been converted or redeemed, at a price
per share equal to the product of (i) the average Per Share Market Value for the
five Trading Days  immediately  preceding (1) the date of the redemption  notice
referenced  above  or (2) the  date of  payment  in full by the  Company  of the
redemption price hereunder,  whichever is greater, and (ii) the Conversion Ratio
calculated on (1) the date of such redemption  notice or (2) the date of payment
in full by the Company of such redemption  price,  whichever date yields a lower
Conversion Price  denominator for the determination of the Conversion Ratio. The
entire  redemption  price shall be paid in cash.  Holders of Preferred Stock may
convert any shares of Preferred Stock,  including shares subject to a redemption
notice  given  under  this  Section,  during  the  period  from the date of such
redemption notice through the 20th Trading Day thereafter.

                  (b) If any portion of the redemption  price under Section 6(a)
shall not be paid by the Company within 7 calendar days after the date due under
such Section,  such  redemption  price shall be increased by 15% per annum until
paid (which amount shall be paid as liquidated damages and not as a penalty). In
addition, if any portion of such redemption price remains unpaid for more than 7
calendar days after the date due, the holder of the  Preferred  Stock subject to
such redemption may elect, by written notice to the Company given within 45 days
after the date due,  to either  (i) demand  conversion  in  accordance  with the
formula and the time frame  therefor set forth in Section 5 of all of the shares
of Preferred  Stock for which such  redemption  price,  plus accrued  liquidated
damages thereof, has not been paid in full (the "Unpaid Redemption Shares"),  in
which event the Per Share Market Price for such shares shall be the lower of the
Per  Share  Market  Price  calculated  on the date  such  redemption  price  was
originally due and the Per Share Market Price as of the holder's  written demand
for conversion,  or (ii) invalidate ab initio such  redemption,  notwithstanding
anything  herein  contained to the  contrary.  If the holder  elects  option (i)
above,  the  Company  shall  within  five  Trading  Days of its  receipt of such
election  deliver to the holder the shares of Class A Common Stock issuable upon
conversion of the Unpaid  Redemption  Shares  subject to such holder  conversion
demand and otherwise perform its obligations hereunder with respect thereto; or,
if the Holder elects option (ii) above,  the Company shall promptly,  and in any
event not later than five Trading  Days from receipt of holder's  notice of such
election, return to the holder all of the Unpaid Redemption Shares.

                  7.  Definitions.  For the purposes hereof, the following terms
shall have the following meanings:

                  "Business  Day" means any day of the year on which  commercial
banks are not required or authorized to be closed in New York, New York.

                  "Class A Common  Stock"  means  the  Company's  Class A Common
Stock, par value $.01 per share.

                  "Class B Common  Stock"  means  the  Company's  Class B Common
Stock, par value $.01 per share.

                  "Common  Stock"  means  Class A Common  Stock,  Class B Common
Stock,  stock of any other class into which such shares may hereafter  have been
reclassified or changed and any other securities  hereafter designated as common
stock of the Company.

                  "Conversion  Ratio" means,  at any time, a fraction,  of which
the numerator is Stated Value plus accrued but unpaid  dividends  (including any
accrued  but  unpaid  interest  thereon),  and of which the  denominator  is the
Conversion Price at such time.

                  "Junior  Securities"  means  the  Common  Stock  and all other
equity  securities  of  the  Company,  except  Series  A  Cumulative  Redeemable
Preferred Stock,  Series B Preferred  Stock, and Series C Convertible  Preferred
Stock.

                  "Original  Issue  Date"  shall  mean  the  date  of the  first
issuance of any shares of the Preferred Stock regardless of the number transfers
of any  particular  shares of Preferred  Stock and  regardless  of the number of
certificates which may be issued to evidence such Preferred Stock.

                  "Per Share Market Value" means on any particular  date (a) the
closing  bid price  per  share of the  Class A Common  Stock on such date on The
Nasdaq National Market, Nasdaq Small Cap Market or other stock exchange on which
the Class A Common  Stock has been  listed or if there is no such  price on such
date, then the closing bid price on such exchange on the date nearest  preceding
such  date,  or (b) if the  Class A Common  Stock is not  listed  on The  Nasdaq
National Market, Nasdaq Small Cap Market or any stock exchange,  the closing bid
price for a share of Class A Common  Stock in the  over-the-counter  market,  as
reported by the Nasdaq  Stock  Market at the close of business on such date,  or
(c) if the Class A Common  Stock is not  quoted on the  Nasdaq  Stock  Market or
Nasdaq  Small Cap  Market,  the  closing bid price for a share of Class A Common
Stock in the  over-the-counter  market as  reported  by the  National  Quotation
Bureau  Incorporated  (or  similar  organization  or  agency  succeeding  to its
functions  of  reporting  prices),  or (d) if the  Class A  Common  Stock is not
reported by the National Quotation Bureau Incorporated (or similar  organization
or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices),  then the average of
the "Pink Sheet"  quotes for the relevant  conversion  period,  as determined in
good faith by the  holder,  or (e) if the Class A Common  Stock is not  publicly
traded the fair market value of a share of Class A Common Stock as determined by
an Appraiser  selected in good faith by the holders of a majority in interest of
the shares of the Preferred Stock;  provided,  however, that the Company,  after
receipt of the  determination by such Appraiser,  shall have the right to select
an additional Appraiser,  in which case, the fair market value shall be equal to
the average of the determinations by each such Appraiser.

                  "Person" means a corporation,  an association,  a partnership,
organization,  a business, an individual,  a government or political subdivision
thereof or a governmental agency.

                  "Purchase  Agreement"  means the  Convertible  Preferred Stock
Purchase Agreement, dated as of the Original Issue Date, between the Company and
the original Holder of the Preferred Stock.

                  "Trading  Day"  means  (a) a day on which  the  Class A Common
Stock is traded on the  Nasdaq  National  Market  or Nasdaq  SmallCap  Market or
principal  national  securities  exchange  or market on which the Class A Common
Stock has been  listed,  or (b) if the Class A Common Stock is not listed on the
Nasdaq  National  Market or Nasdaq  SmallCap  Market  or any stock  exchange  or
market,   a  day  on  which  the   Class  A  Common   Stock  is  traded  in  the
over-the-counter  market,  as reported by the OTC Bulletin  Board, or (c) if the
Class A Common Stock is not quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board, a day on which the
Class A Common Stock is quoted in the over-the-counter market as reported by the
National  Quotation Bureau  Incorporated (or any similar  organization or agency
succeeding its functions of reporting prices).

                  RESOLVED  FURTHER,  that the  Chairman  and  Secretary  of the
Company be, and they hereby are,  authorized  and directed to prepare,  execute,
verify, and file with the

<PAGE>


Secretary of State of Delaware,  a Certificate of Designation in accordance with
these resolutions and as required by law.

                  IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF,   Wave  Systems  Corp.  has  caused  its
corporate seal to be hereunto affixed and this certificate to be signed by Peter
J. Sprague,  its Chairman,  and attested by James Stokes Hatch,  its  Secretary,
this 29th day of May, 1997.

                                           WAVE SYSTEMS CORP.


                                           By:      /s/ Peter J. Sprague
                                              --------------------------------
                                           Name: Peter J. Sprague
                                           Title: Chairman

Attest:

By:    /s/ James Stokes Hatch
   ------------------------------
Name: James Stokes Hatch
Title: Secretary


<PAGE>




                                    EXHIBIT A


                              NOTICE OF CONVERSION
                            AT THE ELECTION OF HOLDER

(To be Executed by the Registered Holder
in order to Convert shares of Preferred Stock)

The  undersigned  hereby  irrevocably  elects to convert the number of shares of
Series D Convertible  Preferred  Stock indicated  below,  into shares of Class A
Common  Stock,  par value $.01 per share (the "Class A Common  Stock"),  of Wave
Systems Corp. (the "Company") according to the conditions hereof, as of the date
written  below.  If shares  are to be issued in the name of a person  other than
undersigned,  the  undersigned  will pay all transfer taxes payable with respect
thereto and is delivering  herewith such certificates and opinions as reasonably
requested by the Company in accordance therewith.  No fee will be charged to the
Holder for any conversion, except for such transfer taxes, if any.

Conversion calculations:

                           ----------------------------------------------------
                           Date to Effect Conversion


                           ----------------------------------------------------
                           Number of shares of Preferred Stock to be Converted


                           ----------------------------------------------------
                           Number of shares of Class A Common Stock to be Issued


                           ----------------------------------------------------
                           Applicable Conversion Price


                           ----------------------------------------------------
                           Signature


                           ----------------------------------------------------
                           Name:


                           ----------------------------------------------------
                           Address:

The Company  undertakes to promptly upon its receipt of this  conversion  notice
(and, in any case prior to the time it effects the conversion requested hereby),
notify the  converting  holder by  facsimile  of the number of shares of Class A
Common Stock outstanding on such date and the number of shares of Class A Common
Stock which would be issuable to the holder if the conversion  requested in this
conversion notice were effected in full,  whereupon,  the holder hereby consents
to the  revocation  of the  conversion  requested  hereby to the extent  that it
determines that such  conversion  would result in it owning in excess of 4.9% of
the  outstanding  shares of Class A Common  Stock on such date,  and the Company
shall  issue to the  holder  one or more  certificates  representing  shares  of
Preferred Stock which have not been converted as a result of this provision.




                                                                     Exhibit 4.1


                 CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT

                                     Between


                               WAVE SYSTEMS CORP.

                                       and

                            JNC OPPORTUNITY FUND LTD.

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




                            Dated as of May 30, 1997


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







                  CONVERTIBLE  PREFERRED STOCK PURCHASE  AGREEMENT,  dated as of
May 30,  1997  (this  "Agreement"),  between  Wave  Systems  Corp.,  a  Delaware
corporation  (the  "Company"),  and JNC  Opportunity  Fund Ltd.,  a  corporation
organized and existing under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the "Purchaser").

                  WHEREAS,  the  Company  desires  to  issue  and  sell  to  the
Purchaser and the Purchaser  desires to acquire shares of the Company's Series D
Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Preferred Stock").

                  IN  CONSIDERATION  of the mutual  covenants and agreements set
forth  herein and for good and valuable  consideration,  the receipt of which is
hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:


                                    ARTICLE I

                               CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

                    Section 1.1. Certain Definitions. As used in this Agreement,
unless the context  requires a different  meaning,  the following terms have the
meanings indicated:

                  "Affiliate"  means,  with  respect to any  Person,  any Person
that,  directly or  indirectly,  controls,  is  controlled by or is under common
control  with  such  Person.  For the  purposes  of this  definition,  "control"
(including,  with  correlative  meanings,  the terms  "controlled by" and "under
common control with") shall mean the possession,  directly or indirectly, of the
power to direct or cause the  direction of the  management  and policies of such
Person,  whether  through the  ownership of voting  securities or by contract or
otherwise.

                  "Business Day" means any day except  Saturday,  Sunday and any
day which shall be a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions in the
City of New York are authorized or required by law or other  government  actions
to close.

                  "Closing" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b).

                  "Closing  Date"  shall have the meaning set  forth  in Section
2.1(b).

                  "Certificate of Designation" shall have the meaning set  forth
in Section 2.1(a).

                  "Class A Common  Stock"  means  the  Company's  Class A Common
Stock, par value $.01 per share.

                  "Class B Common  Stock"  means  the  Company's  Class B Common
Stock, par value $.01 per share.

                  "Code"  means the Internal  Revenue Code of 1986,  as amended,
and the rules and regulations thereunder as in effect on the date hereof.

                  "Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

                  "Common Stock" means, collectively,  the Class A Common Stock,
Class B Common  Stock,  any stock  into  which  such  shares  may  hereafter  be
reclassified,  and any other class of equity securities of the Company hereafter
designated as Common Stock.

                  "Disclosure Materials" means, collectively,  the SEC Documents
and the  Schedules  to this  Agreement  furnished by or on behalf of the Company
pursuant to Section 3.1.

                    "Escrow Agent" means Robinson  Silverman  Pearce  Aronsohn &
Berman LLP.

                  "Escrow Agreement" means the escrow agreement, dated as of the
date hereof,  by and between the Company,  the  Purchaser  and the Escrow Agent,
substantially in the form of Exhibit E, as the same may be amended, supplemented
or otherwise modified in accordance with its terms.

                  "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act  of  1934, as
amended.

                  "Lien" means,  with respect to any asset, any mortgage,  lien,
pledge, encumbrance,  right of first refusal, charge or security interest of any
kind in or on such asset or the revenues or income thereon or therefrom.

                  "March Quarterly Report" shall have the  meaning set forth  in
Section 3.1(e).

                  "Material Adverse Effect" shall have the meaning set forth  in
Section 3.1(a).

                  "Original  Issue  Date"  shall mean the first  issuance of any
Shares,  regardless  of the  number of  transfers  of any  particular  Share and
regardless  of the number of  certificates  which may be issued to evidence  any
particular Share.

                  "Per Share  Market  Value" shall have the meaning set forth in
the Certificate of Designation.

                  "Person"  means an individual or a  corporation,  partnership,
trust,  incorporated  or  unincorporated  association,  joint  venture,  limited
liability  company,  joint stock company,  government (or an agency or political
subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

                  "Preferred Stock"  shall  have the  meaning set  forth  in the
recitals hereto.

                  "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set  forth in  Section
2.1(a).

                  "Registration  Rights Agreement" means the registration rights
agreement,  dated as of the date  hereof,  by and  between  the  Company and the
Purchaser,  substantially  in the form of Exhibit B, as the same may be amended,
supplemented or otherwise modified in accordance with its terms.

                  "SEC Documents" shall  have  the meaning set  forth in Section
3.1(l).

                  "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

                  "Senior Securities"  shall  have  the  meaning  set  forth  in
Section 3.1(m).

                  "Shares"  means the shares of Preferred  Stock to be purchased
by the Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement.

                  "Side Letter  Agreement" means the Agreement,  dated as of the
date hereof,  between the Company and the Purchaser in the form attached  hereto
as Exhibit G.

                  "Subsequent Financing Notice" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 4.9.

                  "Subsequent Sale" shall have the meaning set forth in  Section
4.9.

                  "Subsidiaries"  shall  have  the meaning  set forth in Section
3.1(a).

                  "Trading Day"  shall  have   the  meaning  set  forth  in  the
Certificate of Designation.

                  "Transaction Documents"  shall have  the  meaning set forth in
Section 3.1(b).

                  "Underlying  Shares"  means the shares of Class A Common Stock
issuable upon  conversion of Shares in accordance  with the terms hereof and the
Certificate of Designation  and upon exercise of the Warrant in accordance  with
the terms thereof.

                  "Underlying  Shares  Registration  Statement"  shall  have the
meaning set forth in Section 3.1(f).

