Exhibit 20
XXXXX X. XXXXX
c/o State Of The Art, Inc.
00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
February 23, 1998
The Sage Group plc
Rose Acquisition Corp.
Sage House
Benton Xxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxx, XX0 0XX
Xxxxxxx
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Reference is hereby made to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated
January 27, 1998 (the "Merger Agreement"), by and among The Sage Group plc, a
corporation organized under the laws of England, Rose Acquisition Corp., a Xxxx
xxxx corporation (the "Purchaser"), and State Of The Art, Inc., a California
corporation (the "Company"). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise
defined shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Merger Agreement.
The undersigned represents and warrants that the undersigned is the
holder of options (the "Options") to purchase 513,541 Shares of the Company,
which Options are currently exercisable or will be exercisable by April 1,
1998.
As an inducement for you to waive the Minimum Condition described in
Annex I to the Merger Agreement and consummate the Offer in accordance with the
terms set forth in the Merger Agreement, the undersigned hereby agrees not to
exercise any of the Options from the date hereof through the Effective Time.
The undersigned does not, and nothing in this letter shall be construed to,
waive any
benefits intended to be conferred on the undersigned pursuant to Section 2.4 of
the Merger Agreement.
The agreement set forth herein shall terminate upon the earlier of the
Effective time and the termination of the Merger Agreement in accordance with
its terms.
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Very truly yours,
/s/ XXXXX X. XXXXX
-----------------------------------
Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
ACKNOWLEDGED AND AGREED:
THE SAGE GROUP PLC
By: /s/ XXXX XXXXXX
----------------------------------
Name: Xxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Chief Executive Officer
ROSE ACQUISITION CORP.
By: /s/ XXXX XXXXXX
-------------------------------
Name: Xxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President and Secretary
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