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FORM 4 OMB APPROVAL
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U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OMB Number: 3235-0287
[ ] Check this box if no Washington, D.C. 20549 Expires: September 30, 1998
longer subject to Estimated average burden
Section 16. Form 4 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP hours per response.......0.5
or Form 5 obligations ----------------------------
may continue. Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
See Instruction 1(b). Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or
Section 30(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
(Print or Type Responses)
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<S> <C> <C>
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* 2. Issuer Name and Ticker 6. Relationship of Reporting Person to
or Trading Symbol Issuer (Check all applicable)
Rottsolk James E. Tera Computer Company (TERA) X Director 10% Owner
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(Last) (First) (Middle) IRS or Social 4. Statement for X Officer (give Other (specify
Security Number Month/Year --- title --- below)
of Reporting below)
2815 Eastlake Avenue East Person 12/97 President & CEO
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(Street)
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5. If Amendment, 7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check
Seattle WA 98102 Date of Original Applicable Line)
----------------------------------------- (Month/Year) X Form fled by One Reporting Person
(City) (State) (Zip) ---
Form filed by More than One Reporting
--- Person
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TABLE I -- NON-DERIVATIVE SECURITIES ACQUIRED, DISPOSED OF, OR BENEFICIALLY OWNED
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<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
1. Title of Security 2. Transaction 3. Transaction 4. Securities Acquired 5. Amount of 6. Owner- 7. Nature
(Instr. 3) Date Code (A) or Disposed of Securities ship of In-
(Month/Day/ (Instr. 8) (D) Beneficially Form: direct
Year) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) Owned at Direct Bene-
------------------------------------------- End of Month (D) or ficial
(A) (Instr. 3 Indirect Owner-
Code V Amount or Price and 4) (I) ship
(D) (Instr. 4) (Instr. 4)
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Common Stock 12/11/97 S 1,192(1) D $1.76 265,871 D
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Common Stock 12/15/97 S 2,874(1) D $1.76 265,871 D
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Common Stock 12/29/97 S 14,230(1) D $1.76 265,871 D
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Common Stock 12/30/97 G 1,000 D n/a 265,871 D
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Common Stock 1,698(2) I (2)
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(1) Sold to employees of Tera Computer Company pursuant to the exercise of options under option agreements dated 10/5/92 between
the Reporting Person and each such employee.
(2) Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares as to which he has voting and dispositive powers as custodian
for six minor children under the Washington Uniform Gifts to Minors Act.
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
(Over)
*If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v). SEC 1474 (7-96)
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FORM 4 (continued)
TABLE II -- DERIVATIVE SECURITIES ACQUIRED, DISPOSED OF, OR BENEFICIALLY OWNED
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
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<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
1.Title of Deriv- 2.Conver- 3.Trans- 4.Trans- 5.Number 6.Date Ex- 7.Title and 8.Price 9.Number 10.Owner- 11.Nature
ative Security sion action action of Der- ercisable Amount of of of ship of
(Instr. 3) or Ex- Date Code ivative and Expir- Underlying Deriv- Deriv- Form of Indir-
ercise (Month/ (Instr. Secur- ation Date Securities ative ative Deriv- ect
Price of Day/ 8) ities (Month/ (Instr. 3 Secur- Secur- ative Bene-
Deriv- Year) Acquired Day/ and 4) ity ities Secur- ficial
ative (A) or Year) (Instr. Bene- ity: Owner-
Secur- Disposed 5) ficially Direct ship
ity of (D) Owned (D) or (In-
(Instr. at End Indirect str.
3, 4, --------------------------- of Month (I) 4)
and 5) Date Expi- Title Amount (Instr. 4) (Instr. 4)
----------------------Exer- ration or No.
Code V (A) (D) cis- Date of
able Shares
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Employee Stock
Options (obliga- Common
tion to sell) $1.76 12/29/97 J(3) 14,320 Immed 12-31-97 Stock 14,320 n/a 0 D n/a
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" " 12/11/97 J(4) 1,192 " " " 1,192 " " " "
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" " 12/15/97 " 2,874 " " " 2,874 " " " "
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" " 12/29/97 " 14,320 " " " 14,320 " " " "
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Explanation of Responses:
See reverse for explanations of footnotes (1)-(2).
(3) Reflects satisfaction on 12/29/97 of condition precedent (delivery of computer system) to vesting of options to purchase an
aggregate of 14,320 shares of Common Stock granted by Reporting Person to certain employees of Tera Computer Company pursuant to
option agreements dated 10/5/92.
(4) Reflects exercise of options to purchase shares of Common Stock pursuant to option agreements, dated 10/5/92, between
Reporting Person and certain employees of Issuer.
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts JAMES E. ROTTSOLK
constitute Federal Criminal Violations. ---------------------------------------- --------------------------
See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a). **Signature of Reporting Person Date
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed.
If space provided is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not Page 2
required to respond unless the form displays a current valid OMB number. SEC 1474 (7-96)
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