                  "Warrant"  means the Class A Common Stock purchase  Warrant of
the Company to be issued to the Purchaser on the Closing Date,  substantially in
the form of Exhibit F,  entitling  the Purchaser to purchase up to 80,000 shares
of Class A Common Stock.


                                   ARTICLE II

                               PURCHASE OF SHARES

                  Section 2.1.   Purchase of Shares; Closing.

                  (a) Subject to the terms and conditions  herein set forth, the
Company shall issue and sell to the Purchaser,  and the Purchaser shall purchase
from the  Company  on the  Closing  Date  80,000  Shares,  which  shall have the
respective  rights,  preferences  and  privileges  set  forth in  Exhibit A (the
"Certificate of Designation"), at a price per Share of $20. The "Purchase Price"
for the Shares is $1,600,000.

                  (b) The  closing of the  purchase  and sale of the Shares (the
"Closing")  shall take place at the offices of the Escrow Agent,  1290 Avenue of
the  Americas,  New York,  New York 10104,  immediately  following the execution
hereof,  or at such other time and/or place as the Purchaser and the Company may
agree,  but not until the conditions  listed in Article V have been satisfied or
waived by the appropriate  party.  The date of the Closing is referred to herein
as the "Closing Date".

                  (c) At the Closing,  the Escrow Agent,  in accordance with and
subject to the terms and conditions of the Escrow Agreement,  shall, pursuant to
instructions  delivered  with respect  thereto by the Company and the Purchaser,
deliver (i) to the Purchaser (A) one or more stock certificates representing the
Shares purchased hereunder,  and (B) the Warrant, each registered in the name of
the Purchaser,  (ii) to the Company the Purchase Price,  less the legal fees and
disbursements   contemplated  in  Section  7.1,  in  United  States  dollars  in
immediately available funds by wire transfer to an account designated in writing
by the Company prior to the Closing and (iii) to the party entitled thereto, all
documents,  instruments and writings required to have been delivered at or prior
to Closing by either the Company or the Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement.


                                   ARTICLE III

                         REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

                  Section 3.1.   Representations  and Warranties of the Company.
The Company hereby represents and warrants to the Purchaser as follows:

                  (a)   Organization  and   Qualification.   The  Company  is  a
corporation, duly incorporated,  validly existing and in good standing under the
laws of the  jurisdiction  of its  incorporation,  with the requisite  corporate
power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its
business as currently conducted.  The Company has no material subsidiaries other
than as set forth in the SEC Documents (collectively, the "Subsidiaries").  Each
of the Subsidiaries is a corporation, duly incorporated, validly existing and in
good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation,  with the
full corporate  power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and
to carry on its  business as  currently  conducted.  Each of the Company and the
Subsidiaries  is duly  qualified  to do  business  and is in good  standing as a
foreign  corporation  in each  jurisdiction  in which the nature of the business
conducted or property  owned by it makes such  qualification  necessary,  except
where the failure to be so  qualified or in good  standing,  as the case may be,
could not,  individually or in the aggregate,  have a material adverse effect on
the results of  operations,  assets,  prospects,  or financial  condition of the
Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a "Material Adverse Effect").

                  (b) Authorization;  Enforcement. The Company has the requisite
corporate  power and authority to enter into and to consummate the  transactions
contemplated  hereby  and by  the  Registration  Rights  Agreement,  the  Escrow
Agreement,  the  Certificate  of  Designation,  the  Warrant and the Side Letter
Agreement (collectively with this Agreement, the "Transaction Documents") and to
otherwise carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder.  The execution and
delivery  of  each  of  the  Transaction   Documents  by  the  Company  and  the
consummation  by it of the  transactions  contemplated  thereby  have  been duly
authorized  by all  necessary  action  on the part of the  Company.  Each of the
Transaction  Documents  has been duly  executed and delivered by the Company and
constitutes the legal, valid and binding  obligation of the Company  enforceable
against the Company in accordance with its terms,  except as such enforceability
may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
liquidation or similar laws relating to, or affecting  generally the enforcement
of, creditors'  rights and remedies or by other equitable  principles of general
application.  Neither the Company nor any  Subsidiary  is in violation of any of
the provisions of its respective  certificate of incorporation,  bylaws or other
charter documents.

                  (c)  Capitalization.  The  authorized,  issued and outstanding
capital  stock of the  Company  and  each of the  Subsidiaries  is set  forth in
Schedule 3.1(c). No shares of Common Stock are entitled to preemptive or similar
rights.  Except as  specifically  disclosed  in  Schedule  3.1(c),  there are no
outstanding  options,   warrants,  script  rights  to  subscribe  to,  calls  or
commitments of any character  whatsoever  relating to, or, except as a result of
the  purchase  and sale of the Shares  and the  Warrant,  securities,  rights or
obligations convertible into or exchangeable for, or giving any person any right
to  subscribe  for  or  acquire  any  shares  of  Common  Stock,  or  contracts,
commitments,  understandings,  or  arrangements  by  which  the  Company  or any
Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional shares of Common Stock, or
securities or rights convertible or exchangeable into shares of Common Stock. To
the knowledge of the Company,  except as disclosed in the Disclosure  Materials,
no Person  beneficially  owns (as determined  pursuant to Rule 13d-3 promulgated
under  the  Exchange  Act) or has the right to  acquire  by  agreement  with the
Company in excess of 5% of the Common Stock.

                  (d) Issuance of Shares and Underlying  Shares.  The Shares are
duly authorized and, when paid for in accordance with the terms hereof, shall be
validly issued,  fully paid and nonassessable,  free and clear of any Liens. The
Company has and at all times  while the Shares and the  Warrant are  outstanding
will  maintain a reserve of shares of Common  Stock to enable it to perform  its
conversion, exercise and other obligations under this Agreement, the Certificate
of  Designation  and the Warrant,  which reserve shall be no less than 2,090,000
shares of Class A Common Stock. When issued in accordance with the terms hereof,
the  Certificate  of  Designation  and the  Warrant  (as the case  may be),  the
Underlying  Shares  will be duly  authorized,  validly  issued,  fully  paid and
nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens.

                  (e) No Conflicts.  The execution,  delivery and performance of
the Transaction  Documents by the Company and the consummation by the Company of
the transactions  contemplated  thereby do not and will not (i) conflict with or
violate any provision of its  certificate  of  incorporation  or bylaws (each as
amended  through the date hereof) or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default
(or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would  become a default)
under, or give to others any rights of termination,  amendment,  acceleration or
cancellation of, any agreement,  indenture or instrument to which the Company is
a party,  or (iii) to the knowledge of the Company  result in a violation of any
law, rule, regulation, order, judgment,  injunction, decree or other restriction
of any  court  or  governmental  authority  to  which  the  Company  is  subject
(including  Federal and state securities laws and regulations),  or by which any
property  or asset of the  Company is bound or  affected,  except in the case of
each  of  clauses  (ii)  and  (iii),  such  conflicts,  defaults,  terminations,
amendments,   accelerations,   cancellations   and   violations  as  could  not,
individually or in the aggregate, (x) adversely affect the legality, validity or
enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents,  (y) have a Material Adverse
Effect or (z)  adversely  impair the  Company's  ability  to perform  fully on a
timely basis its obligations  under the Transaction  Documents.  The business of
the  Company  is not being  conducted  in  violation  of any law,  ordinance  or
regulation of any governmental authority.

                  (f)  Consents  and  Approvals.  Neither  the  Company  nor any
Subsidiary is required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of,
or make any filing or  registration  with,  any court or other  Federal,  state,
local or other  governmental  authority or other Person in  connection  with the
execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Transaction Documents,
except for (i) the filing of the Certificate of Designation  with respect to the
Shares with the  Secretary of State of Delaware,  which filing shall be effected
on or prior to the Closing Date, (ii) the filing of the  registration  statement
covering the Underlying Shares (the "Underlying Shares Registration  Statement")
with the  Commission  and the making of the  applicable  blue-sky  filings under
state  securities  laws,  each  as  contemplated  by  the  Registration   Rights
Agreement, and (iii) other than, in all other cases, where the failure to obtain
such consent, waiver,  authorization or order, or to give or make such notice or
filing,  could not,  individually or in the aggregate,  (x) adversely affect the
legality,  validity or enforceability of any of the Transaction  Documents,  (y)
have a Material Adverse Effect or (z) adversely impair the Company's  ability to
perform fully on a timely basis its obligations under the Transaction Documents.

                  (g) Litigation;  Proceedings. There is no action, suit, notice
of violation,  proceeding or investigation  pending or, to the best knowledge of
the  Company,  threatened  against  or  affecting  the  Company  or  any  of its
Subsidiaries  or any of their  respective  properties  before  or by any  court,
governmental or administrative  agency or regulatory authority (Federal,  state,
county,  local or foreign)  which (i)  relates to or  challenges  the  legality,
validity or  enforceability of the Transaction  Documents,  Shares or Underlying
Shares,  (ii) could,  individually or in the aggregate,  have a Material Adverse
Effect or (iii) could,  individually or in the aggregate,  adversely  impair the
Company's  ability to perform fully on a timely basis its obligations  under the
Transaction  Documents.  The Company  has  provided  to the  Purchaser  true and
complete  copies of all notices  received since December 27, 1997 from any stock
exchange  or market on which the Common  Stock is listed or quoted to the effect
that  the  Company  is  not  in  compliance  with  the  listing  or  maintenance
requirements of such exchange,  market or quotation  system, as well as true and
complete copies of the responses thereto by or on behalf of the Company.

                  (h) No Default  or  Violation.  Neither  the  Company  nor any
Subsidiary  (i) is in default  under or in violation of any  indenture,  loan or
credit  agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or
by which it or any of its properties is bound, (ii) is in violation of any order
of any court,  arbitrator or governmental  body, or (iii) is in violation of any
statute, rule or regulation of any governmental authority,  except as could not,
in any case of (i) above, individually or in the aggregate, (x) adversely affect
the legality,  validity or enforceability  of any of the Transaction  Documents,
(y) have a Material Adverse Effect or (z) adversely impair the Company's ability
to  perform  fully on a timely  basis  its  obligations  under  the  Transaction
Documents.

                  (i) Certain  Fees.  Except for fees  payable by the Company to
Wharton  Capital  Partners,  Ltd.  and to The Shemano  Group,  Inc.,  no fees or
commissions  will be payable by the  Company to any broker,  finder,  investment
banker or bank with respect to the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby. The Purchaser shall have no obligation with respect to such fees or with
respect to any claims made by other Persons for fees due in connection with this
transaction.

                  (j) Disclosure Materials. The Disclosure Materials (other than
the SEC  Documents)  do not contain any untrue  statement of a material  fact or
omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the  statements  made
therein,  in  light  of the  circumstances  under  which  they  were  made,  not
misleading.

                  (k)  Private  Offering.  Neither  the  Company  nor any Person
acting  on its  behalf  has taken or will take any  action  (including,  without
limitation,  any offering of any  securities of the Company under  circumstances
which would  require the  integration  of such offering with the offering of the
Shares under the Securities  Act) which might subject the offering,  issuance or
sale  of the  Shares  to  the  registration  requirements  of  Section  5 of the
Securities Act.

                  (l) SEC Documents.  The Company has filed all reports required
to be filed by it under the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or
15(d)  thereof,  for the three years  preceding the date hereof (or such shorter
period as the Company was required by law to file such  material) (the foregoing
materials  being  collectively  referred to herein as the "SEC  Documents") on a
timely basis,  or has received a valid  extension of such time of filing.  As of
their respective dates, the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with
the  requirements  of the  Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the published
rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder,  and none of the
SEC Documents,  when filed, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary in
order to make the statements  therein, in light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading. The financial statements of the Company included
in the SEC Documents comply in all material respects with applicable  accounting
requirements  and the rules  and  regulations  of the  Commission  with  respect
thereto.  Such  financial  statements  have been  prepared  in  accordance  with
generally  accepted  accounting  principles applied on a consistent basis during
the periods  involved,  except as may be otherwise  indicated in such  financial
statements or the notes thereto, and fairly present in all material respects the
financial  position of the Company and its  consolidated  subsidiaries as of and
for the dates  thereof  and the  results  of  operations  and cash flows for the
periods  then ended,  subject,  in the case of unaudited  statements,  to normal
year-end audit adjustments.  Since the date of the financial statements included
in the Company's  Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly  period ended
March  30,  1997  (the  "March  Quarterly  Report"),  there  has been no  event,
occurrence or development that could have had a Material Adverse Effect which is
not specifically disclosed in the Disclosure Materials.

                  (m) Seniority. No class of equity securities of the Company is
senior to the Shares in right of payment, whether upon liquidation,  dissolution
or otherwise other than the Company's Series A Cumulative  Redeemable  Preferred
Stock,  par value $.01 per share, of which,  on the date hereof,  360 shares are
outstanding, the Company's Series B Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share of
which, on the date hereof, no shares are outstanding, and the Company's Series C
Convertible  Preferred  Stock,  par value $.01 par share,  of which, on the date
hereof, 75,000 shares are outstanding (collectively, the "Senior Securities").

                  (n) Form S-3  Eligibility.  The Company is, and at the Closing
Date will be,  eligible to register  securities  for resale with the  Commission
under Form S-3 promulgated under the Securities Act.

                  (o)      Investment Company.  The Company is not and is not an
Affiliate  of an  "investment  company"  within the  meaning  of the  Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended.

                  (p) Class B Common Stock. The issued and outstanding shares of
the  Class B  Common  Stock  are  restricted  securities  subject  to  Rule  144
promulgated  under the  Exchange  Act,  and the  holders of such  shares have no
registration  rights or preemptive rights arising out of their ownership of such
shares.

                  Section 3.2.  Representations and Warranties of the Purchaser.
The Purchaser hereby represents and warrants to the Company as follows:

                  (a)  Organization;  Authority.  The Purchaser is a corporation
duly  and  validly  existing  and  in  good  standing  under  the  laws  of  the
jurisdiction  of its  incorporation.  The Purchaser has the requisite  power and
authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions  contemplated  hereby
and by the Registration  Rights Agreement,  Side Letter Agreement and the Escrow
Agreement and otherwise to carry out its  obligations  hereunder and thereunder.
The  purchase of the Shares and the  Warrant  (and upon  conversion  or exercise
thereof (as the case may be), the  Underlying  Shares) by the Purchaser has been
duly  authorized by all necessary  action on the part of the Purchaser.  Each of
this Agreement,  the Registration  Rights Agreement and the Escrow Agreement has
been  duly  executed  and  delivered  by  the  Purchaser  or on its  behalf  and
constitutes  the  valid  and  legally  binding   obligation  of  the  Purchaser,
enforceable  against the  Purchaser  in  accordance  with its terms,  subject to
bankruptcy,  insolvency,  fraudulent  transfer,  reorganization,  moratorium and
similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights
generally and to general principles of equity.

                  (b) Investment  Intent. The Purchaser is acquiring the Shares,
the  Warrant  and the  Underlying  Shares  for its own  account  for  investment
purposes  only  and not with a view to or for  distributing  or  reselling  such
Shares,  Warrant or Underlying  Shares or any part thereof or interest  therein,
without prejudice,  however, to the Purchaser's right, subject to the provisions
of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, at all times to sell or
otherwise  dispose  of all or any part of such  Shares,  Warrant  or  Underlying
Shares under an effective registration statement under the Securities Act and in
compliance with applicable State securities laws or under an exemption from such
registration.

                    (c) Purchaser  Status. At the time the Purchaser was offered
the Shares and the Warrant,  it was,  and at the date hereof,  it is, and at the
Closing Date, it will be, an "accredited investor" as defined in Rule 501(a) 
under the Securities Act.

                  (d) Experience of Purchaser.  The  Purchaser,  either alone or
together  with its  representatives,  has  such  knowledge,  sophistication  and
experience in business and  financial  matters so as to be capable of evaluating
the  merits  and  risks of the  prospective  investment  in the  Shares  and the
Warrant, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment.

                  (e)  Ability  of  Purchaser  to Bear Risk of  Investment.  The
Purchaser is able to bear the economic  risk of an  investment in the Shares and
the Warrant and, at the present  time, is able to afford a complete loss of such
investment.

                  (f)      Prohibited Transactions.  Neither the Shares nor  the
Warrant are being acquired,  directly  or  indirectly,  with  the assets  of any
"employee  benefit  plan",  within  the meaning  of Section 3(3) of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

                  (g) Access to Information.  The Purchaser acknowledges receipt
of  the  Disclosure   Materials  and  further   acknowledges   that  it  or  its
representatives  have been afforded (i) the opportunity to ask such questions as
it has deemed necessary of, and to receive answers from,  representatives of the
Company  concerning  the terms and  conditions of the offering of the Shares and
the Warrant and the merits and risks of investing in the Shares and the Warrant;
(ii)  access  to  information  about the  Company  and the  Company's  financial
condition, results of operations, business, properties and management sufficient
to enable it to evaluate its investment in the Shares and the Warrant; and (iii)
the  opportunity  to  obtain  such  additional  information  which  the  Company
possesses  or can  acquire  without  unreasonable  effort  or  expense  that  is
necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to the Shares and
the Warrant  and to verify the  accuracy  and  completeness  of the  information
contained in the Disclosure Materials.

                  (h) Reliance.  The Purchaser understands and acknowledges that
(i) the Shares and the Warrant are being  offered and sold,  and the  Underlying
Shares are being offered, to it without registration under the Securities Act in
a private  placement  that is exempt  from the  registration  provisions  of the
Securities Act and (ii) the  availability of such exemption  depends in part on,
and that the  Company  will rely upon the  accuracy  and  truthfulness  of,  the
foregoing representations and the Purchaser hereby consents to such reliance.

                  The Company  acknowledges  and agrees that the Purchaser makes
no  representation  or warranty  with respect to the  transactions  contemplated
hereby other than those specifically set forth in this Section 3.2.


                                   ARTICLE IV

                         OTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

                  Section 4.1.  Transfer  Restrictions.  If the Purchaser should
decide to  dispose  of any of the  Shares or any  portion  of the  Warrant to be
purchased by it hereunder (and upon  conversion or exercise (as the case may be)
thereof,  any Underlying Shares),  the Purchaser  understands and agrees that it
may do so  only  pursuant  to an  effective  registration  statement  under  the
Securities  Act or  pursuant to an  available  exemption  from the  registration
requirements  thereof.  In  connection  with any  transfer  of any Shares or the
Warrant  other than  pursuant to an effective  registration  statement or to the
Company,  the Company may require that the  transferor of such Shares or Warrant
provide to the Company an opinion of counsel  experienced  in the area of United
States  securities  laws selected by the  transferor,  the form and substance of
which  opinion shall be reasonably  satisfactory  to the Company,  to the effect
that such transfer does not require registration of such Shares or Warrant under
the Securities Act or any state securities laws.

                  The Purchaser agrees to the imprinting, so long as is required
by the provisions of this Section 4.1, of the following  legend on  certificates
representing the Shares, the Warrant and the Underlying Shares:

             NEITHER THESE SECURITIES NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THESE
        SECURITIES  ARE   CONVERTIBLE   HAVE  BEEN  REGISTERED  WITH  THE
        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE  COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES  COMMISSION
        OF ANY STATE IN  RELIANCE  UPON AN  EXEMPTION  FROM  REGISTRATION
        UNDER REGULATION D PROMULGATED  UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933,
        AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), AND,  ACCORDINGLY,  MAY NOT BE
        OFFERED OR SOLD  EXCEPT  PURSUANT  TO AN  EFFECTIVE  REGISTRATION
        STATEMENT  UNDER THE  SECURITIES  ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE
        EXEMPTION   FROM,  OR  IN  A  TRANSACTION  NOT  SUBJECT  TO,  THE
        REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE
        WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

                  The  legend  set  forth  above  shall  be  removed   upon  the
conversion  of  Shares  or the  exercise  of the  Warrant  (as the  case may be)
represented  by  such  certificate  at any  time  after  the  Underlying  Shares
Registration  Statement has been declared effective under the Securities Act or,
if no Underlying  Shares  Registration  Statement is then  effective,  if in the
opinion of  counsel  to the  Company  experienced  in the area of United  States
securities laws such legend is no longer required under applicable  requirements
of the Securities Act (including  judicial  interpretations  and  pronouncements
issued  by the  staff of the  Commission).  The  certificates  representing  the
Shares,  the Warrant and the Underlying Shares shall also bear any other legends
required by applicable  Federal or state securities laws, which legends shall be
removed  when not  required in  accordance  with this  Section  4.1. The Company
agrees that it will provide the Purchaser, upon request, with a substitute stock
certificate  or  certificates  or Warrant  (as the case may be),  free from such
legend at such time as such legend is no longer applicable. The Purchaser agrees
that,  in  connection  with any  transfer of Shares,  the Warrant or  Underlying
Shares  by  it  pursuant  to  an  effective  registration  statement  under  the
Securities Act, it will comply with all prospectus delivery  requirements of the
Securities Act. The Company makes no representation, warranty or agreement as to
the  availability  of any exemption from  registration  under the Securities Act
with respect to any resale of Shares, the Warrant or Underlying Shares.

                  Section 4.2. Stop Transfer  Instruction.  The Purchaser agrees
that the  Company  shall be  entitled to make a notation on its records and give
instructions  to any  transfer  agent of the Company in order to  implement  the
restrictions on transfer set forth in Section 4.1 above.

                  Section 4.3.  Furnishing  of  Information.  For so long as the
Purchaser owns Shares or Underlying Shares, the Company covenants to timely file
(or obtain valid extensions in respect thereof) all reports required to be filed
by the Company  after the date hereof  pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act and to promptly furnish the Purchaser with true and complete copies
of all such filings.  If the Company is not at the time required to file reports
pursuant to such sections,  it will prepare and furnish to the Purchaser  annual
and quarterly financial  statements,  together with a discussion and analysis of
such financial statements in form and substance  substantially  similar to those
that would  otherwise be required to be included in reports  required by Section
13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange  Act in the time period that such  filings  would
have been required to have been made under the Exchange Act.

                  Section 4.4. Use of Disclosure Materials. The Company consents
to the use of the  Disclosure  Materials,  and any  amendments  and  supplements
thereto,  by the  Purchaser  in  connection  with  resales  of the Shares or the
Underlying Shares other than pursuant to an effective registration statement.

                  Section 4.5.      Issuance of Senior Securities.  For so  long
as the  Purchaser  shall own  Shares,  the  Company  shall not issue any  Senior
Securities.

                  Section  4.6.   Blue  Sky  Laws.   In   accordance   with  the
Registration  Rights  Agreement,  the Company  shall  qualify the Shares and the
Underlying Shares under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as
the Purchaser may request and continue such  qualification  at all times through
the third anniversary of the Closing Date; provided,  however,  that neither the
Company  nor its  Subsidiaries  shall be  required in  connection  therewith  to
qualify as a foreign corporation where they are not now so qualified.

                  Section 4.7. Integration. The Company shall not, and shall use
its best efforts to ensure  that,  no  Affiliate  shall sell,  offer for sale or
solicit  offers to buy or  otherwise  negotiate  in respect of any  security (as
defined in Section 2 of the  Securities  Act) that would be integrated  with the
offer or sale of the Shares,  the Warrant or the  Underlying  Shares in a manner
that would require the registration  under the Securities Act of the sale of the
Shares, the Warrant or Underlying Shares to the Purchaser.

                  Section 4.8. Solicitation Materials. The Company shall not (i)
distribute  any offering  materials in connection  with the offering and sale of
the Shares, the Warrant or Underlying Shares other than the Disclosure Materials
and any amendments and supplements  thereto  prepared in compliance  herewith or
(ii)  solicit  any offer to buy or sell the Shares,  the  Warrant or  Underlying
Shares by means of any form of general solicitation or advertising.

                  Section 4.9. Right of First Refusal;  Subsequent  Regulations;
Certain  Corporate  Actions.  (a) The Company shall not, directly or indirectly,
without the prior  written  consent of the  Purchaser,  offer,  sell,  grant any
option to purchase, or otherwise dispose (or announce any offer, sale, grant any
option to purchase or other  disposition) of any of its or its Affiliates equity
or  equity-equivalent  securities at a price which is, on the face  thereof,  or
implied  therein,  less  than the  market  price or fair  market  value for such
securities  (a  "Subsequent  Sale") for a period of 180 days after Closing Date,
except (i) the granting of options to employees, officers and directors, and the
issuance of shares upon exercise of options granted, under any stock option plan
heretofore or hereinafter  duly adopted by the Company,  (ii) shares issued upon
exercise  of any  currently  outstanding  warrants  and upon  conversion  of any
currently outstanding  convertible preferred stock disclosed in Schedule 3.1(c),
and (iii) shares of Common Stock issued upon conversion of Shares or exercise of
the Warrant in accordance  herewith and the  Certificate  of  Designation or the
Warrant,  as the case may be, unless (A) the Company delivers to the Purchaser a
written notice (the  "Subsequent  Financing  Notice") of its intention to effect
such Subsequent  Financing,  which Subsequent Financing Notice shall describe in
reasonable detail the proposed terms of such Subsequent Financing and the amount
of proceeds  intended to be raised  thereunder  and (B) the Purchaser  shall not
have notified the Company by 5:00 p.m.  (Eastern Time) on the third Business Day
after its receipt of the Subsequent Financing Notice of its willingness to enter
into  good  faith  negotiations  to  provide  as  promptly  as  is  commercially
practicable (or to cause its sole designee to provide)  financing to the Company
on substantially the terms set forth in the Subsequent  Financing Notice. If the
Purchaser  shall fail to notify the Company of its  intention to enter into such
negotiations within such time period, or if the Purchaser shall fail to actually
close such financing within 10 Business Days after such notice,  the Company may
effect the Subsequent Financing  substantially upon the terms and to the Persons
(or  Affiliates of such Persons) set forth in the Subsequent  Financing  Notice;
provided,  that the Company shall provide the Purchaser with a second Subsequent
Financing Notice,  and the Purchaser shall again have the right of first refusal
set forth above in this paragraph (a), if the  Subsequent  Financing  subject to
the initial Subsequent  Financing Notice shall not have been consummated for any
reason  on the terms set forth in such  Subsequent  Financing  Notice  within 60
Business Days after the date of the initial Subsequent Financing Notice with the
Person (or an Affiliate of such Person)  identified in the Subsequent  Financing
Notice.  The  provisions of this Section 4.9 shall not apply to any financing by
the Company with a strategic partner  (including  without limitation any company
which is involved  in  computer  hardware,  including  peripherals,  or software
manufacturing,  design,  development,  marketing and sales,  content  providers,
Internet document transmission,  data broadcast systems, and electronic commerce
applications), including without limitation Creative Technology Ltd. A strategic
partner does not include entities in the business of acquiring private placement
securities for investment purposes only.

                  (b) Except  Underlying  Shares to be  registered in accordance
with the Registration Rights Agreement,  the Company may not register for resale
any  securities  of the  Company  for a period of not less than 60 Trading  Days
after the date that the  Underlying  Shares  Registration  Statement is declared
effective  by the  Commission.  Any days  that the  Purchaser  is unable to sell
Underlying  Shares under the Underlying Shares  Registration  Statement shall be
added to such 60 Trading Day period.

                  (c) As long as there are Shares outstanding, the Company shall
not and  shall  cause  the  Subsidiaries  not to,  without  the  consent  of the
Purchaser,  (i) amend its certificate of incorporation,  bylaws or other charter
documents so as to  adversely  affect any rights of the  Purchaser;  (ii) split,
combine or reclassify its outstanding  capital stock; (iii) declare,  authorize,
set aside or pay any dividend or other  distribution  with respect to the Common
Stock; (iv) repay, repurchase or offer to repay, repurchase or otherwise acquire
shares of its Common Stock;  or (v) enter into any agreement with respect to any
of the foregoing.

                  Section  4.10.   Purchaser  Ownership  of  Common  Stock.  The
Purchaser may not use its ability to convert Shares hereunder or under the terms
of the  Certificate of Designation or to exercise the Warrant to the extent that
such conversion or exercise would result in the Purchaser  owning more than 4.9%
of the outstanding shares of the Common Stock. The Company shall,  promptly upon
its receipt of a Conversion  Notice  tendered by the Purchaser (or its designee)
under the  Certificate of Designation and upon an exercise of any portion of the
Warrant,  notify  the  Purchaser  of  the  number  of  shares  of  Common  Stock
outstanding  on such date and the number of  Underlying  Shares  which  would be
issuable  to the  Purchaser  (or  its  designee,  as  the  case  may  be) if the
conversion or exercise  requested in such  Conversion  Notice or exercise notice
were effected in full, whereupon,  notwithstanding  anything to the contrary set
forth in the  Certificate  of Designation  or the Warrant,  the Purchaser  shall
revoke such  conversion or exercise to the extent that it  determines  that such
conversion or exercise would result in the Purchaser owning in excess of 4.9% of
such outstanding shares of Common Stock.

                  Section 4.11.  Listing of Underlying Shares. The Company shall
take all steps  necessary  to cause the  Underlying  Shares to be  approved  for
listing in The  Nasdaq  National  Market  (and each  other  national  securities
exchange or market on which the Common  Stock is then  listed) no later than the
first day after which shares may be converted  hereunder by the  Purchaser,  and
shall provide to the Purchaser  evidence of such listing and shall  maintain the
listing of its Common Stock on such exchange.

                  Section 4.12. Purchaser's Rights if Trading in Common Stock is
Suspended.  In the event that at any time within the three-year period after the
Closing  Date  trading  in the shares of the Common  Stock is  suspended  on the
principal  market or  exchange  for such  shares  (other than as a result of the
suspension  of trading in  securities  on such market or exchange  generally  or
temporary suspensions pending the release of material information) for more than
three  days or if the  shares  of  Common  Stock are  delisted  from the  Nasdaq
National  Market,  unless  immediately  therewith the Common Stock is listed for
trading in the Nasdaq  SmallCap  Market,  in which event the  provisions of this
Section  4.13 shall  apply to a listing on the Nasdaq  SmallCap  Market,  at the
Purchaser's  option  exercisable by written  notice to the Company,  the Company
shall  repurchase  all  Shares  and  all  Underlying  Shares  then  held by such
Purchaser,  at an  aggregate  purchase  price  equal to (A) the  product  of the
average Per Share Market Value for the five Trading Days  immediately  preceding
the day of such notice  multiplied  by the number of shares of Common Stock into
which  the  Shares  to be  purchased  are  then  convertible  (or in the case of
Underlying  Shares,  the number of Underlying Shares to be purchased),  plus (B)
interest on such amount  accruing from the 7th day after such notice at the rate
of 15% per annum.

                  Section 4.13. No Violation of Applicable Law.  Notwithstanding
any provision of this Agreement to the contrary,  if any redemption of Shares or
Underlying  Shares  otherwise  required under this Agreement,  the  Registration
Rights  Agreement or the  Certificate of Designation  would be prohibited by the
relevant  provisions of the Delaware  General  Corporation  Law, such redemption
shall be effected as soon as it is permitted under such law; provided,  however,
that,  interest payable by the Company with respect to any such redemption shall
continue to accrue in accordance with Section 4.12 during any such period.

                  Section 4.14.  Redemption  Restrictions.  Notwithstanding  any
provision of this  Agreement to the  contrary,  if any  redemption  of Shares or
Underlying Shares otherwise required under this Agreement would be prohibited in
the absence of consent from any lender of the Company or of any  Subsidiary,  or
by the holders of any class of securities of the Company,  the Company shall use
its best  efforts to obtain such  consent as promptly as  practicable  after the
redemption is required. Interest payable by the Company with respect to any such
redemption  shall continue to accrue in accordance  with Section 4.12 until such
consent is obtained.  Nothing  contained in this Section shall be construed as a
waiver by the Purchaser of any rights it may have by virtue of any breach of any
representation  or  warranty  of the  Company  herein as to the  absence  of any
requirement to obtain any such consent.

                  Section 4.15. Notice of Breaches.  Each of the Company and the
Purchaser  shall give  prompt  written  notice to the other of any breach of any
representation,  warranty or other  agreement  contained in this Agreement or in
the Registration Rights Agreement,  as well as any events or occurrences arising
after the date hereof and prior to the Closing Date,  which could  reasonably be
likely to cause any representation or warranty or other agreement of such party,
as the case may be,  contained  herein or therein to be incorrect or breached as
of such Closing Date.  However,  no disclosure by either party  pursuant to this
Section  shall be deemed to cure any breach of any  representation,  warranty or
other  agreement  contained  herein  or in the  Registration  Rights  Agreement.
Neither the Company,  any  Subsidiary  nor the Purchaser  will take, or agree to
commit to take,  any  action  that is  intended  to make any  representation  or
warranty of the Company or the Purchaser,  as the case may be,  contained herein
or in the Registration Rights Agreement inaccurate in any respect at the Closing
Date.

                  Notwithstanding  the generality of the foregoing,  the Company
shall  promptly  notify the  Purchaser of any notice or claim  (written or oral)
that it  receives  from  any  lender  of the  Company  to the  effect  that  the
consummation  of  the  transactions  contemplated  by  any  of  the  Transaction
Documents  violates  or would  violate any written  agreement  or  understanding
between such lender and the Company,  and the Company shall promptly  furnish by
facsimile  to the  holders  of the  Shares a copy of any  written  statement  in
support of or relating to such claim or notice.

                  Section 4.16. Conversion Procedures. Exhibit D attached hereto
sets  forth  the  procedures  with  respect  to the  conversion  of the  Shares,
including  the  forms of  conversion  notice  to be  provided  upon  conversion,
instructions as to the procedures for conversion,  the form of legal opinion, if
necessary, that shall be rendered to the Company's transfer agent and such other
information  and  instructions  as may be  reasonably  necessary  to enable  the
Purchaser to exercise its right of conversion smoothly and expeditiously.


                                    ARTICLE V

                         CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CLOSING

                  Section  5.1.  Conditions  Precedent  to  Obligations  of  the
Purchaser.  The  obligation  of the  Purchaser  to  purchase  the Shares and the
Warrant is subject to the  satisfaction or waiver by the Purchaser,  at or prior
to the Closing, of each of the following conditions:

                  (a)      Legal Opinion.  The Purchaser shall have received the
legal  opinion,  addressed to it and dated the Closing Date, of Curtis,  Mallet-
Prevost,  Colt & Mosle,  counsel for the Company,  substantially  in the form of
Exhibit C;

                  (b) Accuracy of the Company's  Representations and Warranties.
The  representations  and warranties of the Company  contained herein and in the
Registration Rights Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects
as of the date when made and as of the Closing Date as though made at that time;

                  (c)  Performance  by  the  Company.  The  Company  shall  have
performed,  satisfied and complied in all material  respects with all covenants,
agreements and conditions required by the Transaction Documents to be performed,
satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to the Closing;

                  (d)    No Injunction.  No statute, rule, regulation, executive
order,  decree,   ruling  or  injunction  shall  have  been  enacted,   entered,
promulgated  or endorsed by any court or  governmental  authority  of  competent
jurisdiction  which  prohibits  the  consummation  of any  of  the  transactions
contemplated by the Transaction Documents;

                  (e)  No  Material  Adverse  Effect.  Since  the  date  of  the
financial  statements  included in the March Quarterly Report, no event which in
the judgment of the Purchaser has or could have a Material Adverse Effect and no
material  adverse  change in the financial  condition or business of the Company
shall have occurred which is not disclosed in the Disclosure Materials;

                  (f) No  Prohibitions.  The  purchase  of and  payment  for the
Shares and the Warrant (and upon  conversion  thereof,  the  Underlying  Shares)
hereunder (i) shall not be prohibited or enjoined  (temporarily  or permanently)
by any applicable law or governmental  regulation and (ii) shall not subject the
Purchaser to any penalty,  or in its judgment,  other onerous condition under or
pursuant to any applicable law or governmental  regulation that would materially
reduce the benefits to the Purchaser of the purchase of the Shares,  the Warrant
or the  Underlying  Shares  (provided,  however,  that such  regulation,  law or
onerous condition was not in effect in such form at the date of this Agreement);

                  (g) Company Certificates.  The Purchaser shall have received a
certificate,  dated the Closing  Date,  signed by the  Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary of the Company and  certifying  (i) that  attached  thereto is a true,
correct  and  complete  copy  of  (A)  the  Company's  Restated  Certificate  of
Incorporation,  as amended to the date thereof,  (B) the Company's  By-Laws,  as
amended to the date thereof,  and (C)  resolutions  duly adopted by the Board of
Directors  of  the  Company  authorizing  the  execution  and  delivery  of  the
Transaction  Documents and the issuance and sale of the Shares,  the Warrant and
the  Underlying  Shares  and (ii)  the  incumbency  of  officers  executing  the
Transaction Documents;

                  (h)      Registration Rights Agreement, Side Letter  Agreement
and Escrow  Agreement.  The Company  shall have  executed  and  delivered to the
Escrow Agent the Registration  Rights  Agreement,  Side Letter Agreement and the
Escrow Agreement;

                  (i) No Suspensions of Trading in Common Stock.  Trading in the
Common  Stock  shall not have been  suspended  by the  Commission  or the Nasdaq
National Market or any other national securities exchange or market on which the
Common  Stock is listed or quoted  (except  for any  suspension  of  trading  of
limited duration at the direction of the Company solely to permit  dissemination
of material information regarding the Company);

                  (j)      Listing of Common Stock.  The Common Stock shall have
at all times  between  the date  hereof and the  Closing  Date been,  and on the
Closing Date be, listed for trading on the Nasdaq National Market;

                  (k)  Delivery  of  Stock  Certificates  and the  Warrant.  The
Company  shall  have  delivered  to the  Escrow  Agent the stock  certificate(s)
representing  the Shares and the  Warrant,  each  registered  in the name of the
Purchaser, each in form satisfactory to the Escrow Agent and the Purchaser;

                  (l)  Shares of Common Stock.  On the Closing Date, the Company
shall have duly  reserved for  issuance to the  Purchaser  2,090,000  Underlying
Shares;

                  (m) Certificate of Designation. The Certificate of Designation
shall  have been  duly  filed by the  Secretary  of State of  Delaware,  and the
Company  shall  have  delivered  proof  of  such  filing  to the  Escrow  Agent,
reasonably satisfactory to it; and

                  (n)    Form S-3 Eligibility.  The Company shall be eligible to
register  securities for resale under Form S-3 promulgated  under the Securities
Act.

                  Section  5.2.  Conditions  Precedent  to  Obligations  of  the
Company.  The  obligation  of the  Company  to issue and sell the Shares and the
Warrant hereunder is subject to the satisfaction or waiver by the Company, at or
prior to the Closing, of each of the following conditions:

                  (a)   Accuracy   of   the   Purchaser's   Representations  and
Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Purchaser contained herein
shall be true and correct in all material  respects as of the date when made and
as of the Closing Date as though made at that time;

                  (b)  Performance  by the Purchaser.  The Purchaser  shall have
performed,  satisfied and complied in all material  respects with all covenants,
agreements and conditions  required by this Agreement,  the Registration  Rights
Agreement,  the Side Letter  Agreement and the Escrow Agreement to be performed,
satisfied or complied with by it at or prior to the Closing;

                  (c) No  Prohibitions.  The sale of the Shares and the  Warrant
(and upon  conversion or exercise (as the case may be) thereof,  the  Underlying
Shares)  hereunder  (i) shall not be  prohibited  or  enjoined  (temporarily  or
permanently) by any applicable law or governmental regulation and (ii) shall not
subject  the  Company to any  penalty,  or in its  judgment,  any other  onerous
condition  under or pursuant to any  applicable law or  governmental  regulation
that would materially  reduce the benefits to the Company of the sale of Shares,
the Warrant or the Underlying Shares to the Purchaser (provided,  however,  that
such regulation,  law or onerous condition was not in effect in such form at the
date of this Agreement); and

                  (d) No Injunction.  No statute,  rule,  regulation,  executive
order,  decree,   ruling  or  injunction  shall  have  been  enacted,   entered,
promulgated  or endorsed by any court of  governmental  authority  of  competent
jurisdiction  which  prohibits  the  consummation  of any  of  the  transactions
contemplated by the Transaction Documents.


                                   ARTICLE VI

                                   TERMINATION

                  Section 6.1. Termination by Mutual Consent. This Agreement may
be terminated at any time prior to Closing by the mutual  consent of the Company
and the Purchaser.

                  Section 6.2. Termination by the Company or the Purchaser. This
Agreement  may be  terminated  prior to  Closing  by either  the  Company or the
Purchaser, by giving written notice of such termination to the other party, if:

                  (a)  there  shall  be in  effect  any  statute,  rule,  law or
regulation that prohibits the consummation of the Closing or if the consummation
of the Closing would violate any non-appealable  final judgment,  order, decree,
ruling or injunction of any court of or governmental  authority having competent
jurisdiction; or

                  (b) there shall have been an amendment  to  Regulation D or an
interpretive release promulgated or issued thereunder, which, in the judgment of
the  terminating  party,  would  materially  adversely  affect the  transactions
contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

                  Section 6.3. Termination by the Company. This Agreement may be
terminated  prior to Closing by the Company,  by giving  written  notice of such
termination  to the  Purchaser,  if the  Purchaser has  materially  breached any
representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement, the
Registration  Rights  Agreement or the Side Letter  Agreement and such breach is
not cured within one business day  following  receipt by the Purchaser of notice
of such breach.

                  Section 6.4. Termination by the Purchaser.  This Agreement may
be terminated  prior to Closing by the  Purchaser,  by giving  written notice of
such termination to the Company, if:

                  (a) the Company has  breached  any  representation,  warranty,
covenant or  agreement  contained in this  Agreement,  the  Registration  Rights
Agreement or the Side Letter  Agreement  and such breach is not cured within one
business day following receipt by the Company of notice of such breach;

                  (b)  there  has  occurred  a  material  adverse  change in the
business or financial condition of the Company or an event since the date of the
financial  statements  included  in the March  Quarterly  Report  which,  in the
Purchaser's  judgment has or could have a Material  Adverse  Effect and which is
not disclosed in the Disclosure Materials;

                  (c)  trading in the  Common  Stock has been  suspended  by the
Commission or the Nasdaq National Market or other national  securities  exchange
or market on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted; or

                  (d) the  Common  Stock  shall  have  failed to be  listed  for
trading on the Nasdaq National Market or on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market.


                                   ARTICLE VII

                                  MISCELLANEOUS

                  Section 7.1. Fees and Expenses.  Each party shall pay the fees
and expenses of its advisers,  counsel,  accountants and other experts,  if any,
and all other  expenses  incurred  by such party  incident  to the  negotiation,
preparation,  execution,  delivery and performance of this Agreement,  except as
set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement and except that the Company shall
reimburse  the  Purchaser  $10,000  for its legal  fees and  disbursements.  The
Company shall pay all stamp and other taxes and duties levied in connection with
the  issuance of the Shares and the  Warrant  (and upon  conversion  or exercise
thereof  (as the case may be),  the  Underlying  Shares)  pursuant  hereto.  The
Purchaser  shall be  responsible  for its own tax liability  that may arise as a
result of the  investment  hereunder or the  transactions  contemplated  by this
Agreement.

                  Section 7.1.  Entire  Agreement;  Amendments.  This Agreement,
together  with  the  Exhibits  and  Schedules  hereto,  and  each  of the  other
Transaction  Documents  contain the entire  understanding  of the  parties  with
respect to the subject  matter  hereof and supersede  all prior  agreements  and
understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters.

                  Section  7.2.  Notices.  Any  notice  or  other  communication
required or  permitted  to be given  hereunder  shall be in writing and shall be
deemed to have been received (a) upon hand delivery  (receipt  acknowledged)  or
delivery by telex (with  correct  answer back  received),  telecopy or facsimile
(with  transmission  confirmation  report) at the  address or number  designated
below (if  delivered on a business day during normal  business  hours where such
notice is to be received), or the first business day following such delivery (if
delivered  other than on a business day during normal  business hours where such
notice is to be received) or (b) on the second  business day  following the date
of mailing by express courier service, fully prepaid, addressed to such address,
or upon  actual  receipt of such  mailing,  whichever  shall  first  occur.  The
addresses for such communications shall be:

                  If to the Company:        Wave Systems Corp.
                                            480 Pleasant Street
                                            Lee, MA  01268
                                            Facsimile No.: (413) 243-0045
                                            Attn: James Stokes Hatch

                  With copies to:           Curtis, Mallet-Prevost,
                                            Colt & Mosle
                                            101 Park Avenue, 35th Floor
                                            New York, NY  10178
                                            Facsimile No.: (212) 697-1559
                                            Attn: Jeffrey N. Ostrager


                  If to the Purchaser:      JNC Opportunity Fund Ltd.
                                            Olympia Capital (Cayman) Ltd.
                                            c/o Olympia Capital (Bermuda) Ltd.
                                            Williams House
                                            20 Reid Street
                                            Hamilton HM11
                                            Bermuda
                                            Facsimile No.:  (441) 295-2305
                                            Attn:  Philip Pedro

                  with copies to:           Encore Capital Management, L.L.C.
                                            12007 Sunrise Valley Drive
                                            Suite 460
                                            Reston, VA  20191
                                            Facsimile No.: (703) 476-7711
                                            Attn: Neil Chau

                                                      - and -

                                            Robinson Silverman Pearce Aronsohn 
                                            & Berman LLP
                                            1290 Avenue of the Americas
                                            New York, NY  10104
                                            Facsimile No.: (212) 541-4630
                                            Attn:  Eric L. Cohen

or such other  address as may be designated  in writing  hereafter,  in the same
manner, by such person.

                  Section  7.3.  Amendments;   Waivers.  No  provision  of  this
Agreement may be waived or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the
case of an amendment, by both the Company and the Purchaser,  or, in the case of
a waiver, by the party against whom enforcement of any such waiver is sought. No
waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of
this  Agreement  shall be deemed to be a  continuing  waiver in the  future or a
waiver of any other provision,  condition or requirement  hereof,  nor shall any
delay or omission of either party to exercise any right  hereunder in any manner
impair the exercise of any such right accruing to it thereafter.

                  Section 7.4. Headings. The headings herein are for convenience
only,  do not  constitute  a part of this  Agreement  and shall not be deemed to
limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

                  Section 7.5.  Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement shall be
binding  upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their  successors  and
permitted  assigns.  Neither  the  Company  nor the  Purchaser  may assign  this
Agreement  or any rights or  obligations  hereunder  without  the prior  written
consent of the other,  except that the Purchaser may assign its rights hereunder
and under the  Registration  Rights  Agreement  to an  Affiliate or managed fund
thereof,   provided,   that  such  assignee   demonstrates   to  the  reasonable
satisfaction  of  the  Company  its  satisfaction  of  the  representations  and
warranties  set forth in Section 3.2 herein.  The  assignment by a party of this
Agreement or any rights hereunder shall not affect the obligations of such party
under this Agreement.

                  Section 7.6.  No Third-Party Beneficiaries.  This Agreement is
intended for the benefit of the parties  hereto and their  respective  permitted
successors  and assigns  and is not for the  benefit  of, nor may any  provision
hereof be enforced by, any other person.

                  Section 7.7.  Governing Law.  This Agreement shall be governed
by and construed and enforced in accordance  with the internal laws of the State
of New York without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof.

                  Section 7.8. Survival.  The  representations and warranties of
the Company and the Purchaser  contained in Article III and the  agreements  and
covenants  of the  parties  contained  in Article IV and this  Article VII shall
survive  the  Closing (or any earlier  termination  of this  Agreement)  and any
conversion of Shares or exercise of the Warrant hereunder.

                  Section 7.9.  Counterpart  Signatures.  This  Agreement may be
executed in two or more counterparts,  all of which when taken together shall be
considered  one  and  the  same  agreement  and  shall  become   effective  when
counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party, it
being  understood that both parties need not sign the same  counterpart.  In the
event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission,  such signature
shall create a valid and binding  obligation of the party executing (or on whose
behalf such signature is executed) the same with the same force and effect as if
such facsimile signature page were an original thereof.

                  Section 7.10.  Publicity.  The Company and the Purchaser shall
consult with each other in issuing any press releases or otherwise making public
statements  with  respect to the  transactions  contemplated  hereby and neither
party  shall  issue any such press  release or  otherwise  make any such  public
statement  without the prior written  consent of the other,  which consent shall
not be unreasonably  withheld or delayed,  except that no prior consent shall be
required  if such  disclosure  is  required  by law,  in  which  such  case  the
disclosing  party shall provide the other party with prior notice of such public
statement.

                  Section  7.11  Severability.  In  case  any one or more of the
provisions of this Agreement shall be invalid or  unenforceable  in any respect,
the validity and  enforceability  of the remaining  terms and provisions of this
Agreement shall not in any way be affecting or impaired  thereby and the parties
will attempt to agree upon a valid and  enforceable  provision  which shall be a
reasonable  substitute  therefor,  and upon so agreeing,  shall incorporate such
substitute provision in this Agreement.

                  Section  7.12.  Remedies.  In  addition  to being  entitled to
exercise all rights  provided  herein or granted by law,  including  recovery of
damages,  the  Purchaser  will  be  entitled  to  specific  performance  of  the
obligations of the Company under this Agreement and the Company will be entitled
to specific  performance  of the  obligations  of the Purchaser  hereunder  with
respect to the subsequent  transfer of Shares and the Underlying Shares. Each of
the Company and the Purchaser agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate
compensation  for any loss  incurred by reason of any breach of its  obligations
described in the foregoing sentence and hereby agrees to waive in any action for
specific  performance  of any such  obligation  the defense that a remedy at law
would be adequate.

                  [REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK,
                             SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]


<PAGE>


                  IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  parties  hereto  have  caused  this
Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first indicated above.

                                           WAVE SYSTEMS CORP.



                                           By:     /s/ Peter J. Sprague
                                              --------------------------------
                                           Name:  Peter J. Sprague
                                           Title:  Chairman



                                           JNC OPPORTUNITY FUND LTD.



                                           By:      /s/ Philip C. Pedro
                                              --------------------------------
                                           Name:  Philip C. Pedro
                                           Title:  Director

<PAGE>


                                    Exhibit D


                 [To be provided by Company prior to the Closing]




                                                                     Exhibit 4.2


                          REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT


                  This Registration  Rights Agreement (this "Agreement") is made
and entered into as of May 30, 1997,  between  Wave  Systems  Corp.,  a Delaware
corporation  (the  "Company"),  and JNC Opportunity  Fund Ltd., a Cayman Islands
corporation (the "Purchaser").

                  This Agreement is made pursuant to the  Convertible  Preferred
Stock Purchase  Agreement,  dated as of the date hereof by and among the Company
and the Purchaser (the "Purchase Agreement"). The execution of this Agreement is
a condition  to the closing of the  transactions  contemplated  by the  Purchase
Agreement.

                  The Company and the Purchaser hereby agree as follows:

         1.       Definitions

                  Capitalized  terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall
have the meanings  given such terms in the Purchase  Agreement.  As used in this
Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

                  "Advice" shall have meaning set forth in Section 3(o).

                  "Affiliate"  means,  with  respect  to any  Person,  any other
Person that directly or indirectly  controls or is controlled by or under common
control with such Person.  For the purposes of this definition,  "control," when
used with respect to any Person,  means the possession,  direct or indirect,  of
the power to direct or cause the  direction  of the  management  and policies of
such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities,  by contract or
otherwise;  and the terms of "affiliated,"  "controlling"  and "controlled" have
meanings correlative to the foregoing.

                  "Business Day" means any day except  Saturday,  Sunday and any
day which shall be a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions in the
City of New York generally are authorized or required by law or other government
actions to close.

                  "Certificate of Designation" shall have the meaning set  forth
in Section 4.

                  "Closing Date"  shall  have  the  meaning  set  forth  in  the
Purchase Agreement.

                  "Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

                  "Common Stock" means the Company's  Class A Common Stock,  par
value $.01 per share.

                  "Effectiveness Date"  means the 60th day following the Closing
Date.

                  "Effectiveness Period"  shall  have the  meaning set  forth in
Section 2(a).

                  "Event" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.

                  "Event Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.

                  "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange  Act of  1934, as
amended.

                  "Filing Date" means the 10th day following the Closing Date.

                  "Holder" or "Holders" means the holder or holders, as the case
may be, from time to time of Registrable Securities.

                  "Indemnified Party"  shall  have  the  meaning  set  forth  in
Section 6(c).

                  "Indemnifying Party"  shall  have  the  meaning  set  forth in
Section 6(c).

                  "Losses" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(a).

                  "New York Courts" shall have the meaning set forth  in Section
8(h).

                  "Person"  means an individual or a  corporation,  partnership,
trust,  incorporated  or  unincorporated  association,  joint  venture,  limited
liability  company,  joint stock company,  government (or an agency or political
subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

                  "Preferred  Stock"  means the  shares of Series D  Convertible
Preferred  Stock,  par  value  $.01 per  share,  of the  Company  issued  to the
Purchaser pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.

                  "Proceeding" means an action,  claim,  suit,  investigation or
proceeding   (including,   without  limitation,   an  investigation  or  partial
proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.

                  "Prospectus" means the prospectus included in the Registration
Statement  (including,  without  limitation,  a  prospectus  that  includes  any
information  previously  omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective
registration  statement  in  reliance  upon  Rule  430A  promulgated  under  the
Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus  supplement,  with
respect  to  the  terms  of  the  offering  of any  portion  of the  Registrable
Securities covered by the Registration  Statement,  and all other amendments and
supplements to the  Prospectus,  including  post-effective  amendments,  and all
material  incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in
such Prospectus.

                  "Purchaser  Warrant" means the Common Stock  purchase  warrant
issued to the Purchaser, entitling the Purchaser to purchase up to 80,000 shares
of Common Stock on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein.

                  "Registrable  Securities"  means the  shares  of Common  Stock
issuable upon (a) conversion of all shares of Preferred  Stock,  (b) exercise in
full of the Purchaser Warrant, and (c) exercise in full of Common Stock purchase
warrants  issued by the Company to Wharton  Capital  Partners,  Ltd.  and to The
Shemano Group in connection with the  transactions  contemplated by the Purchase
Agreement;  provided,  however  that in order to  account  for the fact that the
number of shares of Common Stock that are issuable upon  conversion of shares of
Preferred  Stock is determined in part upon the market price of the Common Stock
at the time of conversion,  Registrable  Securities  shall  initially  include a
number  of  shares of Common  Stock  equal to no less than  2,090,000  shares of
Common  Stock or such other number of shares of Common Stock as agreed to by the
parties to the Purchase Agreement.  Notwithstanding anything herein contained to
the  contrary,  if the actual  number of shares of Common  Stock  issuable  upon
conversion  in  full  of  the  Preferred  Stock  exceeds  2,090,000,   the  term
"Registrable  Securities" shall be deemed to include additional shares of Common
Stock  equal to two times the number of shares of Common  Stock as would then be
issuable  upon  conversion in full of the then  outstanding  shares of Preferred
Stock,  plus the shares  referenced in clauses (b) and (c) above and the Company
shall  promptly file  appropriate  amendments to the  Registration  Statement to
evidence  such  increase  or the  Company  shall  file  one or  more  additional
Registration  Statements  covering such  additional  shares of Common Stock,  in
either  case,  in  the  time  contemplated  herein  for  filing  of  appropriate
amendments or additional  Registration  Statements in accordance  with the terms
hereof.

                  "Registration  Statement"  means the  registration  statement,
contemplated  by  Section  2(a),   including  the  Prospectus,   amendments  and
supplements  to such  registration  statement or Prospectus,  including  pre-and
post-effective  amendments,  all exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated
by reference  or deemed to be  incorporated  by  reference in such  registration
statement.

                  "Rule  144"  means  Rule  144  promulgated  by the  Commission
pursuant to the  Securities  Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time,
or any similar rule or regulation  hereafter  adopted by the  Commission  having
substantially the same effect as such Rule.

                  "Rule  158"  means  Rule  158  promulgated  by the  Commission
pursuant to the  Securities  Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time,
or any similar rule or regulation  hereafter  adopted by the  Commission  having
substantially the same effect as such Rule.

                  "Rule  415"  means  Rule  415  promulgated  by the  Commission
pursuant to the  Securities  Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time,
or any similar rule or regulation  hereafter  adopted by the  Commission  having
substantially the same effect as such Rule.

                  "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

                  "Special  Counsel"  means any special  counsel to the Holders,
for which the Holders will be reimbursed by the Company pursuant to Section 4.

                  "Underwritten  Registration or Underwritten  Offering" means a
registration in connection  with which  securities of the Company are sold to an
underwriter for reoffering to the public  pursuant to an effective  registration
statement.

         2.       Shelf Registration

                  (a) On or prior to the Filing Date,  the Company shall prepare
and file with the  Commission  a "Shelf"  Registration  Statement  covering  all
Registrable Securities for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant
to Rule  415.  The  Registration  Statement  shall  be on Form  S-3 (or  another
appropriate  form  approved  by the  Holders  of a majority  of the  Registrable
Securities that permit registration of Registrable  Securities for resale by the
Holders  in the  manner  or  manners  designated  by  them  (including,  without
limitation,  public or private sales and one or more  Underwritten  Offerings)).
The  Company  shall (i) not permit  any  securities  other than the  Registrable
Securities,  and the securities specified in Section 8(c), to be included in the
Registration  Statement and (ii) use its best efforts to cause the  Registration
Statement  to be  declared  effective  under the  Securities  Act as promptly as
practicable   after  the  filing  thereof,   but  in  any  event  prior  to  the
Effectiveness  Date,  and  to  keep  such  Registration  Statement  continuously
effective under the Securities Act until the date which is three years after the
date that such Registration Statement is declared effective by the Commission or
such earlier date when all Registrable  Securities  covered by such Registration
Statement  have been sold or may be sold  pursuant to Rule 144 as  determined by
the counsel to the Company  pursuant to a written opinion  letter,  addressed to
the Holders, to such effect (the  "Effectiveness  Period");  provided,  however,
that the Company  shall not be deemed to have used its best  efforts to keep the
Registration   Statement  effective  during  the  Effectiveness   Period  if  it
voluntarily  takes any action that would result in the Holders not being able to
sell the Registrable  Securities  covered by such Registration  Statement during
the Effectiveness Period, unless such action is required under applicable law or
the Company has filed a post-effective  amendment to the Registration  Statement
and the Commission has not declared it effective.

                  (b) If the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities
so elect,  an offering of Registrable  Securities  pursuant to the  Registration
Statement  may be  effected  in the form of an  Underwritten  Offering.  In such
event, and if the managing  underwriters  advise the Company and such Holders in
writing that in their opinion the amount of Registrable  Securities  proposed to
be sold  in  such  Underwritten  Offering  exceeds  the  amount  of  Registrable
Securities  which  can be sold in such  Underwritten  Offering,  there  shall be
included in such Underwritten Offering the amount of such Registrable Securities
which in the opinion of such managing  underwriters can be sold, and such amount
shall be  allocated  pro rata among the Holders  proposing  to sell  Registrable
Securities in such Underwritten Offering.

                  (c) If any of the Registrable  Securities are to be sold in an
Underwritten  Offering,  the investment banker or investment bankers and manager
or managers that will administer the offering will be selected by the Holders of
a majority of the Registrable  Securities  included in such offering.  No Holder
may participate in any  Underwritten  Offering  hereunder unless such Person (i)
agrees  to  sell  its  Registrable  Securities  on  the  basis  provided  in any
underwriting  agreements  approved by the Persons entitled  hereunder to approve
such arrangements and (ii) completes and executes all questionnaires,  powers of
attorney,  indemnities,  underwriting  agreements and other  documents  required
under the terms of such arrangements.


         3.       Registration Procedures

                  In  connection  with the  Company's  registration  obligations
hereunder, the Company shall:

                  (a)  Prepare and file with the  Commission  on or prior to the
Filing Date a Registration  Statement on Form S-3 in accordance  with the method
or methods of  distribution  thereof as specified by the Holders,  and cause the
Registration  Statement  to become  effective  and remain  effective as provided
herein;  provided,  however,  that not less than five (5) Business Days prior to
the  filing of the  Registration  Statement  or any  related  Prospectus  or any
amendment  or  supplement   thereto   (including  any  document  that  would  be
incorporated  or deemed to be  incorporated  therein by reference),  the Company
shall (i)  furnish  to the  Holders,  their  Special  Counsel  and any  managing
underwriters, copies of all such documents proposed to be filed, which documents
(other than those  incorporated  or deemed to be incorporated by reference) will
be  subject  to the  review of such  Holders,  their  Special  Counsel  and such
managing  underwriters,  and (ii) cause its officers and directors,  counsel and
independent  certified public  accountants to respond to such inquiries as shall
be  necessary,  in the opinion of  respective  counsel to such  Holders and such
underwriters,  to conduct a reasonable  investigation  within the meaning of the
Securities  Act. The Company  shall not file the  Registration  Statement or any
such Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto to which the Holders of
a majority of the Registrable Securities, their Special Counsel, or any managing
underwriters, shall reasonably object on a timely basis.

                  (b) (i) Prepare and file with the Commission such  amendments,
including  post-effective  amendments,  to the Registration  Statement as may be
necessary to keep the Registration  Statement  continuously  effective as to all
Registrable  Securities for the applicable time period and prepare and file with
the Commission such additional  Registration Statements in order to register for
resale under the Securities Act all of the  Registrable  Securities;  (ii) cause
the related Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required  Prospectus
supplement,  and as so  supplemented or amended to be filed pursuant to Rule 424
(or any similar  provisions then in force) promulgated under the Securities Act;
(iii)  respond as promptly as  practicable  to any  comments  received  from the
Commission with respect to the Registration  Statement or any amendment thereto;
and (iv) comply with the  provisions of the  Securities Act and the Exchange Act
with respect to the  disposition of all  Registrable  Securities  covered by the
Registration  Statement  during the  applicable  period in  accordance  with the
intended  methods  of  disposition  by the  Holders  thereof  set  forth  in the
Registration Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented.

                  (c) Notify the Holders of  Registrable  Securities to be sold,
their Special  Counsel and any managing  underwriters  immediately  (and, in the
case of (i)(A) below,  not less than five (5) days prior to such filing) and (if
requested by any such  Person)  confirm such notice in writing no later than one
(1) Business Day following  the day (i)(A) when a Prospectus  or any  Prospectus
supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement is proposed
to be  filed;  and  (B)  with  respect  to  the  Registration  Statement  or any
post-effective  amendment,  when  the  same has  become  effective;  (ii) of any
request by the Commission or any other Federal or state  governmental  authority
for amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for
additional  information;  (iii) of the  issuance by the  Commission  of any stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement covering any or
all of the Registrable  Securities or the initiation of any Proceedings for that
purpose;  (iv) if at any time any of the  representations  and warranties of the
Company  contained  in any  agreement  (including  any  underwriting  agreement)
contemplated hereby ceases to be true and correct in all material respects;  (v)
of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension
of the  qualification or exemption from  qualification of any of the Registrable
Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any
Proceeding for such purpose;  and (vi) of the occurrence of any event that makes
any statement made in the  Registration  Statement or Prospectus or any document
incorporated  or deemed to be  incorporated  therein by reference  untrue in any
material respect or that requires any revisions to the  Registration  Statement,
Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus,  as the case may be, it will not contain any untrue statement
of a material  fact or omit to state any  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  will
provide to the Purchaser (a) notice of all oral or written comments  received by
or on  behalf  of the  Company  from  the  Commission  in  connection  with  any
Registration  Statement  hereunder  (and, if such comments are in writing,  will
provide copies thereof to the Purchaser), and (b) copies of any response letters
submitted by or on its behalf in respect of such comments.

                  (d) Use its best  efforts  to avoid the  issuance  of,  or, if
issued,  obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order suspending the  effectiveness of
the  Registration  Statement or (ii) any  suspension  of the  qualification  (or
exemption from  qualification) of any of the Registrable  Securities for sale in
any jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment.

                  (e) If requested by any managing underwriter or the Holders of
a  majority  of the  Registrable  Securities  to be sold in  connection  with an
Underwritten  Offering,  (i) promptly incorporate in a Prospectus  supplement or
post-effective  amendment to the Registration Statement such information as such
managing underwriters and such Holders reasonably agree, and which is reasonably
acceptable to the Company, should be included therein and (ii) make all required
filings of such Prospectus  supplement or such post-effective  amendment as soon
as practicable after the Company has received  notification of the matters to be
incorporated  in  such  Prospectus   supplement  or  post-effective   amendment;
provided,  however,  that the  Company  shall not be required to take any action
pursuant  to this  Section  3(e) that  would,  in the opinion of counsel for the
Company, violate applicable law.

                  (f)  Furnish to each  Holder,  their  Special  Counsel and any
managing  underwriters,  without  charge,  at least one  conformed  copy of each
Registration   Statement  and  each  amendment  thereto,   including   financial
statements  and  schedules,   all  documents   incorporated   or  deemed  to  be
incorporated  therein by reference,  and all exhibits to the extent requested by
such Person (including those previously  furnished or incorporated by reference)
promptly after the filing of such documents with the Commission.

                  (g) Promptly  deliver to each Holder,  their Special  Counsel,
and any  underwriters,  without  charge,  as many  copies of the  Prospectus  or
Prospectuses   (including  each  form  of  prospectus)  and  each  amendment  or
supplement  thereto as such  Persons  may  reasonably  request;  and the Company
hereby  consents to the use of such  Prospectus and each amendment or supplement
thereto by each of the selling  Holders and any  underwriters in connection with
the offering and sale of the Registrable  Securities  covered by such Prospectus
and any amendment or supplement thereto.

                  (h) Prior to any public  offering of  Registrable  Securities,
use its best  efforts  to  register  or qualify or  cooperate  with the  selling
Holders,  any underwriters  and their respective  counsel in connection with the
registration  or   qualification   (or  exemption  from  such   registration  or
qualification)  of such  Registrable  Securities  for offer  and sale  under the
securities  or Blue Sky laws of such  jurisdictions  within the United States as
any Holder or  underwriter  reasonably  requests in  writing,  to keep each such
registration or  qualification  (or exemption  therefrom)  effective  during the
Effectiveness  Period  and to do any and all  other  acts or  things  reasonably
necessary or advisable to enable the  disposition in such  jurisdictions  of the
Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement;  provided,  however,
that the Company  shall not be required to qualify  generally  to do business in
any  jurisdiction  where it is not then so  qualified or to take any action that
would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it
is not then so subject or subject  the Company to any  material  tax in any such
jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.

                  (i) Cooperate  with the Holders and any managing  underwriters
to facilitate the timely  preparation and delivery of certificates  representing
Registrable  Securities  to be  sold,  which  certificates  shall be free of all
restrictive  legends,  and to enable such  Registrable  Securities to be in such
denominations and registered in such names as any such managing  underwriters or
Holders may request at least two Business Days prior to any sale of  Registrable
Securities.

                  (j) Upon the occurrence of any event  contemplated  by Section
3(c)(vi),  as  promptly  as  practicable,  prepare a  supplement  or  amendment,
including  a  post-effective  amendment,  to  the  Registration  Statement  or a
supplement to the related  Prospectus or any document  incorporated or deemed to
be incorporated  therein by reference,  and file any other required  document so
that,  as  thereafter  delivered,  neither the  Registration  Statement nor such
Prospectus 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.

                  (k) Use its best efforts to cause all  Registrable  Securities
relating  to such  Registration  Statement  to be listed on the Nasdaq  National
Market and any other securities  exchange,  market or over-the-counter  bulletin
board,  if any,  on which  similar  securities  issued by the  Company  are then
listed.

                  (l) Enter into such agreements  (including,  in the case of an
Underwritten Offering, an underwriting agreement in form, scope and substance as
is  customary  in  Underwritten  Offerings)  and take all such other  actions in
connection  therewith  (including  those  reasonably  requested  by any managing
underwriters  and the Holders of a majority of the Registrable  Securities being
sold) in order to expedite or facilitate  the  disposition  of such  Registrable
Securities,  and if an  underwriting  agreement is entered  into,  (i) make such
representations  and  warranties  to such Holders and such  underwriters  as are
customarily  made by issuers to underwriters in underwritten  public  offerings,
and confirm  the same if and when  requested;  (ii)  obtain and  deliver  copies
thereof to each  Holder and the  managing  underwriters,  if any, of opinions of
counsel to the Company and updates thereof  addressed to each selling Holder and
each such underwriter,  in form, scope and substance reasonably  satisfactory to
any such  managing  underwriters  and  Special  Counsel to the  selling  Holders
covering the matters  customarily  covered in opinions requested in Underwritten
Offerings and such other matters as may be reasonably  requested by such Special
Counsel and  underwriters;  (iii)  immediately prior to the effectiveness of the
Registration  Statement  at the time of delivery of any  Registrable  Securities
sold pursuant thereto, obtain and deliver copies to the Holders and the managing
underwriters,  if any, of "cold  comfort"  letters and updates  thereof from the
independent certified public accountants of the Company (and, if necessary,  any
other independent  certified public accountants of any subsidiary of the Company
or of any business  acquired by the Company for which  financial  statements and
financial  data  is,  or  is  required  to  be,  included  in  the  Registration
Statement),  addressed to each selling Holder and each of the  underwriters,  if
any, in form and  substance as are  customary in  connection  with  Underwritten
Offerings;  (iv) if an  underwriting  agreement is entered into,  the same shall
contain  indemnification  provisions  and  procedures  no less  favorable to the
selling Holders and the underwriters,  if any, than those set forth in Section 7
(or  such  other   provisions   and   procedures   acceptable  to  the  managing
underwriters,  if any,  and  holders of a  majority  of  Registrable  Securities
participating in such Underwritten  Offering; and (v) deliver such documents and
certificates as may be reasonably  requested by the Holders of a majority of the
Registrable  Securities  being sold,  their  Special  Counsel  and any  managing
underwriters  to evidence  the  continued  validity of the  representations  and
warranties made pursuant to clause 3(l)(i) above and to evidence compliance with
any  customary  conditions  contained  in the  underwriting  agreement  or other
agreement entered into by the Company.

                  (m) Make available for inspection by the selling Holders,  any
representative of such Holders, any underwriter participating in any disposition
of  Registrable  Securities,  and any  attorney or  accountant  retained by such
selling  Holders or  underwriters,  at the offices where normally  kept,  during
reasonable business hours, all financial and other records,  pertinent corporate
documents  and  properties  of the Company and its  subsidiaries,  and cause the
officers, directors, agents and employees of the Company and its subsidiaries to
supply  all   information   in  each  case   requested   by  any  such   Holder,
representative,  underwriter,  attorney or  accountant  in  connection  with the
Registration  Statement;   provided,  however,  that  any  information  that  is
determined  in good faith by the  Company  in  writing  to be of a  confidential
nature at the time of delivery of such information shall be kept confidential by
such Persons,  unless (i) disclosure of such information is required by court or
administrative  order or is  necessary  to respond to  inquiries  of  regulatory
authorities;  (ii) disclosure of such information,  in the opinion of counsel to
such  Person,  is  required by law;  (iii) such  information  becomes  generally
available  to the public  other than as a result of a  disclosure  or failure to
safeguard by such Person;  or (iv) such  information  becomes  available to such
Person from a source other than the Company and such source is not known by such
Person to be bound by a confidentiality agreement with the Company.

                  (n) Comply with all  applicable  rules and  regulations of the
Commission  and  make  generally  available  to  its  security  holders  earning
statements  satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and
Rule 158 not later than 45 days after the end of any 12-month period (or 90 days
after  the end of any  12-month  period  if such  period  is a fiscal  year) (i)
commencing at the end of any fiscal quarter in which Registrable  Securities are
sold to underwriters in a firm commitment or best efforts Underwritten  Offering
and (ii) if not sold to  underwriters  in such an  offering,  commencing  on the
first day of the first fiscal quarter of the Company after the effective date of
the Registration Statement, which statement shall cover said 12-month period, or
end shorter periods as is consistent with the requirements of Rule 158.

                  (o) Provide a CUSIP number for all Registrable Securities, not
later than the effective date of the Registration Statement.

                  The Company may require each selling  Holder to furnish to the
Company  such  information   regarding  the  distribution  of  such  Registrable
Securities as is required by law to be disclosed in the  Registration  Statement
and the Company may exclude from such registration the Registrable Securities of
any such Holder who  unreasonably  fails to furnish  such  information  within a
reasonable time after receiving such request.

                  If the Registration  Statement refers to any Holder by name or
otherwise as the holder of any securities of the Company, then such Holder shall
have the right to require (i) the  inclusion  therein of  language,  in form and
substance  reasonably  satisfactory  to such  Holder,  to the  effect  that  the
ownership  by  such  Holder  of  such  securities  is not to be  construed  as a
recommendation  by  such  Holder  of the  investment  quality  of the  Company's
securities  covered  thereby  and that such  ownership  does not imply that such
Holder will assist in meeting any future financial  requirements of the Company,
or (ii) if such reference to such Holder by name or otherwise is not required by
the Securities Act or any similar Federal statute then in force, the deletion of
the reference to such Holder in any amendment or supplement to the  Registration
Statement filed or prepared subsequent to the time that such reference ceases to
be required.

                  Each Purchaser covenants and agrees that (i) it will not offer
or sell any Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement until it has
received   copies  of  the  Prospectus  as  then  amended  or   supplemented  as
contemplated in Section 3(g) and notice from the Company that such  Registration
Statement and any  post-effective  amendments  thereto have become  effective as
contemplated by Section 3(c) and (ii) the Purchaser and its officers,  directors
or Affiliates,  if any, will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of
the Securities Act as applicable to them in connection with sales of Registrable
Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement.

                  Each  Holder  agrees by its  acquisition  of such  Registrable
Securities  that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of the occurrence of
any  event of the kind  described  in  Section  3(c)(ii),  3(c)(iii),  3(c)(iv),
3(c)(v) or 3(c)(vi),  such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such
Registrable  Securities  until  such  Holder's  receipt  of  the  copies  of the
supplemented  Prospectus and/or amended Registration  Statement  contemplated by
Section  3(j),  or until it is advised in writing (the  "Advice") by the Company
that the use of the applicable  Prospectus may be resumed,  and, in either case,
has  received  copies  of  any  additional  or  supplemental  filings  that  are
incorporated  or deemed to be  incorporated  by reference in such  Prospectus or
Registration Statement.

                  4.  Liquidated  Damages.  The Company  acknowledges and agrees
that the  Holders  will  suffer  damages,  and that it would not be  feasible to
ascertain  the extent of such  damages  with  precision,  if (a) a  Registration
Statement is not filed with the Commission on or prior to the 10th day after the
date hereof,  (b) a  Registration  Statement  is not  declared  effective by the
Commission on or prior to the Effectiveness  Date, (c) a Registration  Statement
is filed with and declared  effective by the Commission but thereafter ceases to
be effective at any time prior to the  expiration  of the  Effectiveness  Period
with respect to all of the then Registerable  Securities without being succeeded
within 10 Business Days by a subsequent  Registration  Statement  filed with and
declared  effective by the Commission,  (d) trading in the Common Stock shall be
suspended  for any  reason  for more than  three  Trading  Days (as such term is
defined under the Certificate of Designation filed with the State of Delaware in
respect of the Preferred Stock (the "Certificate of Designation")) or (e) if the
conversion  rights of the  holders  of the  Preferred  Stock as set forth in the
Certificate  of Designation  or the exercise  rights of the Purchaser  under the
Purchaser  Warrant are suspended for any reason (any such failure being referred
to as an "Event,"  and for purposes of clause (a), (b) and (e) the date on which
such Event occurs, or for purposes of clause (c) the date which such 10 Business
Day-period  is  exceeded,  or for  purposes of clause (d) the date on which such
three Trading Day period is exceeded,  being referred to as "Event Date"),  then
the  "Conversion  Price"  (as  such  term  is  defined  in  the  Certificate  of
Designation)  shall be  decreased  by 2.5% each month (i.e.  77.5% for the first
month  commencing  the day  after  such  Event  Date and 75% as of the one month
anniversary  of such Event  Date) until such time as a  subsequent  Registration
Statement  is  declared  effective  by  the  Commission,   or  until  any  Event
contemplated by clause (d) or (e), as the case may be, is cured. Any decrease in
the  Conversion  Price pursuant to this Section shall continue as long as shares
of Preferred Stock remain outstanding.

                  The Company  shall notify each Holder within five days of each
Event and Event Date.

         5.       Registration Expenses

                  (a) All fees and expenses  incident to the  performance  of or
compliance  with this  Agreement  by the  Company  shall be borne by the Company
whether or not the  Registration  Statement  is filed or becomes  effective  and
whether or not any Registrable  Securities are sold pursuant to the Registration
Statement.  The fees and expenses  referred to in the foregoing  sentence  shall
include,  without  limitation,  (i) all registration and filing fees (including,
without limitation, fees and expenses (A) with respect to filings required to be
made with the  National  Association  of  Securities  Dealers,  Inc.  and (B) in
compliance  with  state  securities  or  Blue  Sky  laws   (including,   without
limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel for the underwriters or Holders in
connection  with  Blue Sky  qualifications  of the  Registrable  Securities  and
determination  of the eligibility of the  Registrable  Securities for investment
under the laws of such  jurisdictions as the managing  underwriters,  if any, or
Holders of a majority of Registrable  Securities may designate)),  (ii) printing
expenses (including,  without limitation,  expenses of printing certificates for
Registrable   Securities  and  of  printing  prospectuses  if  the  printing  of
prospectuses  is  requested  by the  managing  underwriters,  if any,  or by the
holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration
Statement),  (iii)  messenger,  telephone and delivery  expenses,  (iv) fees and
disbursements  of counsel for the Company as provided in Section 5(b) below, (v)
fees and disbursements of all independent  certified public accountants referred
to in Section  3(l)(iii)  (including,  without  limitation,  the expenses of any
special  audit  and "cold  comfort"  letters  required  by or  incident  to such
performance), (vi) Securities Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires
such insurance, and (vii) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained by the
Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions  contemplated by
this  Agreement.  In addition,  the Company shall be responsible  for all of its
internal   expenses   incurred  in  connection  with  the  consummation  of  the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including,  without limitation, all
salaries  and  expenses  of its  officers  and  employees  performing  legal  or
accounting  duties),  the  expense of any annual  audit,  the fees and  expenses
incurred in  connection  with the listing of the  Registrable  Securities on any
securities  exchange on which similar  securities issued by the Company are then
listed.

                  (b) In connection with the Registration Statement, the Company
shall  reimburse the Holders for the reasonable  fees and  disbursements  of one
firm of  attorneys  chosen  by the  Holders  of a  majority  of the  Registrable
Securities, it being expressly understood that such fees and disbursements shall
not exceed $5,000.

         6.       Indemnification

                  (a)  Indemnification  by  the  Company.   The  Company  shall,
notwithstanding termination of this Agreement and without limitation as to time,
indemnify  and hold  harmless  each  Holder,  the  officers,  directors,  agents
(including any underwriters retained by such Holder in connection with the offer
and sale of Registrable  Securities),  brokers  (including brokers who offer and
sell Registrable  Securities as principal as a result of a pledge or any failure
to  perform  under a margin  call of  Common  Stock),  investment  advisors  and
employees of each of them,  each Person who controls any such Holder (within the
meaning of Section 15 of the  Securities  Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act)
and the  officers,  directors,  agents and  employees  of each such  controlling
Person,  to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any
and  all  losses,  claims,  damages,  liabilities,   costs  (including,  without
limitation,   costs  of   preparation   and   attorneys'   fees)  and   expenses
(collectively,  "Losses"), as incurred, arising out of or relating to any untrue
or alleged  untrue  statement of a material fact  contained in the  Registration
Statement,  any  Prospectus  or any form of  prospectus  or in any  amendment or
supplement  thereto  or in any  preliminary  prospectus,  or  arising  out of or
relating to any omission or alleged  omission of a material  fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the  statements  therein (in the case of any
Prospectus  or form  of  prospectus  or  supplement  thereto,  in  light  of the
circumstances under which they were made) not misleading,  except to the extent,
but only to the  extent,  that such untrue  statements  or  omissions  are based
solely  upon  information  regarding  such  Holder  furnished  in writing to the
Company  by or on  behalf  of  such  Holder  expressly  for use  therein,  which
information  was  reasonably  relied on by the Company for use therein or to the
extent that such  information  relates to such Holder or such Holder's  proposed
method of distribution of Registrable  Securities and was reviewed and expressly
approved  in  writing  by such  Holder  expressly  for  use in the  Registration
Statement,  such  Prospectus  or such form of  Prospectus or in any amendment or
supplement  thereto.  The  Company  shall  notify the  Holders  promptly  of the
institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding of which the Company is aware
in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

                  (b)   Indemnification  by  Holders.  In  connection  with  the
Registration Statement, each Holder shall furnish to the Company in writing such
information as the Company  reasonably  requests for use in connection  with the
Registration Statement or any Prospectus and agrees,  severally and not jointly,
to indemnify and hold harmless the Company,  their directors,  officers,  agents
and  employees,  each Person who  controls  the  Company  (within the meaning of
Section 15 of the  Securities  Act and Section 20 of the Exchange  Act), and the
directors,  officers,  agents or employees of such controlling  Persons,  to the
fullest  extent  permitted by  applicable  law,  from and against all Losses (as
determined by a court of competent  jurisdiction in a final judgment not subject
to appeal or  review)  arising  solely  out of or based  solely  upon any untrue
statement  of a material  fact  contained  in the  Registration  Statement,  any
Prospectus,  or any form of prospectus, or arising solely out of or based solely
upon any omission of a material fact required to be stated  therein or necessary
to make the  statements  therein not  misleading to the extent,  but only to the
extent,  that such untrue  statement or omission is contained in any information
so furnished in writing by such Holder to the Company specifically for inclusion
in the  Registration  Statement or such Prospectus and that such information was
reasonably  relied upon by the Company  for use in the  Registration  Statement,
such  Prospectus  or  such  form  of  prospectus  or to  the  extent  that  such
information  relates  to  such  Holder  or  such  Holder's  proposed  method  of
distribution of Registrable  Securities and was reviewed and expressly  approved
in writing by such Holder expressly for use in the Registration Statement,  such
Prospectus  or such form of  Prospectus.  In no event shall the liability of any
selling Holder  hereunder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the net
proceeds  received by such Holder  upon the sale of the  Registrable  Securities
giving rise to such indemnification obligation.

                  (c) Conduct of Indemnification  Proceedings. If any Proceeding
shall be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity  hereunder
(an  "Indemnified  Party"),  such  Indemnified  Party  promptly shall notify the
Person from whom indemnity is sought (the "Indemnifying  Party") in writing, and
the  Indemnifying  Party  shall  assume  the  defense  thereof,   including  the
employment of counsel  reasonably  satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the
payment of all fees and expenses  incurred in connection  with defense  thereof;
provided,  that the failure of any  Indemnified  Party to give such notice shall
not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to
this  Agreement,  except  (and  only) to the  extent  that it  shall be  finally
determined  by a court of competent  jurisdiction  (which  determination  is not
subject to appeal or further  review) that such failure  shall have  proximately
and materially adversely prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.

                  An Indemnified  Party shall have the right to employ  separate
counsel in any such  Proceeding and to participate in the defense  thereof,  but
the  fees  and  expenses  of  such  counsel  shall  be at the  expense  of  such
Indemnified  Party or Parties unless:  (1) the Indemnifying  Party has agreed to
pay such fees and  expenses;  or (2) the  Indemnifying  Party  shall have failed
promptly  to  assume  the  defense  of such  Proceeding  and to  employ  counsel
reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3)
the named  parties to any such  Proceeding  (including  any  impleaded  parties)
include  both  such  Indemnified  Party  and the  Indemnifying  Party,  and such
Indemnified Party shall have been advised by counsel that a conflict of interest
is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified  Party
and the Indemnifying  Party (in which case, if such  Indemnified  Party notifies
the  Indemnifying  Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at
the expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the
right to assume the defense  thereof and such counsel shall be at the expense of
the  Indemnifying  Party).  The  Indemnifying  Party shall not be liable for any
settlement of any such Proceeding  effected without its written  consent,  which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. No Indemnifying Party shall, without
the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any
pending Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party,  unless
such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from
all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.

                  All fees and  expenses  of the  Indemnified  Party  (including
reasonable  fees  and  expenses  to  the  extent  incurred  in  connection  with
investigating   or  preparing  to  defend  such   Proceeding  in  a  manner  not
inconsistent  with this  Section)  shall be paid to the  Indemnified  Party,  as
incurred,  within 10 Business Days of written notice thereof to the Indemnifying
Party  (regardless  of whether it is ultimately  determined  that an Indemnified
Party  is  not  entitled  to  indemnification  hereunder;   provided,  that  the
Indemnifying  Party may require such Indemnified Party to undertake to reimburse
all such fees and  expenses  to the extent it is finally  judicially  determined
that such Indemnified Party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder).

                  (d) Contribution. If a claim for indemnification under Section
6(a) or 6(b) is unavailable to an Indemnified  Party or is  insufficient to hold
such Indemnified  Party harmless for any Losses in respect of which this Section
would apply by its terms  (other than by reason of  exceptions  provided in this
Section), then each Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified
Party,  shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party
as a result of such Losses,  in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
relative fault of the  Indemnifying  Party and  Indemnified  Party in connection
with the actions,  statements or omissions  that resulted in such Losses as well
as any other  relevant  equitable  considerations.  The  relative  fault of such
Indemnifying  Party and  Indemnified  Party shall be determined by reference to,
among other  things,  whether any action in  question,  including  any untrue or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a
material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by,
such Indemnifying  Party or Indemnified Party, and the parties' relative intent,
knowledge,  access to  information  and  opportunity  to correct or prevent such
action, statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result
of any Losses shall be deemed to include,  subject to the  limitations set forth
in Section 6(c), any attorneys' or other fees or expenses incurred by such party
in  connection  with any  Proceeding  to the extent  such party  would have been
indemnified  for such fees or expenses if the  indemnification  provided  for in
this Section was available to such party.

                  The  parties  hereto  agree  that it  would  not be  just  and
equitable if  contribution  pursuant to this Section 6(d) were determined by pro
rata  allocation  or by any other method of  allocation  that does not take into
account the equitable  considerations  referred to in the immediately  preceding
paragraph.  Notwithstanding  the  provisions of this Section 6(d), the Purchaser
shall not be required to contribute,  in the aggregate,  any amount in excess of
the amount by which the proceeds  actually  received by the  Purchaser  from the
sale of the Registrable  Securities subject to the Proceeding exceeds the amount
of any damages that the Purchaser  has otherwise  been required to pay by reason
of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged  omission.  No
Person  guilty of  fraudulent  misrepresentation  (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to  contribution  from any Person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

                  The indemnity and  contribution  agreements  contained in this
Section are in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying  Parties may have
to the Indemnified Parties.

         7.       Rule 144

                  The Company shall file the reports  required to be filed by it
under the  Securities Act and the Exchange Act in a timely manner and, if at any
time the  Company is not  required  to file such  reports,  they will,  upon the
request of any Holder,  make publicly  available  other  information  so long as
necessary  to permit sales of its  securities  pursuant to Rule 144. The Company
further  covenants  that it will take such  further  action  as any  Holder  may
reasonably request,  all to the extent required from time to time to enable such
Holder to sell Registrable  Securities without registration under the Securities
Act within the  limitation  of the  exemptions  provided  by Rule 144.  Upon the
request of any  Holder,  the  Company  shall  deliver  to such  Holder a written
certification  of a duly  authorized  officer as to whether it has complied with
such requirements.

         8.       Miscellaneous

                  (a) Remedies.  In the event of a breach by the Company or by a
Holder,  of any of their  obligations  under this Agreement,  each Holder or the
Company,  as the case may be, in  addition to being  entitled  to  exercise  all
rights granted by law and under this Agreement,  including  recovery of damages,
will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. The
Company and each Holder agree that monetary  damages would not provide  adequate
compensation  for any losses  incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the
provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in the event of any
action for specific  performance  in respect of such breach,  it shall waive the
defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

                  (b) No  Inconsistent  Agreements.  Except for  360,000  shares
(which have an exercise price of $6.50 per share) to be registered in accordance
with piggy-back rights granted to Dickinson & Co. for warrants under the Warrant
Agreement dated September 8, 1994, and other shares, not to exceed 50,000 shares
of Common Stock, to be registered in accordance  with piggy-back  rights granted
pursuant to other  agreements,  neither the Company nor any of its  subsidiaries
has, as of the date hereof, nor shall the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on
or after the date of this  Agreement,  enter into any agreement  with respect to
its securities  that is  inconsistent  with the rights granted to the Holders in
this  Agreement or otherwise  conflicts with the  provisions  hereof.  Except as
specified in the immediately preceding sentence,  neither the Company nor any of
its  subsidiaries  has  previously  entered  into  any  agreement  granting  any
registration rights with respect to any of its securities to any Person. Without
limiting the  generality of the  foregoing,  without the written  consent of the
Holders  of a  majority  of the then  outstanding  Registrable  Securities,  the
Company  shall not grant to any  Person  the right to  request  the  Company  to
register  any  securities  of the Company  under the  Securities  Act unless the
rights so granted are subject in all respects to the prior rights in full of the
Holders set forth herein, and are not otherwise in conflict or inconsistent with
the provisions of this Agreement.  In addition, in any case, the Company may not
register for resale under the  Securities  Act the any securities of the Company
held by any Person prior to the  expiration  of the 60th day  following the date
that the Registration  Statement has been declared  effective by the Commission,
provided that if the effectiveness of such  Registration  Statement is suspended
for any reason (or if the  Underlying  Shares are not listed for  trading on the
Nasdaq National  Market or the Nasdaq SmallCap  Market) such 60-day period shall
be increased to include any such days.

                  (c) No Piggyback on  Registrations.  Except for 360,000 shares
(which have an exercise price of $6.50 per share) to be registered in accordance
with piggy-back rights granted to Dickinson & Co. for warrants under the Warrant
Agreement dated September 8, 1994, and other shares, not to exceed 50,000 shares
of Common Stock, to be registered in accordance  with piggy-back  rights granted
pursuant to other  agreements,  neither of the  Company nor any of its  security
holders  (other than the Holders in such capacity  pursuant  hereto) may include
securities of the Company in the  Registration  Statement  other than the Common
Stock to be issued under the Purchase Agreement, and the Company shall not enter
into any agreement providing any such right to any of its securityholders.

                  (d) Piggy-Back Registrations. If at any time the Company shall
determine  to prepare  and file with the  Commission  a  registration  statement
relating to an offering  for its own account or the account of others  under the
Securities Act of any of its equity  securities,  other than on Form S-4 or Form
S-8 (each as  promulgated  under the Securities  Act) or their then  equivalents
relating  to equity  securities  to be  issued  solely  in  connection  with any
acquisition  of  any  entity  or  business  or  equity  securities  issuable  in
connection with stock option or other employee  benefit plans, the Company shall
send  to  each  holder  of  Registrable   Securities   written  notice  of  such
determination  and, if within twenty (20) days after receipt of such notice, any
such holder  shall so request in  writing,  the  Company  shall  include in such
registration statement all or any part of the Registrable Securities such holder
requests to be registered,  except that if, in connection with any  Underwritten
Offering  for the  account of the Company the  managing  underwriter(s)  thereof
shall impose a  limitation  on the number of shares of Common Stock which may be
included  in  the  registration   statement  because,  in  such  underwriter(s)'
judgment,  such limitation is necessary to effect an orderly public distribution
of securities covered thereby, then the Company shall be obligated to include in
such  registration  statement  only  such  limited  portion  of the  Registrable
Securities  for to which such  holder has  requested  inclusion  hereunder.  Any
exclusion  of  Registrable  Securities  shall be made pro rata among the holders
seeking  to  include  Registrable  Securities,  in  proportion  to the number of
Registrable Securities sought to be included by such holders; provided, however,
that the Company shall not exclude any Registrable Securities unless the Company
has first  excluded  all  outstanding  securities  the  holders of which are not
entitled by right to inclusion of securities in such registration statement; and
provided,  further,  however,  that,  after  giving  effect  to the  immediately
preceding  proviso,  any exclusion of Registrable  Securities  shall be made pro
rata  with  holders  of  other  securities  having  the  right to  include  such
securities  in  such  registration   statement.  No  right  to  registration  of
Registrable  Securities  under  this  Section  shall be  construed  to limit any
registration otherwise required hereunder.

                  (e) Amendments and Waivers.  The provisions of this Agreement,
including  the  provisions  of this  sentence,  may not be amended,  modified or
supplemented,  and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions  hereof
may not be given,  unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company
and the  Holders  of at least a  majority  of the then  outstanding  Registrable
Securities;  provided,  however,  that,  for  the  purposes  of  this  sentence,
Registrable  Securities that are owned, directly or indirectly,  by the Company,
or an Affiliate of the Company are not deemed  outstanding.  Notwithstanding the
foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect
to a matter that relates  exclusively to the rights of Holders and that does not
directly  or  indirectly  affect  the  rights of other  Holders  may be given by
Holders  of at least a  majority  of the  Registrable  Securities  to which such
waiver or  consent  relates;  provided,  however,  that the  provisions  of this
sentence may not be amended, modified, or supplemented except in accordance with
the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence.

                  (f)  Notices.  Any notice or other  communication  required or
permitted to be given  hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have
been received (a) upon hand delivery (receipt acknowledged) or delivery by telex
(with correct answer back received),  telecopy or facsimile  (with  transmission
confirmation  report) at the address or number designated below (if delivered on
a  business  day  during  normal  business  hours  where  such  notice  is to be
received), or the first business day following such delivery (if delivered other
than on a business day during normal  business  hours where such notice is to be
received)  or (b) on the second  business day  following  the date of mailing by
express  courier  service,  fully  prepaid,  addressed to such address,  or upon
actual receipt of such mailing,  whichever shall first occur.  The addresses for
such communications shall be:

                  If to the Company:        Wave Systems Corp.
                                            480 Pleasant Street
                                            Lee, MA  01268
                                            Facsimile No.: (413) 243-0045
                                            Attn: James Stokes Hatch

                  With copies to:           Curtis Mallet-Prvost, Colt & Mosle
                                            101 Park Avenue, 40th Floor
                                            New York, NY 10178
                                            Facsimile No.: (212) 697-1559
                                            Attn: Jeffrey N. Ostrager

                  If to the Purchaser:      JNC Opportunity Fund Ltd.
                                            Olympia Capital (Cayman) Ltd.
                                            c/o Olympia Capital (Bermuda) Ltd.
                                            Williams House
                                            20 Reid Street
                                            Hamilton HM11, Bermuda
                                            Facsimile No.:  (441) 295-2305
                                            Attn:  Philip Pedro

                  With copies to:           Encore Capital Management, L.L.C.
                                            12007 Sunrise Valley Drive
                                            Suite 460
                                            Reston, VA  20191
                                            Facsimile No.: (703) 476-7711
                                            Attn: Neil Chau

                                                        - and -

                                            Robinson Silverman Pearce Aronsohn &
                                            Berman LLP
                                            1290 Avenue of the Americas
                                            New York, NY  10104
                                            Facsimile No.: (212) 541-4630
                                            Attn:  Eric L. Cohen

                       If to any other Person who is then the registered Holder:

                                            To the address of such Holder as it
                                            appears in the stock transfer books 
                                            of the Company

or such other  address as may be designated  in writing  hereafter,  in the same
manner, by such Person.

                  (g) Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the successors  and permitted  assigns of each of
the parties and shall inure to the benefit of each  Holder.  The Company may not
assign its rights or obligations  hereunder without the prior written consent of
each Holder. The rights of the Purchaser hereunder,  including the right to have
the Company  register for resale  Registrable  Securities in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement,  shall be automatically  assignable by the Purchaser to
any assignee or transferee of all or a portion of the shares of Preferred Stock,
the  Warrant  or the  Registrable  Securities  if: (i) the  Purchaser  agrees in
writing with the  transferee  or assignee to assign such  rights,  and a copy of
such agreement is furnished to the Company  within a reasonable  time after such
assignment, (ii) the Company is, within a reasonable time after such transfer or
assignment,  furnished  with written  notice of (a) the name and address of such
transferee or assignee, and (b) the securities with respect to such registration
rights are being  transferred  or assigned,  (iii)  following  such  transfer or
assignment  the further  disposition  of such  securities  by the  transferee or
assignees  restricted  under the Securities Act and applicable  state securities
laws,  (iv) at or  before  the time the  Company  receives  the  written  notice
contemplated  by clause (ii) of this Section,  the transferee or assignee agrees
in  writing  with  the  Company  to be bound  by all of the  provisions  of this
Agreement,  and (v) such transfer  shall have been made in  accordance  with the
applicable  requirements  of the Purchase  Agreement.  The rights to  assignment
shall apply to the Purchaser's (and to subsequent) successors and assigns.

                  (h) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of  counterparts,  each of  which  when so  executed  shall be  deemed  to be an
original  and, all of which taken  together  shall  constitute  one and the same
Agreement.   In  the  event  that  any   signature  is  delivered  by  facsimile
transmission,  such  signature  shall create a valid  binding  obligation of the
party  executing  (or on whose behalf such  signature is executed) the same with
the same  force and  effect as if such  facsimile  signature  were the  original
thereof.

                  (i) Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction.  This Agreement
shall be governed by and construed in  accordance  with the laws of the State of
New York,  without  regard to principles of conflicts of law. The Company hereby
irrevocably  submits to the  jurisdiction of any New York state court sitting in
the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York or any federal court sitting in
the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York (collectively,  the "New York")
in respect of any Proceeding  arising out of or relating to this Agreement,  and
irrevocably  accepts for itself and in respect of its  property,  generally  and
unconditionally,  jurisdiction of the New York Courts.  The Company  irrevocably
waives to the fullest extent it may  effectively do so under  applicable law any
objection  that it may now or  hereafter  have to the laying of the venue of any
such  Proceeding  brought  in any New York  Court  and any  claim  that any such
Proceeding  brought  in any New York Court has been  brought in an  inconvenient
forum.  Nothing  herein shall affect the right of any Holder to serve process in
any manner  permitted  by law or to  commence  legal  proceedings  or  otherwise
proceed against the company in any other jurisdiction.

                  (j)  Cumulative Remedies.  The  remedies  provided  herein are
cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.

                  (k)  Severability.   If  any  term,  provision,   covenant  or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be
invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions,
covenants  and  restrictions  set forth  herein  shall  remain in full force and
effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties
hereto  shall use their  reasonable  efforts to find and  employ an  alternative
means to achieve the same or substantially  the same result as that contemplated
by such term,  provision,  covenant or restriction.  It is hereby stipulated and
declared to be the  intention of the parties  that they would have  executed the
remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of
such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

                  (l)      Headings.  The headings  in  this  Agreement are  for
convenience  of  reference  only and  shall not limit or  otherwise  affect  the
meaning hereof.

                  (m) Shares Held by The Company  and its  Affiliates.  Whenever
the  consent or approval of Holders of a  specified  percentage  of  Registrable
Securities is required hereunder,  Registrable Securities held by the Company or
its Affiliates (other than the Purchaser or transferees or successors or assigns
thereof if such  Persons are deemed to be  Affiliates  solely by reason of their
holdings of such  Registrable  Securities)  shall not be counted in  determining
whether  such  consent or  approval  was given by the  Holders of such  required
percentage.


<PAGE>


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

                                            WAVE SYSTEMS CORP.



                                            By:     /s/ Peter J. Sprague
                                               -------------------------------
                                            Name:  Peter J. Sprague
                                            Title:  Chairman



                                            JNC OPPORTUNITY FUND LTD.



                                            By:      /s/ Philip C. Pedro
                                               -------------------------------
                                            Name:  Philip C. Pedro
                                            Title:  Director




                                                                    Exhibit 99.1

NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT

Contact: James Stokes Hatch                 David C. Collins
         Wave Systems Corp.                 Jaffoni & Collins Incorporated
         413-243-1600                       212-505-3015
         [email protected]                 [email protected]

For Immediate Release

                    WAVE SYSTEMS CORP. COMPLETE FIRST TRANCHE
                        OF $3.0 MILLION PRIVATE PLACEMENT

     June 3, 1997, Lee, MA - Wave Systems Corp. (Nasdaq: WAVX;  http://wave.com)
today  announced that it has signed an agreement  with an investment  fund for a
private  placement of $3.0  million,  of which it has completed the sale of $1.6
million in 6% Series D Convertible  Preferred Shares pursuant to Regulation D of
the Securities Act of 1933.

     Proceeds  from the offering  will fund  working  capital  needs,  including
research and development  aimed at further  enhancing the Company's  proprietary
electronic commerce systems and to fund sales and marketing initiatives aimed at
building the customer base and  transaction  volume for Wave's  WaveCommerce  TM
Internet  electronic content commerce system. The transaction was facilitated by
Wharton Capital, a New York based financial consulting firm.

     This  announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation
of offers to buy any security and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or
sale of any security in any  jurisdiction  in which such offer,  solicitation or
sale would be unlawful.


Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements

     Except for the  statements of historical  fact, the  information  presented
herein constitutes  forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private
Securities  Litigation  Reform  Act of  1995.  Such  forward-looking  statements
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause
the actual results,  performance or achievements of the company to be materially
different  from any future  results,  performance or  achievements  expressed or
implied  by  such  forward-looking  statements.  Such  factors  include  general
economic  and  business  conditions,  the loss of market  share,  the ability to
finance the Company's  operations,  changes in consumer  buying habits and other
factors over which Wave Systems Corp. has little or no control.

     Wave,  headquartered in Lee, MA, markets a distributed information metering
and transaction service, the Wave System, for use in consumer, entertainment and
education  applications.  Wave's information  metering  infrastructure  provides
individual and corporate content owners with secure  distribution as well as new
marketing   and  pricing   options   that  include   purchase  and   pay-per-use
transactions,  and eventually rental and rent-to-own  pricing models.  Consumers
benefit from the  convenience  and control of obtaining  content via  broadband,
internet,   satellite  transmission  and  CD-ROM  distribution  channels.   More
information   about  Wave  is  available   through  Wave's  Internet  web  site:
http://wave.com.





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